Disasters continue to escalate in frequency, scope, and impact. Geographic information systems (GIS) provide essential decision support and analytical capabilities for the full disaster management cycle. Assuming no previous knowledge in GIS and/or disaster management, this book is a primer on GIS principles. Topics include the basics of GIS, what it can and can’t do, GIS data formats (vector, raster, imagery), and basic functions of GIS including analysis, map production/cartography, and data modeling. The book provides disaster management practitioners and students with the latest developments in both the current state of the art and future trends.