Reviews (1)

very complete book
this is a very informative book, providing many answers to questions you may not have asked.Safety, procedures, legal liability issues, diving operations are all thought about and discussed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminal Investigation    2. Criminal Procedure    3. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    4. Internal Medicine    5. Law    6. Police divers    7. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Scuba & Snorkeling    10. Search and rescue operations    11. Underwater Medicine    12. Underwater crime investigation    13. Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary Science   

Reviews (1)

Highly recommended - clear, concise and well crafted.
An exceptional reference and text.Clearly, the authors have many years experience in emergency response and have applied their expertise to the core incident management concepts.If you are looking for a way to understand the National Incident Management System from concept to `nuts and bolts, down in the field' processes, this is the best you will find. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    2. Political Science    3. Politics / Current Events    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Public Policy - General    6. Central government policies    7. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (10)

Stories You Never Heard--But Should
I'm writing this on 9/11 . . . we all know what happen this day.This book is the story of what happened next. The aftermath.The recovery.There are heroes in this world that we would never meet if someone didn't tell their story . . . the people that didn't have television specials made about them. The people that used shovels and hardwork to do their part. William Keegan is not only a worthy teller of their story, he's one of the heroes too.CLOSURE is filled with amazing anecdotes, insights, images, and inspirations.I can't reccomend this book enough. I'm telling everyone I know about it . . . and after you read it, you will too. The daunting and massive recovery effort described in this book serves as a beautiful metaphor to what all of America has had to go through, layer by layer, to recover from the devasting impact 9/11 had on our souls. CLOSURE proves that human spirit can endure anything and come out stronger for it. Great book.

The Father of Ground Zero
Lt. William Keegan never expected the horrific job he was about to be put in charge of, "Rescue and Recovery" of Ground Zero. Let me first commend your wife Karen and your three daughters Kristine, Tara, and Rory for the support and love they gave you every day.Without this it would have been an impossible task for you to handle Ground Zero. Your book gives me closure in many ways.There is not one person who can say they didn't know someone that was involved or perished on that sorrowful day.It enlightens me to see how the rescue and recovery was handled and shows how the departments of the PAPD, NYPD and FDNY finally realized that everyone was there for the same reason.Hopefully to find people still alive. In my opinion the book is fantastic and everyone should read it.It tells the details of how you looked in every area hoping to find someone to "Rescue or Recover".This book was written for everyone.Bill Keagan never gave up he was always there trying to bring closure for all the families involved.I'm sure the hardest part of 9-11 was when the rescuers would find a friend.But in the end they had "CLOSURE".Great Book.Totally enlighten me as to what the rescue workers went thru and how they survived during that time.

A story everyone needs to hear
"Closure" is an emotional, informative, and ultimately fascinating account of the Ground Zero recovery efforts, led in part by Lt. William Keegan, the PAPD night commander of the recovery crew. Keegan offers an inside look at the countless obstacles and routine horror the crew encountered at the site on a daily basis, as well as the tolls such unwavering dedication and efforts would take on his family life. Keegan also discusses the NYC politics that came into play during these many months of recovery, which sometimes presented even more obstacles for Keegan and his guys.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    5. Disaster Relief Services    6. New York    7. New York (State)    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Police Division    10. Political Terrorism    11. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.    12. Regional Subjects - MidAtlantic    13. Rescue work    14. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    15. United States - 21st Century    16. United States - State & Local - General    17. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (44)

One Person
'Mom, do you have any good books I can read? Maybe one about animals?' I asked my mom one day when I was bored. When my mom handed me this book, about a year ago, I didn't know what to expect. I read the first chapter and was hooked. The author is so dedicated to animals and has experienced so much, it's hard to put the book down. I think it only took me a few days to read it and I just finished reading it for a second time. Thisis a book that makes you want to go and make a difference in the world. It makes you realize how much the news doesn't talk about animals in a disaster. When I graduate collage, I want to become an animal disaster volunteer. Right now I'm only 14 so I have a few years but, while I wait it's nice to know there are people like Terri Crisp making a difference in the animal world. Before I read this book I didn't think I could make much of a differance, after reading this book, I've learned how much of a difference one person can make.

South Florida dog mother
Ms. Crisp's dedication to all animals in distress is an inspiration for anyone who cares about the living creatures that share our planet with us.Having survived back to back hurricanes in south Florida; I know that even a small amount of time/money spent helping the often overlooked animal victims is precious and greatly appreciated.Thank you Terry!

Great Book!
I read the book and it has been a favorite of mine.I love the animals in this story.It is a real heart warming story. Kudos to the author. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Animal Husbandry    2. Animals / Pets    3. Biography    4. Crisp, Terri    5. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    6. Essays    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Pets    10. United States    11. Wildlife    12. Wildlife conservation    13. Wildlife rescue    14. Animal welfare    15. Literary Criticism & Collections / General    16. Pets / Essays    17. Political Science-Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    18. Technology-Agriculture - Animal Husbandry   

Reviews (10)

Media bias as usual
I was offended by the accusation in this book that poor black people were relegated to living in lower land in New Orleans and surrounding parishes.As usual the media wants to push their liberal, racial agenda on the south.Check the actual statistics on this hurricanes.More whites lost their lives than black and many, many wealthy areas (for blacks and whites)were devastated.Not just lower income people.We sick of having to correct people on this point.
Outstanding!
The book was a gift for my dad. He loved it! Very compelling stories and photography.

Past date to raise money, but still an important read
The photos and accounts delivered in this Time representation of Hurricane Katrina are invaluable.Bodies floating by houses, people trapped in their attics, the anger and frustration at the Superdome, the hope and good faith of the people searching for survivors.All of this is captured by great photojournalists and poignant captions.While some reviewers feel this book focuses on only two cities' ordeals with hurricane aftermath, I think the book captures what was happening in the worst cases.Having been published about a month after the occurance, you can leave the job of chronicling the entire event to a sociologist or someone more apt to turn a profit rather than raise money for the Red Cross.This book was published so quickly that I found many typos, ("Sept. 29th" instead of "Aug. 29th" was printed way too many times, and "kids" instead of "kinds", things that spell check wouldn't catch, but an editor should have).With that in mind, I think the goal was raising money and portraying what this country let happen to it's poor and elderly.Citizens don't build levees, governments do, and this government failed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Disaster relief    2. Disasters & Disaster Relief    3. Gulf Coast (U.S.)    4. History    5. History: World    6. Hurricane Katrina, 2005    7. Natural Disasters    8. Pictorial works    9. Social History    10. Sociology    11. U.S. Local History - Gulf Coast States    12. United States - State & Local - South    13. Nature / General   

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Reviews (4)

Interesting look at the history of fires
I bought this book for my brother (a volunteer firefighter) for Christmas and when I received it I could not help but take a peek at it myself.
Over 500 photos capture key moments in fire history
Jack Gottschalk's Firefighting is a lavish coffee table title which provides a rich documentary of the history of firefighting, from early technological accomplishments which created fire-fighting equipment to modern times. Over 500 photos capture key moments in fire history around the world, while special insights on the science and physics of fires makes for an excellent survey of fire-fighting challenges.

65 of history's greatest fires
Or would that be "disasters!"
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Subjects:  1. Fire extinction    2. Civilization    3. Fires    4. Fire fighting    5. Technology & Industrial Arts    6. Technology    7. History    8. Disasters & Disaster Relief    9. Social Science    10. Volunteer Work    11. Bargain   

Reviews (2)

Disaster Preparedness Books
If you're like I was, you're looking through the various disaster preparedness books wondering which one is best. I have worked my way through 7 of the most popular books and offer a shared review of all of them here. I hope this comparison helps you make a decision.
A Book That Could Save Your Life
CHAPTER 1: IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME -- examines the state of denial most of us live in regarding disasters, whether or not you can really prepare for the unknown, the types of disasters that you might experience in your life (natural emergencies, man-made disasters, and acts of terrorism), and the role that local disaster agencies provide during an emergency
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Subjects:  1. Disaster Relief Services    2. Disasters    3. Disasters & Disaster Relief    4. Earth Sciences - Geography    5. Emergency management    6. General    7. Natural Disasters    8. Reference    9. Safety education    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Reference / General    13. Personal & Practical Guides    14. Safety    15. Health & Fitness    16. Disaster Planning    17. Handbooks, manuals, etc   

Reviews (2)

United States Air Force Search and Rescue Survival Training
This is a grate book for outdoors people! It has all the Need To Know information you need.

A Great Survival Reference
I was impressed with the variety of survival subjects covered in this regulation.Written from the perspective of both the downed aircrewman and the USAF search and rescue team member, it goes beyond the Army Survival Manual and it takes a different view than that of the SAS Survival Guide.This book has gained a place in my survival library and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    2. Handbooks & Manuals    3. Military    4. Military - Aviation    5. Politics - Current Events    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Reference    8. Sale Books   

Reviews (3)

Great Handbook. Extremely helpful for developing a DR plan.
I found the book extremely valuable in getting a disaster recovery plan developed. The book was very helpful in not only showing step-by-step HOW to put together our plan, but also did a great job in explaining WHY something should be in the plan. It also focused on the entire business, not just on technology as some other books on the subject do.

Not a HandBook
Don't get carried away by the title descriptions "Hand book" and "step-by-step plan". If anyone is buying this book with an intention of developing a BCP/DR plan, implementing and testing it they will be disappointed. This book only helps to get an overview of BC/DR planning. I couldn't find anything readily usable in the companion CD. It contains a bunch of documents with one page and one table in it. You wouldn't find anything important and useful such as sample BC/DR plan, emergency response procedure and flow diagram.

Easy to read and very insightfull
This book reminds me what effects an extended outage can have.I was able to find at least one item in every chapter of this book that I could easily and cheaply implement, that not only saved me money, but allowed me to better ensure my business will continue to function in the event of serious unplanned outage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Computer security    5. Crisis management    6. Data protection    7. Decision Making & Problem Solving    8. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    9. Emergency management    10. Handbooks, manuals, etc    11. Management - General    12. Security - General    13. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (3)

Great text...beware the illustrations
First, this book is full of information.Read it twice and then keep it handy for reference...Micheal Brown clearly knows and cares a lot about rope rescue.My congratulations and thanks to him for distilling what he knows into this work.
Review
This book has a lot of good pictures to help illustrate various points and safety practices. There is a great deal of information located in this book and would make a great addition to any resource library.
Long overdue
This text is what the serious student of technical rescue has been looking for.It gives detailed technical information to help the serious rescue technician, instructor, or team member understand the "why" and not just a simple "how" to design and set up very technical systems.Mike uses his background, experience and most of all his sense of humor to bring some very old questions into focus. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    2. Fire Science    3. Firefighting Tactics And Strategy    4. Industrial safety    5. Lifesaving at fires    6. Rappelling    7. Rescue work    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Emergency services    12. Fire protection & safety    13. Technology / Technical & Manufacturing Industries & Trades   

Reviews (5)

A must read!
In 2002, John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein wrote "Washing Away," an award-winning series for the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The authors exposed the unique vulnerability of New Orleans to hurricanes, exploring "an obvious but little-acknowledged fact: here was a city that, for the six months of every hurricane season, lived with a substantial risk of utter annihilation...much of the city was built on top of a swamp, below sea level and gradually sinking."
The only Katrina book you need to read
This is not your typical Hurricane Katrina book, and that's why you need to read it.Of all the books I've read about the storm, this book best explains what happened to lead up to the events of Aug 29, 2005.The other reviewers have really summed the book up well.

Thoughtful, Informative and Readable
Path of Destruction provides an in-depth background to the geographic, technical and political contributions to the Katrina disaster.It describes the natural challenges of settling on the active Mississippi delta, the innately human bone-headed attempts to protect settlements on an increasingly vulnerable marshland, and the classic political forces (farces?) over the centuries that made problems worse, and it does it all in a very readable way.
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Subjects:  1. Disaster relief    2. Emergency management    3. General    4. History    5. History: American    6. Hurricane Katrina, 2005    7. Louisiana    8. Natural Disasters    9. New Orleans Metropolitan Area    10. Politics / Current Events    11. United States - 21st Century    12. United States - State & Local - General    13. United States History (Specific Aspects)    14. Current Events / American    15. Social impact of disasters   

Reviews (14)

History as it ought to be presented!
This book is a long time favorite: history as it ought to be taught and presented. Gottfried has a lucid style that is easy to read, understand and remember. The book reads more interestingly than much fiction, and presents everything from a history of disease and epidemics to examples of historical detective work: what was the mortality rate in an area? Well, how many people paid taxes one year, and how many paid the next year?
Memories of Disaster.
There is no subject as "The Black Death" that has aroused so many chilling stories around it. From Bocaccio's "Decameron" to Stephen King's "The Stand" thru Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" and Stewart's "Earth Abides", innumerable literary works had grown from these memories. It has left an inextinguishable fear of sudden death and extinction by the appearance of a deadly pestilence.
a grim, thorough work on the Black Death
There has been nothing in modern medicine to parallel the devastation of the Plague.This books is not easy reading, not lightly touched upon history. More of a masquerading study presented as a historical work, with a dash of detective work tossed in.Gottfried sets the stage of the emergence of the plague, traces its thorough and relentless progress across Europe, drawing on a wealth of documents, such as church and tax records, records written in six different languages from poets, historians and physicians of the period.Read more

Subjects:  1. Black death    2. Europe    3. Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Medieval    8. Plague    9. European history: c 500 to c 1500    10. History / General    11. Social impact of disasters   

Reviews (3)

An uneven collection based on a suspect premise
I was attracted to the premise of this book; a collection of essays addressing the sometimes astonishing ability of urban systems to recover from catastrophe. And in that regard there is much to recommend here, there are few texts that can match this one for the wealth of examples and information about the myriad of disasters that disrupt a city's basic functions and the immediate social impacts of such an event.
Pompeii and Chernobyl, Banda Aceh or New Orleans ...
Pompeii or Chernobyl, Hiroshima or Dresden, Banda Aceh or New Orleans: Some towns did not come onto the legs after a catastrophe, others rose again. Bombarded or struck by earthquakes, contaminated by radiation or flooded: The inhabitants of every town want the resurrection of her identification object - provided that it is only appropriately feasible. The big fire in Chicago is examined in the book or the earthquake in San Francisco. One looks at the reconstruction of Warsaw and also Berlin after the second World War. Perhaps it makes sense to give up a town like New Orleans, three meters under the sea-level, as a housing area definitely. On the other hand, a tendency of all residents of maltreated towns is to be felt globally, which speaks about to rebuild their symbol object as unchanged as possible. Maybe it is better to manage some variations, considering the presumable future of a city during an alternated reconstruction. Towns are works of art, culture products, how to save their threatened identity? This book will remain currently a long time ...

Pompeii and Chernobyl, Banda Aceh or New Orleans ...
Pompeii or Chernobyl, Hiroshima or Dresden, Banda Aceh or New Orleans: Some towns did not come onto the legs after a catastrophe, others rose again. Bombarded or struck by earthquakes, contaminated by radiation or flooded: The inhabitants of every town want the resurrection of her identification object - provided that it is only appropriately feasible. The big fire in Chicago is examined in the book or the earthquake in San Francisco. One looks at the reconstruction of Warsaw and also Berlin after the second World War. Perhaps it makes sense to give up a town like New Orleans, three meters under the sea-level, as a housing area definitely. On the other hand, a tendency of all residents of maltreated towns is to be felt globally, which speaks about to rebuild their symbol object as unchanged as possible. Maybe it is better to manage some variations, considering the presumable future of a city during an alternated reconstruction. Towns are works of art, culture products, how to save their threatened identity? This book will remain currently a long time ...
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Subjects:  1. Disasters    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. Urban renewal    9. History / General    10. History, Other | History of Technology    11. Social history    12. Social impact of disasters    13. Urban renewal & regeneration   

Reviews (3)

GRATITUDE FOR THIS INSPIRING BOOK
IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PRIVILEDGE TO WALK THROUGH THE HORROR OF 9/11 WITH THESE COURAGEOUS TEACHERS. IN TELLING THEIR VERY PERSONAL STORIES WITH HUMILITY AND HUMANITY, THEY GAVE OF THEMSELVES, OPENLY AND GENEROUSLY, AND, LET US INTO THEIR LIVES ON THAT UNIMAGINABLE DAY.
Powerful, hopeful book
This book eloquently recounts the stories of the 9/11 tragedy and its aftermath from the perspective of the New York City teachers who were on the job that fateful day.It is powerfully written, a testament to their hope and strength and shared humanity.The writing was so compelling that I wanted to read it all at once, but emotionally I needed to go slowly, to let each chapter sink in.It is one of the most powerful pieces of writing that I have ever read.

Precious inspiration and guidance for those who care about children
What would you do if you had been a teacher or administrator in a New York Cityschool on September 11th, 2001?
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Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. General    4. History    5. History - U.S.    6. New York    7. New York (State)    8. Personal narratives    9. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    10. September 11 Terrorist Attacks, 2001    11. Teachers    12. United States - 21st Century    13. United States - State & Local - General    14. United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic    15. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    16. Social impact of disasters    17. Teaching skills & techniques   

Reviews (1)

Fabulous
I took a Terrorism class with Dr. Levinson this summer.The book is great, very thorough.It gives a clear understanding about disaster planning, brilliant! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Disasters & Disaster Relief    3. Emergency management    4. Forensic Medicine    5. Industrial Health & Safety    6. Investigation    7. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Sociology    10. Technology    11. Transportation accidents    12. Accident & emergency medicine    13. Emergency services    14. Social impact of disasters    15. Technology / Aeronautics & Astronautics   

Reviews (12)

Excellent book
Excellent book!The subject matter is tough to handle at times, but I've bought this book for a few friends because it is so good.

In response to Julia Truelove
I thought the book was a little jumpy.It deffinitely wasn't the best book I have ever read in my life.But then again, the purpose was not to be a literary classic.The purpose of this book is to raise awareness.So the book does it's job.
Self-serving to the author
I agree with Anne Scialottas review.I am not a Christian so I found Haugen's prostelitizing appalling and self serving.I think a problem such as the gross injustice and sexual abuse of young girls is a problem that everyone needs to be aware of (leave the silly religious zealot soap-boxing out of it)and make the government aware of the problem, then instead of giving lip-service, DO something about it as U.S. politicians with power to do so,.. no one cares if you are Christian. If you are a Christian, that is wonderful.Many other religions and nations that do not practice Christianity should be addressed and have just as much (if not more) love and compassion for the human condition and the oppression/abuse of poor people. Anne pointed out that not just women/girls in Vietnam are in this situation. In fact it is going on in brothels right under the author's "hero" (as he calls him adoringly "Our President, George W. Bush" nose)As if Bush is some leader or Jesus Christ -like savior for the poor people in this horrible situation.( Bush has been sending our military to kill those in Iraq for years now!) Oprah Winfrey's recent show pointed out about brothels just blocks from the White House where our own US citizens children and pedophiles promote and participate in the sex trade industy. (YES, the Administration is aware of it!) I feel this author seems to portray Vietnamese people as sinful, "not-'saved" therefore scorned as non-Christians(so not HOLY as he himself and his arrogant organization IJM is)He boasts ad-infinitum early on in this book about all of their amazing accomplishments to rescue the young girls via "daring" sting operations, endangering their own lives(!) all the while interspersing bible phrases and quoting scripture.He certainly puts himself on a pedastal along with his co-horts.I feel his goal as Anne stated is to raise money (which I would not trust at all)and tout his own Christian rhetoric and create his own followers. This "cause" of his might well be a self-serving ruse for self-importance and to gain popularity and notoriety for himself and the other gullible Christians in his circle. Taking these girls to a rescue place and most-likely brain-washing (traumatizing no doubt)conversions to Christianity(as happened to our Native American Indians in the US)Those swept up in the nauseating Christian revival movements may be impressed with his so-called social work/saving these girls.In general , the only good point may be (partially) helping to bring to light this problem to the forefront of the American public awareness;his narrow-focused, faith-based work seems somewhat unintelligent and certainly not close to scholarly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Allied Health Services - Emergency Medical Services    2. Asia - Southeast Asia    3. Cambodia    4. Children's Studies    5. Church work with prostitutes    6. Counseling    7. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    8. History    9. History: World    10. International Justice Mission    11. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Prostitutes    14. Prostitution    15. Rehabilitation    16. Political Science / General   

Reviews (3)

What A Great Book!
I really enjoyed reading this book.It truly exceeded my expectations.I would recommend it to just about anyone.

A Good Book but a Little Insensitive
The first reviewer is correct in saying that this is a very good book full of thrilling stories about firefighters which I have truly enjoyed.
Good book... the greatest? Doubtful...
This is a very good book, especially for those who dream of becoming a firefighter.This does little to tell the actual stories of firefighters, however. It is more a collection of tales to thrill rather than to give insight.Any book by former firefighters such as Dennis Smith would be a better read for firefighters. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Career/Job    3. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    4. Fire extinction    5. Fire fighters    6. General    7. Lifesaving at fires    8. Murder - General    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Special Interest - Adventure    12. True Crime    13. United States    14. Fiction / Adventure   

Reviews (2)

A Great Overview
This book is an excellent overview of emergency management.I highly recommend it as a text in a basic emergency management course or for those interested in the discipline.

Get Out in the Field; Get an Editor
This text bears no relationship to the practice of disaster management.I am noticeably retarded for having read it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Disasters & Disaster Relief    2. Emergency management    3. Entrepreneurship    4. Human Services    5. Industrial Health & Safety    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Geography | Economic & Historical    9. Social Science / Human Services   

Reviews (1)

An invaluable reference for any aid worker
Anyone working in the Developing World sometimes needs some advice.The solutions offered in this book cover a wide range of subjects and they are practical and very well illustrated.Do not be intimidated by the "engineering" in this book, it's mostly common sense and useful tables.
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Subjects:  1. Civil Engineering (Specific Aspects)    2. Disaster Relief & Rescue Operations    3. Disaster Relief Services    4. Human Services    5. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Aid & relief programmes    9. Business & Economics / Development & Growth    10. Mechanical Engineering & Materials