DISASTER

MANAGEMENT

Dictionary meaning of "disaster" may be taken as: "a

sudden accident or natural event that causes great

damage or loss of life“.

The biggest problem with the

disasters is the

suddenness and swiftness with

which they arrive.

Earthquakes, industrial accidents, oil-spills, forest-fires,

terrorist activities etc. are some of the more commonly

encountered disasters

SOME TYPES OF DISASTERS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Natural disasters: These are primary natural disasters

Earthquake

Volcanoes

Floods

Tornados

Tsunami

Man Made : These are mostly caused due to certain

human activities.

Nuclear Leaks

Chemical Leaks

Oil spills

EARTHQUAKE

Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be so

tremendously destructive, it’s hard to imagine they occur

by the thousands every day around the world, usually in

the form of small tremors. Some 80 percent of all the

planet's earthquakes occur along the rim of the Pacific

Ocean, called the "Ring of Fire" because of the

preponderance of volcanic activity there as well. Most

earthquakes occur at fault zones, where tectonic plates—

giant rock slabs that make up the Earth's upper layer—

collide or slide against each other. Loss of life can be

avoided through emergency planning, education, and the

construction of buildings that sway rather than break

under the stress of an earthquake.

WHAT TO DO WHEN EARTHQUAKE WARNING IS GIVEN

Check for hazards in the house .

Check for safe places inside as well as outside the house.

Ensure all family members know how to respond after an earthquake Store breakable items such as bottled foods, glass, and china in low, closed cabinets with latches.

Hold earthquake drills with your family members: Drop, cover and hold

Develop an emergency communications plan in case of separation during the earthquake

If possible try to repair any deep cracks in ceilings or foundations.

DURING EARTHQUAKE:

If indoors: Take cover under a piece of heavy furniture or against an inside wall and stay inside

If outdoors: Move into the open, away from buildings, street lights, and utility wires and remain there until shaking stops

If in a moving vehicle: Stop

AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE:

Be prepared for after shocks.

Help injured or trapped persons

and give first aid where

appropriate.

Stay out of damaged buildings

and return home only when

authorities say it is safe.

Shut off the main switch of the

electricity.

Listen to a battery operated radio

FOREST FIRE

They pose a threat not only to the forest wealth

but also to the entire regime to fauna and flora

seriously disturbing the bio-diversity and the

ecology and environment of a region. During

summer, when there is no rain for months, the

forests become littered with dry senescent

leaves and twinges, which could burst into

flames ignited by the slightest spark.

Forest fire causes imbalances in nature and

endangers biodiversity by reducing faunal and

floral wealth.

HOW FOREST FIRE IS CAUSED:

Many forest fires start from natural causes such as lightning which

set trees on fire. However, rain extinguishes such fires without

causing much damage. High atmospheric temperatures and

dryness (low humidity) offer favorable circumstance for a fire to

start.

Man made causes- Fire is caused when a source of fire like naked

flame, cigarette or bidi, electric spark or any source of ignition

comes into contact with inflammable material.

Other natural causes are the friction of bamboos swaying due to high

wind velocity and rolling stones that result in sparks setting off

fires in highly inflammable leaf litter on the forest floor.

EFFECT OF FOREST FIRE:

loss of valuable timber resources

loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals

global warming

soil erosion affecting productivity of soils and production

ozone layer depletion

health problems leading to diseases

loss of livelihood for tribal and the rural poor people who are directly dependent upon collection of non-timber forest products from forest areas for their livelihood.

FLOODS

o Flood is overflow of the huge amount of water onto the normally dry land. Flood occurs when the overflowing water submerges land and causes deluge. It is a cruel and violent expression of water.

o Floods are often deadly, damaging and devastating. They kill lots of people, damage houses and crops, and cause extensive destruction.

o Heavy rainfalls are one of the major

MEASURES TO BE TAKEN BEFORE A FLOOD

Learn warning signs and community alert

systems

Stockpile emergency building materials

Install check valves in sewer traps to prevent flood waters from backing up in sewer drains

Plan and practice an evacuation route

DURING A FLOOD:

If indoors:

Turn on battery operated radio to get latest emergency informationGet pre-assembled emergency suppliesIf told to leave, do so immediately.

If outdoors:

Climb to high ground and stay thereAvoid walking through any floodwaters. If in a car, turn around and go another way; if your car stalls, abandon it immediately and climb to higher ground.

AFTER A FLOOD:

Don't return home until authorities express express it is safe to

do so

Use extreme caution when entering buildings

Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage and examine

walls, floors, doors, and windows to make sure that the building is

not in danger of collapsing

Do not use appliances or lights until properly checked by an

electrician

Open windows and doors to help dry the building

Enter home with caution, checking for electrical shorts and live

wires

Volcanic eruptions happen with early

warnings unlike earthquakes that aresudden. There are early warning signsbefore a volcano erupts so there is atleast time for residents around thevolcano to prepare before the actualeruption occurs.

People should know that before avolcano erupts there are warning signssuch as rumbling sounds, continuousemissions of steam, increasing

Precautionary measures before volcano

Get a pair of goggles and a throw-away breathing mask for each member of the household

Have disaster supplies on hand (flashlight, extra batteries, portable battery-operated radio, first aid kit, emergency food and water, nonelectric can opener, cash and credit cards, and sturdy shoes)

Prioritize the safety of kids before other things. If you have relatives or friends who are far from the volcano, take your children there until such time that your place is safe.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES DURING

VOLCANO

Avoid all low-lying places because lava flows and mudflows are more likely to pass here.

Seek cover in case of ash falls rock falls.

Use masks and cover your mouth and nose to avoid breathing in ashes.

If you are inside a house; close all doors and windows to avoid ashes from getting inside.

Stay in the evacuation center until further instructions. Do not attempt to leave the place unless told to do.

AFTER VOLCANO:

Clean everything around and check all damages incurred.

Use masks while cleaning ash and other debris.

Wait for further announcements related to the volcano activities.

Make sure that your house is still safe for all of you.

TSUNAMIA tsunami is a wave train, or series of waves, generated in

a body of water by an impulsive disturbance that vertically displaces the water column. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, and even the impact of cosmic bodies, such as meteorites, can generate tsunamis.

The following are natural signs of tsunami:

Feel the earth shake. A large undersea earthquake may be

felt prior to tsunami by an ongoing shaking of the ground in

coastal regions. However, you may not feel an earthquake if

the source is far away.

See the ocean drop. As tsunami approach the shoreline, the

sea level may, but not always, recede/drop dramatically

before returning as a fast-moving wall of water.

Hear an unusual roaring sound. A roaring sound may

precede the arrival of tsunami.

BEFORE TSUNAMI:

Be familiar with warning signs (earthquakes, ground rumbling, or rapid rise and fall of coastal waters)

Have disaster supplies on hand (flashlight, extra batteries, portable battery-operated radio, first aid kit, emergency food and water, nonelectric can opener, cash and credit cards, and sturdy shoes)

Ensure all family members know how to respond.

DURING TSUNAMI:

Climb to higher ground as soon as warning of a tsunami is released

Stay away from the beach - if you can see the wave, you are too close to escape it.

Do not assume that one wave means the danger is over - the next wave may be larger than the first.

Stay out of the area and do not return until authorities say it is safe to do so

AFTER TSUNAMI:

Help injured or trapped persons and give first aid where appropriate.

Stay out of damaged buildings.

Shovel mud while it is still moist to give walls and floors an opportunity to dry.

Enter home with caution, checking for electrical shorts and live wires

NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS

As with any complex industrial

system, nuclear power plants aren't

foolproof. Though they have a good safety

record overall, various kinds of accidents

have occurred, from the mundane to the

catastrophic. Employees have mishaps and

equipment breaks down. When accidents

occur, they usually result in a minor release

of radioactive steam or water.

BASIC MEASURES TO BE TAKEN DURING

NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS:

Close all windows and doors.

Close all appliances conveying fresh air, such as air conditioning units and ventilation grilles

It is safest to be in a room without windows or a basementPack an emergency kit containing: a flashlight, battery-powered portable radio or TV, first-aid kit, food and water (canned or in airtight containers) and any prescription medicines you may need.

Dry your laundry indoors

Stay informed about the situation by listening to local media or emergency

EFFECT OF NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS:

Even low-level exposure can cause serious medical

problems and increase the incidences of various

cancers and genetic abnormalities. High levels of

exposure is deadly.

The radiation cause complications with the thyroid

gland which leads to mental and physical

retardations.

Nuclear materials can contaminate large areas of

land, contaminate waterways and enter the food

chain and harm all types of living creatures

CHEMICAL LEAKS

Some chemical factories handle simple

chemicals while some handle hazardous

chemicals.

Some of the reason which causes leakage of

chemicals may be due to the blast of

equipments like boilers………

Or may be while

transportation, storing, production, etc.

SOME OF PROBLEMS CAUSED DUE TO

CHEMICAL LEAKS:

Blast and explosion

Irritation to eyes, throats etc.

Pollution and/or poisoning of air, water-bodies

etc.

Impact on vegetation and animals (including

fishes in water-bodies)

Difficulty in breathing etc.

Fumes

Heat and/or fire etc.

PREPAREDNESS FOR PEOPLE AROUND LARGE

CHEMICAL PLANTS AND STORAGE FACILITIES:

Be aware as to what are the kind of chemicals being used/produced/stored/handled at the facility

Be aware of the various processes/machines etc. involved which could create a blast/explosion etc.

Installing a mechanism for alerting, when something goes wrong.

Installing a mechanism for the community to be able to alert the factory staff, in case they notice something going wrong example the phone number of the important chemical departments.

WHAT IS DISASTER MANAGEMENT?

Disaster management can be defined asthe organization and management ofresources and responsibilities for dealingwith all humanitarian aspects ofemergencies, in particularpreparedness, response and recovery inorder to lessen the impact of disasters.’

THE MAIN FACTORS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT IS:

However, the more advanced a nation

is, typically, their level of preparedness is

higher. This higher level of preparedness

allows them to have a better control over

the loss.

There are certain types of

disasters, where, the loss during the

actual event is not necessarily as

high, but, the losses become very high

due to inability to manage the situation in

a timely manner. More often than not, it

happens due to confusion and chaos in

Another thing which causes a lot of loss during certain kind of disasters is the inability to properly manage and secure the utilities, like: electricity, gas, water etc. On one side, each of these utilities are very important, and, on the other side, due to leakages/ruptures, some of these might come in contact with each other, when they should not - causing further damage.

Thus, the main motivation behind

The main characteristics of a major disaster are that irrespective of the origin, after a little while the scene is the same:

total chaos all around

lack of utilities – which we have always taken for granted

no relief and rescue teams for several days

lack of medical facilities

Thus, the sufferings are not just due to the disaster, but, post-disaster, many more people die and suffer because of:

lack of food, shelter

lack of medical attention

hygiene issues causing health hazards

The approach for conducting a mock-drill varies as per the complexity

of scenario depending upon the potential hazards, response system

of the institution and the target community. Therefore, to ensure

proper implementation of a drill programme, roles and responsibilities

of the concerned personnel, departments, corporate

bodies, stakeholders, and mechanisms for conducting the drill should

be delineated clearly.

In all the trainings and other sensitization programmes relating to

DRM Programme, mock drill has been conducted by the Fire Service

Officials. The fire service officials make arrangements and conduct the

mock drills in the remote villages inorder to create awareness to the

general public about the rescue operations during the times of

disaster occurrence.