Essay on Disaster Management Reflections
The earth has been affected by natural hazards over a long time as man emerged into the picture – the picture that the natural occurrences were becoming a disaster, together with being documented in various ways providing a warning for the future generation. However, in 1920, there was a published study referred to as the catastrophe and social change by Henry Samuel Prince. This was the Halifax Disaster documented account and the occurrence of the social change. The first person to deliver an evidence-based study was Prince. On the basis of solid theory, he managed to found a paradigm that paved way for the management of disaster to be studied (Sperling, 2004).
Various changes in social life can be caused by disasters. Social changes aren’t always for the better since they tend to affect population resources (Oliver, 2002). Changes in disaster study become visible with the theories related to a cultural protection collapse. Carr started a discussion on how we got the tools in place encountering the act of disasters as though there was a lack of these tools and no more protection.
Disaster is any occurrence that causes ecological disruption, damage, human life loss, health services, and health deterioration on sufficient scale to warrant response extraordinary from the outside area or community affected (De Boer, 2000). In addition, it can be also defined as a series of events that disrupt normal activities seriously. Disaster means a sudden or great misfortune. This may include tsunami, fires, floods, droughts, floods, etc.
The major disasters naturally may include earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and drought. Minor disasters naturally include storm, heat waves, cold waves, mudslides, and thunderstorms. The major disasters that may occur in man-made activities include deforestation, fires, and pollution due to their prawn activities. The minor man-made occurrence of disasters may include accidents on the roads or trains, riots, industrial riots, food poisoning, and environmental pollution.
Throughout history, disasters had some significant impacts on the number, lifestyle, and health statuses of the population, such as death, shortage of food, movements of the population, damage of water systems, health facilities, and severe injuries that require treatment extensive. Health problems that are common to every disaster include mental health, social reactions, nutrition and food, climatic exposure, health infrastructure damage, and population displacement.
Whether a disaster is man-made or natural, it can occur at any time and anywhere. The general response to any disaster is associated with rescue and relief operations that go right after the event. If we are well and adequately prepared, it is very easy to reduce the impact of that disaster. We can reduce the impact through raising awareness and understanding of all the preventive actions, together with having knowledge of particular tools and techniques. When a disaster occurs, these tools and techniques can be used to control total damage of belongings and life. The biggest problem is the way a disaster occurs. The thing is that it usually occurs all of a sudden. Hence, for a disaster serenity to be reduced, the response has to be swift equally (De Boer, 2000).
It is hard for a day to pass without news about complex or major emergencies happening in different parts of the world, as disasters continue to strike causing destruction to both developed and undeveloped countries (Dyregrov, 1999). This raises concerns related to occurrences that may affect gravely our daily lives and our future. In vulnerable populations, some emergencies (especially the ones that occur in nature) become catastrophic events only when they are in combination with the vulnerability factors like populations’ density and human settlements.
An occurrence of earthquakes in deserted areas is might be considered as a natural hazard, rather than if it occurred in mega city where it is recognized as a major disaster (Stewart, 2005). Any type of emergency that has anything to do with vulnerable populations concerns some technological disasters like the ones of chemicals or nuclear. These complex and major emergencies are linked closely to an anarchic growth population that leads to poverty, unplanned population settlements, and environmental degradation.
Disasters themselves have no limitation to specific parts of the world. There are no countries that are immune to disasters. There is a variance in disaster vulnerability (Sperling, 2005). However, some countries might be more prone to a particular type of disaster. The more advanced a country is, the higher level of its preparation is. A high level of readiness lets them have good control over their potential loss. When disasters with extreme losses occur in the countries that aren’t well prepared, these losses become a bit high due to the inability to manage the situation in a timed manner.
Another thing that might lead to a big loss during certain disasters is the secure utilities and properly manages inability (Pearce, 2003). In one way, these utilities tend to be very important, and on the other hand, due to ruptures or leakage, some of them might be in contact with each other, where they are not supposed to be. This, in turn, leads to further damage. The most important thing in disaster management is minimizing losses when disaster happens together with ensuring that resources are utilized effectively (as they are scarce already).
The major disasters naturally may include earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and drought. Minor disasters typically include storm, heat waves, cold waves, mudslides, and thunderstorms. The major disasters that are caused by humans include deforestation, fires, setting on fires, and pollution due to their prawn activities. The minor man-made occurrence of disasters may include accidents on the roads or trains, riots, industrial riots, food poisoning, and environmental pollution.
There are four key types of disasters. They include environmental emergencies, natural disasters, pandemic disasters, and complex disasters. Disaster prevention activities are designed to provide permanent disaster protection. Not every disaster can be prevented, especially when it comes to natural disasters. Preventing injury and deaths after a natural disaster is possible only with the plans of good evacuation, design standards, and environmental planning.
Preparing for disasters means setting up and developing activities that will prevent deaths and minimize damages (Pearce, 2003). Preparation is the best way of reducing disasters’ impact. Disaster relief is a multi-agency coordinated response targeted at reducing disaster impact and its long-term results. These activities may include relocation, rescue, water, and food provision, preventing disability and disease, repair of vital services like transport, provision of temporary shelter, and health care emergency.
Once the needs of emergency are satisfied, and the crisis is over, all people that were affected together with the community supporting them remain vulnerable. In other words, being adequately equipped is the key element of proper disaster management for every country. And first of all, the equipment should be provided for people with disabilities, children, and elderly people.
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