The first chapter of the textbook presents the conceptual foundations and characteristics of disaster risk management as a teaching and scientific discipline. The roots of the origin and the conditions of development of this relatively young scientific discipline in our region, which was actualized and stemmed from civil protection, are explained. Special attention is paid to describing the subject of the scientific discipline and its demarcation from other, related disciplines. At the same time, the areas of scientific knowledge that are important for the management of disaster risks are described in particular: the etiology of endangering people's safety by the risks of disasters caused by natural or anthropogenic factors; methodological issues in the field of disasters; phenomenology of disasters and hazards; vulnerability and resilience to disasters; integrated disaster risk management; disaster risk prevention and mitigation; disaster risk preparedness; disaster risk response; disaster recovery; information systems and disaster risk management; international cooperation in disaster risk reduction and disaster risk reduction legal frameworks. After a thorough consideration of the subject of the scientific discipline, an overview of the nature and characteristics of the theoretical evolution of scientific research methods in the field of disasters is given. It points out certain specificities and key characteristics of the circumstances that contributed to further specialization and improvement of methodological frameworks of numerous and decades-long research. Furthermore, a deeper review of the quantitative and qualitative research tradition in the field of disasters is given here. Guided by the importance of the scientific discipline, the heuristic approach and future research on disasters, which are increasingly current and developed, are elaborated. The current challenges and opportunities for the development of the scientific discipline are comprehensively reviewed and described. It is especially emphasized that social units have never been protected from various manifestations of natural or technical-technological risks. Bearing in mind that the textbook will be used by students of master's and doctoral academic studies, as well as other interested scientists or researchers, the most important theoretical frameworks of disaster studies have been interpreted through careful selection, in short but sufficient outlines for general familiarization with: theories of preparedness, vulnerability, resilience, complex systems, planned behavior, urgent norms, decision-making, symbolic interactionism, etc. At the end of the chapter, the paradigms that crystallized in disaster research and that represent some of the basic assumptions or rules for understanding the reality of the multidimensional nature of disasters are critically reviewed. In the second chapter of the textbook, the evolution and the most significant directions of the theoretical determination of hazards and disasters are considered, that were conditioned by different scientific disciplines, academic or practical considerations and the very social environments in which they arose. Different periods of occurrence and theoretical determination of disasters are also considered: classical approaches, perception of hazard as the cause of disasters and original studies of disasters. In addition, special attention is paid to describing the nature and characteristics of hazards which, regardless of their origin (nature, technical-technological or social sphere), differ in intensity, i.e. in the strength, power or strength of the force they possess. The international and generally recognized scales used to determine the intensity of a hazard are also discussed in detail: a) Richter and Mercalli scale of earthquake intensity; b) volcano explosiveness index; c) Beaufort wind scale; d) Saffir-Simpson intensity scale; e) tsunami monitoring; f) European scale of the intensity of avalanche danger; g) Palmer drought severity index and h) international intensity scale of nuclear events. In the following text, disasters caused by natural hazards are systematically and comprehensively defined, classified and described (lithospheric disasters - earthquakes, landslides and rockfalls, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis; hydrospheric disasters - floods and torrents and avalanches; atmospheric disasters - storms, droughts and extremely low and high temperatures; biospheric disasters - epidemics, epizootics, epiphytonosis and forest fires), then disasters caused by technical-technological hazards (nuclear, radiological, industrial and transport or traffic disasters), then disasters caused by hazardous substances, war destruction and fires, as well as disasters caused by terrorist attacks (chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological terrorism and terrorist attacks caused by the use of explosives of high destructive power). Bearing in mind the importance of understanding and assessing the damage caused by disasters, a wide range of consequences, which are often difficult to monitor and precisely measure - health, physical, ecological, economic and psychological consequences of disasters for people and their material goods are described in detail. Then, the basic geospatial and temporal distributions of disasters at the world geospatial level and at the national level are pointed out. Without neglecting the importance of ethical issues in the area of disasters, it simply and interestingly points out numerous ethical dilemmas and procedures in disaster risk management. Finally, in keeping with the reputation they enjoy, an overview of the basic models in the field of disaster studies is given: the Pressure and Release (PAR) model, the Incident Command System (ICS) model, the Catastrophe M0deling (CAT) and the Disaster Model. In the third chapter of the textbook, the conceptual assumptions and frameworks of the concept of vulnerability to disasters, which have been formulated and developed within the auspices of social sciences, are considered. The multidimensional nature of vulnerability is analyzed and interpreted, with special reference to its dependence on scale and location. Special attention is paid to defining vulnerability, which is conceptualized in different ways and defies simple interpretation, standardization and understanding. In doing so, the most important components of resilience are emphasized, such as sensitivity, risk, elasticity and resilience. An overview of the most important scientific and professional definitions is given, with special reference to the international and national legal framework of definitions. In the part related to different perspectives and dimensions of vulnerability, it is stated that there are different ways of categorizing established approaches to vulnerability, such as vulnerability to hazards, vulnerability as a condition and vulnerability as a community component. In addition, the basic characteristics of classical approaches in understanding the conceptual bases of vulnerability are elaborated, such as the risk-hazard approach, the political-economic approach, the pressure and release approach, the integrated approach and the resilience approach. In the following text, various perspectives of vulnerability are discussed in detail, such as individual and household vulnerability, physical, economic, ecological, political and social vulnerability, as well as the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. Then the methods and conceptual bases of vulnerability measurement are described and vulnerability indicators are explained in particular. The importance of vulnerability indicators is emphasized especially, since they reflect the assessment of the capacity, that is, the ability of people and communities to withstand, face or recover from sudden impacts of disasters. They also contribute, on the one hand, to the assessment of the resources available to the local community that are important for surviving such events, and on the other hand, to the assessment of people's resilience, in terms of whether that resilience is growing, stagnating or declining. The fourth chapter of the textbook describes in detail the theoretical evolution of the concept of resilience and its multidimensional nature. It is emphasized that it represents a kind of metaphor, which comes from physical and mathematical sciences. Observed from a historical perspective, it is noted that the concept of resilience was used when describing the ability of materials or systems to return to equilibrium after the action of physical influences originating from nature or the anthropogenic sphere. The second section describes research efforts towards a better understanding of resilience in different spheres and perspectives: resilience as a biophysical attribute; resilience as a social attribute; resilience of the social-ecological system and resilience as an attribute of a certain area. In particular, dimensions of disaster resilience are described and discussed, such as citizen resilience, household and local community resilience, engineering resilience, institutional and environmental resilience, and resilience of an organisation. The following text states that individual resistance to disasters depends on numerous internal and external factors, describing the most relevant ones: physical, physiological, anatomical and psychological, as well as characteristics that make people more or less resistant to certain disasters. Various aspects of household resilience are being considered – for example, the ability to mitigate hazards and implement recovery activities that will minimize social disruption and mitigate future impacts from disasters. Then engineering resilience is being considered, which is a key to creating resilient communities that, instead of cracking, are resilient and able to bend and bounce back. In the framework of institutional resilience, a model is described that identifies four key sets of networked resources on which the level of resilience depends: 1) information and communications; 2) economic development; 3) social capital and 4) community competence. Finally, the resilience of organizations is discussed, which is considered as a two-component structure, made up of inherent and adaptive factors. In the third section, resilience is analyzed and measured. It is emphasized that in the literature various dimensions to assess disaster resilience are used. They are related to different systems – physical, human and social. Special attention is paid to describing global and local indicators of disaster resilience. Within the framework of global indicators, the disaster risk index and maps of global disaster hotspots are considered. It then details local indicators of disaster resilience, such as the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC), Characteristics of a Disaster- Resilient Community (CDRC), the City Resilience Index (CRF), the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART), the Flood Resilience Measurement for Communities (FRMC), Socio-economic Resilience (SER) and disaster Risk Reduction Index (RRI). In the following text, the issues of improving resilience to disasters are discussed, which require a wide range of various activities in order to improve the ability and capacity of society to react appropriately and to recover as soon as possible from the consequences of disasters. Finally, the components of resilience are considered, the consideration of which provides a complete picture of the very concept of resilience. In the fifth chapter of the textbook, the essential issues of integrated disaster risk management are discussed. First, the theoretical definition of risk is reviewed and explained, which implies that risk can be managed by influencing the probability or consequences of a disaster. It highlights the most important issues related to disaster risk – what can go wrong, how likely it is to happen, and what the consequences are if it does. In the second part of the chapter, the characteristics of disaster risk management are discussed, emphasizing that it involves a set of measures and activities carried out, aimed to implement the disaster risk reduction policy. Next, the difference between traditional and modern disaster risk management is described, which is reflected in the different mode of operation, organizational structure, nature of information, management goals and criteria. In addition, integrated disaster management cycles such as mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are discussed in detail. The three most important phases in management are explained in particular - before, during and after disasters. The fifth part explains in detail the disaster risk management process, which includes identifying the context, identifying and profiling hazards, assessing hazard risks, sorting hazards, and creating matrices. Then, disaster risk management indicators are described, such as the disaster deficit index, the local disaster index, the widespread vulnerability index, and the disaster risk management index. Special attention is paid to disaster risk assessment models as basic tools of disaster risk managers in making key decisions in different stages of risk management. Dynamic and deterministic models, probabilistic models, HAZUS MH model and disaster risk index are considered. Bearing in mind the importance of visual representation of risks, risk maps and risk register creation procedures are described. The most important part of this chapter refers to the methodology of disaster risk assessment, so the general and special part of disaster risk assessment are explained in detail. Finally, the characteristics of informing the public about the risks of disasters, that is, the information process and the tools used for that purpose, are analyzed. In the sixth chapter of the textbook, the basic conceptual assumptions of disaster risk mitigation (prevention) are discussed as one of the most important phases of integrated management. At the same time, the transformation of sudden "hits" into disasters depends on the nature of the response, measures to mitigate the consequences and preparedness for such extreme events. The second part of this chapter describes and analyzes in detail the most important disaster risk mitigation strategies and measures. The following measures are described within the framework of structural disaster risk mitigation: planned land use; relocation; physical and structural modifications; resistant structures and building codes; the role of insurance in disaster risk reduction; design and implementation of technological measures; systems for monitoring, warning, notification and alerting; construction of shelters; construction of barriers and retention system. In addition to structural measures for risk mitigation, the importance and characteristics of non-structural measures are explained in detail, such as: normative measures; individual and social awareness and education; non-structural physical modifications; behavioral changes. The third part discusses disaster risk mitigation functions aimed at reducing the probability of natural or technical-technological disasters, as well as reducing existing or mitigating future consequences of such events. The reduction of risk probabilities and consequences, risk avoidance, risk transfer and risk acceptance are especially considered. The fourth part analyzes and describes the particular measures to mitigate the risk of disasters caused by natural hazards (lithospheric, hydrospheric, atmospheric and biospheric disasters), as well as measures to mitigate the risk of disasters caused by technical-technological hazards. Finally, the role of social networks in disaster risk reduction is discussed. In the seventh chapter of the textbook, preparedness for disasters is discussed, which includes designing, planning, implementing and testing measures to reduce the level of natural and technical-technological hazards. Special attention is paid to the consideration of various demographic, socioeconomic and psychological factors that influence the increase or decrease in the level of preparedness for response. The following text discusses different types of preparedness for disasters, such as individual preparedness and preparedness of households, local communities and countries for disasters. When talking about individual preparedness, all questions related to the measures that citizens must take, as well as questions about ways of familiarizing themselves with natural and technical-technological hazards at the local and state level, are considered. Various aspects of the importance of preparedness in the context of national and international legislation are also described. Special attention is paid to the preparedness of households as the basic social unit, and the measures and activities they should undertake are explained. In that part, interesting theoretical questions are discussed in the context of various factors that influence the level of preparedness of the local community and the state. The third part analyzes all relevant issues in the context of education and training as key factors for improving the resilience of people and their social units. Although education has previously somewhat ignored the relevance of teaching topics related to disasters, today these topics are becoming increasingly important. Apart from formal education, special attention is paid to the role of the family and the transfer of knowledge and experiences within the local community. The contribution of scientific research organizations to disaster risk reduction is also explained. In addition, disaster education using multimedia content, such as board games, computer simulations and video games, educational videos and brochures, is being considered. Various aspects of planned and systematic behavior change through learning, programs and instructions are described, which enable individuals to reach the necessary level of knowledge, skills and competence for efficient performance of their jobs. Based on the invaluable importance of considering the impact of various factors, the impact of demographic, socioeconomic and psychological factors on the improvement of preparedness for disasters is analyzed in detail. In the fifth part of this chapter, various preparedness measures for the risks of disasters caused by natural and technical-technological hazards are analyzed and reviewed. Preparedness measures for the risks of lithospheric and hydrospheric disasters, disasters caused by storms and extreme temperatures, epidemics, epiphytonoses and epizoonoses, and forest fires are discussed. Then, preparedness measures for the risks of disasters caused by fires, industrial and transport disasters, hazardous materials, war destruction and terrorist attacks, nuclear and radiation hazards are considered. Finally, all relevant issues related to disaster planning are reviewed, with special reference to the concept and characteristics of plans, disaster risk reduction plans, and protection and rescue plans. The most important issues in the context of equipment and supplies necessary for a timely and effective response were not neglected. In the eighth chapter of the textbook, response activities to disaster risks are considered, which implies the implementation of activities foreseen in the protection and rescue plans. In the first part, the conceptual determination of response to disaster risks is analyzed and its specific functions are explained. Bearing in mind the importance of planning activities, the second part of the chapter describes planning and some specific measures for responding to disaster risks: warning and evacuation; search and rescue; provision of first aid and assessment of damages and losses. In the third part, the perspectives of the organization and competences of intervention-rescue services in the conditions of disasters are considered. Special attention is paid to describing the place and role of intervention and rescue services, such as the police, army, emergency medical service and headquarters. In addition, the work organization and tactics of the units at the strategic, tactical and operational level of response are considered. In the fourth part, starting from the specifics and characteristics of various disasters, the ways of responding to specific disasters are considered. After its manifestation, many people who are not part of certain formal organizations come to the area affected by the disaster to provide help. Therefore, the fifth part is devoted to various aspects of volunteering in disaster conditions, with special reference to the challenges and limitations in the provision of assistance, such as social apathy, information and communication flows, population diversity and cultural patterns, internal organizational challenges, lack of staff and their training and low level of responsibility. Finally, the most important issues of media coverage of disasters are analyzed. In the ninth chapter of the textbook, which refers to disaster recovery, measures and activities undertaken by citizens, households, local communities and the state are discussed with the aim of eliminating all direct and indirect consequences of disasters for people and their material and other goods. The first part considers the conceptual definition of disaster recovery and describes the objectives of the recovery measures, which are aimed at returning systems and activities in the threatened territory to a normal state as soon as possible. After that, the second part describes the stages of disaster recovery, with special reference to assistance, renewal and reconstruction, but also restoration, rehabilitation and redevelopment. The third part discusses in detail the basic dimensions and challenges of disaster recovery. In addition, environmental recovery and socio-psychological recovery, restoration of services after disasters, recovery of critical infrastructure are analyzed and described, and disaster recovery planning procedures are explained, with special reference to short-term and long-term recovery planning and a detailed description of the principles of disaster recovery planning. The tenth chapter of the textbook discusses the use of various information systems, services and databases that facilitate disaster risk management. The goals, principles and infrastructure that are important for the functioning of information systems for disaster risk management are described. The first part explains the basic characteristics and importance of disaster risk databases, as well as various applications used to coordinate activities to mitigate the consequences of disasters. Special attention is paid to the Sahana software, which was created with the goal of saving lives by enabling organizations and local communities to better prepare for and respond to disasters. Relevant issues on the international disaster database EM-DATA, the Global Disaster Risk Platform (GHA) and the Global Hazard Atlas (GHA) are discussed. In the further text, the disaster information systems (DesInvenar) and the information platform for disaster risk reduction PreventionWeb are discussed. In addition, the interactive, electronic, geographic information database for the territory of the Republic of Serbia - the landslide risk register, as well as the no less important disaster risk register - is explained in detail. In addition, a special disaster risk management service called Copernicus (Copernicus Emergency Management Service - CEMS) is being considered, which provides necessary information in all phases of disaster management (preparation, response and recovery), including meteorological, geophysical and technical-technological hazards. In addition, an improved information system for fires is described, which enables easier prediction, detection, planning and recovery from forest fires. It further describes the key features and capabilities of satellite remote sensing for disaster risk reduction, geographic information system, smart disaster response system, global fire monitoring center and disaster loss assessment program. The textbook is intended for students of basic and master's academic studies at the Faculty of Security at the University of Belgrade and at the Criminalistics and Police University, but also for a wider, professional readership (members of emergency and rescue services, etc.) who are increasingly realizing the necessity of a more detailed understanding of a multidisciplinary approach to identification, analysis and disaster risk management. The content of the textbook is aligned with the curriculum of the subject Risk Management in Emergency Situations, which is studied in the third year of basic academic studies at the Faculty of Security. When writing the textbook, particular care was taken to meet the standards related to scientific-professional and pedagogical-didactic requirements, which is why the extensive scientific-professional material of all relevant foreign and domestic authors was used. In addition, in writing the textbook, the author used a veritable trove of his scientific and professional works, which were scientifically verified by numerous international and domestic reviewers. In addition, most of the results of the research that I conducted in the country and abroad were incorporated into the textbook with the aim of enriching it with scientifically verified facts. Invaluable experience in working with students made it possible to free the text from additional scientific thinking that would make it difficult to acquire basic knowledge in the field of disaster risk management. The first edition of the textbook also has certain limitations as a consequence of the insufficient theoretical development of the scientific discipline and has yet to contribute to the creation of the conditions for theory building. I would especially emphasize that the textbook represents the first such reading published in the Serbian language in our region. This publication will significantly improve the knowledge and professional competences of the wider professional public.