Mitigating The Impact of Disasters

Both disasters and catastrophes are the result of a hazard or hazards coming into contact with humans in a vulnerable position. (Mileti, 1999) A beachfront row of condominiums along the US Gulf coast is an example of a disaster waiting to happen. If the condominiums aren’t there and the beach is in a natural state when a hurricane blows in there will be no disaster or catastrophe because humans wouldn’t be impacted. Although the characteristics of disasters and catastrophes have many differences, the thing they do have in common is that they both require the ingredients of not just a natural hazard but also that the hazard intersects with humans.

Natural hazards are inherently part of the environment of the earth. Blizzards, hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes are among a long list of natural processes and occurrences that humans really have no control over. Mileti advocates that is time humans acknowledge our part of the equation; we have over-developed and over-populated in risky areas and the consequences of those decisions and actions have placed us in harm’s way – our exposure has increased, we are more vulnerable (Mileti, 1999, p. 35).

McEntire (2007) has described an intervention point in the context of a catastrophe as “proactive steps”, carried out in each of the four phases of emergency management (EM) that will minimize the impacts on humans. Because of the extreme consequences of catastrophes, interventions points must be utilized by all levels of government and by all stakeholders (i.e. private, public and nonprofit).

Health status and medical capacity is an obvious example of an intervention point that can be considered in each phase of the EM cycle; mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. During m...

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...07) and others advocate working with nature and her processes instead of fighting them and of using sustainable, holistic projects to reduce our vulnerability. Some of the measures may be unpopular such as restricting land use along fragile coastlines but the long-term benefits must be weighted. It’s a matter of what needs to be done for the good of the most versus what some few want to do for the benefit of themselves.

References:

McEntire, D.A. (2007). Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for Resilience. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mileti, D.S. (1999). Disasters by Design: A Reassessment of Natural Hazards in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Joseph Henry Press

Redlener, I., M.D. (2006). Americans at Risk: Why we are not prepared for megadisasters and

what we can do about it. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.