Anybody can be a hero, even if they are not fighting super villains with their special powers. Sometimes being there to help during a time of need can qualify someone as a hero. When an earthquake happens, a tremendous amount of effort is required in order to restore the social, economic, and environmental damages caused by this disaster; however former veterans are assisting countries that are in need of help through donations, care packages, and necessary medical attention.
An earthquake can instantly take a toll on the people, the image, and the overall wealth of the area of a city or country. Earthquakes can affect people in many ways, including losing friends or family members. People’s homes, transportation, and communication devices can be destroyed. The buildings ruined by an earthquake can include shops and businesses. This can cause dangers such as robberies and looting because of the need for food and supplies. It can become extremely difficult or impossible to trade with other stores, businesses, or countries when transport and communication is down (“Earthquakes”). The aftermath of an earthquake can be just as dangerous, if not more, than when it actually occurs. Post-earthquake dangers can include collapsing buildings, falling electricity lines, landslides, floods, tsunamis, and liquefaction ("The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre"). The effects of a disaster of this proportion can send a country into a spiraling downfall. The rebuilding process could take many years and cost far more money than a country has, essentially putting them into a horrible debt. Without proper help, an earthquake could land a nation into permanent disarray.
20,000 earthquakes happen each year, but none worse than the...
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...king them, is incredible. They are giving countries everywhere the hope that they so crave, and recruiting hundreds to continue to give it to them. The members of Team Rubicon did this not because they had to but because they wanted to, out of the goodness of their hearts, which makes them all true heroes.
During times of immense demand, military veterans and a number of volunteer groups can always be counted on to offer their aiding services to assist in the rebuilding of an impaired nation. Although an earthquake can cause a colossal blow to a country, which may not seem repairable, Jake Wood and Team Rubicon were able to vastly improve the conditions of Haiti and the people who were distressed. Four years after the calamitous earthquake, Haiti is not only very much recovered from this disaster, but in better shape than it was even before the country was ravaged.
Although not every hero shouts “Avengers Assemble” before a worthy deed, heroism is shown in all aspects of the everyday world. Webster Dictionary has exactly 5 definitions under the word hero and still no two people explain heroism the same. Superman and Captain America are a glimpse of the fictional characters society titles a hero. Firefighters and Military portray heroism each day in the lives of every civilian. As Sullivan and Venter stated “individuals are referred to as ‘heroes’ for seemingly different reasons” and even through endless studies the adjectives referring heroes is ever changing. Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism.
Generally when you think of a hero, who do you envision? Most likely, you picture a strong and imposeing figure, someone capable of performing in high pressure situations, demonstrating bravery and passion to help his/her fellow man. Those who typically fit that role in society are firefighters, policemen, and soldiers. Those people deserve all the credit and recognition they receive for their courageous acts. However, what about individuals or groups who aren’t necessarily on the “frontlines” physically protecting others and saving lives, but who work extremely hard to improve the lives of others in some way? These everyday people deserve credit as well. After all, to the people they help, these volunteers or activists are heroes. An example of such a group is the Greensboro Four, a few African American college students in the early 1960s who helped change the landscape of segregation in the Jim Crow South.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
The ground is shaking, people are screaming, the earth crashes around, silencing screams as it goes. The world keeps on going, not caring as it destroys everything in its path. These people need help and support. I would try to help them in some way, wouldn’t you? On the fifteenth of October in 2013 at 8:12, a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck (Overview). About three million, five hundred twelve thousand, two hundred and eighty one unsuspecting people were affected. That’s a lot of people. It killed 185 and left many more injured, stranded, or missing (Document D). So how did people outside the earthquake react to the deadly natural disaster that others were sitting in the middle of? People responded by spreading the word and sending much needed supplies to the unfavorable from the damage from the earthquake. These people are calling for help, and I want to reach out and give them aid to help them back on to their feet.
On the 12th of January 2010, a quake 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince devastated the people of Haiti. The magnitude of the quake was 7.0 with many aftershocks to follow the initial quake. The damage was so cataclysmic which led to the occurrence of many casualties, about 300,000 people were injured and over one million were left homeless. Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere and is still struggling to rebuild itself. (Poster of the Haiti Earthquake, USGS Newsroom)
In 2010 a 7.0 earthquake devastated Haiti. The earthquake left hundreds of thousands of people stranded without homes. It considered being the country’s worst earthquake in 200 years. It had destroyed so many buildings, homes, and office buildings. Haiti has always been a target for hurricanes and disasters of the ocean. Haiti is still trying to recover from all the devastations. Due to the earthquake, many Haitians live in run down homes. Four years later, some areas look the same after the earthquake hit the country.
“Nearly 100,000 food packs have beens sent to the quake zones.” (Doc C) People in other countries are donating food to the Red Cross and the IFRC for the quake zones. Another quote from document C is, “Some people wrote “help us” signs on the highway in big bold letters so helicopters could spot them from above and direct aid.” People are really desperately in need of help. The Mayor says that people all around the world are helping them rebuild all because they reached out to other people.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanos have all caused significant damage to the Earth and the people of it. Earthquakes can cause huge buildings to crumble, the ground to subside, flooding when a dam/ levee breaks, and fires caused by broken gas lines. People can be crushed by huge buildings collapsing, drowning from the flood caused by the broken levee or dam, getting buried under a landslide, or even getting burned alive by a fire from a broken gas line. Tsunamis can cause major flooding, a great number of casualties, and the total destruction of houses of buildings. People die from drowning, collapsing buildings, electrocution from power outlets, diseases, and explosions of gas from damaged tanks and other floating debris. Lastly, volcanoes can also cause large amounts of damage. Volcanoes cause; earthquakes, mudslides, fast floods, rock falls, and huge amounts of ash to be discharged. Houses, buildings, roads, and fields can collapse when covered with hot ash. Harmful gasses that are emitted from a volcano can get into your respiratory system and make it hard for you to breathe, causing death. Cities and towns are destroyed by mudslides, ash, and the earthquakes caused by a volcanic eruption. When plate tectonics move they cause all of these terrible things. The number of casualties are constantly rising because of these natural disasters and their effects on
The effects caused by earthquakes are devastating. They cause loss of human life and have effects on infrastructure and economy. Earthquakes can happen at any time anywhere. In January 12, 2010 an earthquake of a magnitude of 7.0 hit the nation of Haiti. An estimation of 316,000 people were killed, and more than 1.3 million Haitians were left homeless (Earthquake Information for 2010). Haiti was in a terrified chaos. After the earthquake, families were separated because many of the members were killed. Homes, schools, and hospitals were demolished. People lost their most valuable belongings. It will take time for the country to recover from this terrible disaster. The long damages are economic issues, health-state, and environmental issues that effect in the beautiful island of Haiti.
The word "hero" is so often used to describe people who overcome great difficulties and rise to the challenge that is set before them without even considering the overwhelming odds they are up against. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and in the media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of the greatest heroes in our society never receive the credit that they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. A person does not have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by his/her presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained by critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and by Vietnam Veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by going to drastic measures to do something that would draw attention to themselves, but by being true to their own beliefs and by making a difference to the people around them.
People tremble when they hear the word: destruction, devastation, or losses while those are only the first words that come to mind when an Earthquake occurs. Earthquakes can be terrifying; the earth that had seemed so reassuringly solid and stable suddenly lurches, disrupting people’s both physical and emotional balance. Skyscrapers sway visibly, sound buildings and bridges collapse, power lines spark, gas lines rupture, and landslides scar hillsides and alter the course of the rivers. For years throughout recorded history, earthquakes have disrupted all expectations of normalcy and have imposed an adverse impact on various places around the world, killing over “3.5 million people” on average during the past two millennia (Marshak 218).
On Earthquakes An earthquake is a shaking or trembling of the crust of the earth caused by underground volcanic action or by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface. The volcanic action and shifting rocks create strain which continues to build to a sudden release of pressure resulting in a shock wave. The vibrations produced in the crust can vary from barely noticeable to enormously destructive. Shock waves can be classified into two broad categories. Waves that send particles oscillating back and forth in the same direction as the waves are traveling are called primary.
An example, of heroes are all those people who have fought and some who lost their lives on September 11. Many random bystanders helped dozens of people get out during the time of the collapse and still went back in with the firefighters to save many more lives. Even former U.S Marines put their uniforms back on to help search through the rubble
A hero is a person who cedes to benefit others. Through many complications that were faced they stood up with the greatest bravery. Welles Crowther is a great example of a hero who sought to help the other people in the World Trade Center during 9/11. Though he could’ve saved himself he tried to save others. Though he lost his life he inspired others to help others in need. Ling Young says,”He said,”I’m going back up again.” Cause he knows that there were a lot of people still up there on the 78th floor that needed help (“The Man in the Red Bandana”). Though he could have saved
Society portrays heroes as doing good, as defending against a clear evil. Our society has Superheroes whom we idolize, but is that a true hero? Is it someone who dies with a clear conscience, or is it someone who has had to make some of the most difficult decisions to allow them to serve, protect, and survive. “Hero of War,” a song by Rise Against, and American Sniper by Chris Kyle show that the definition of hero is not as cut and dry as we might think. A soldier is a hero until someone hears what happened over seas, when they hear of the horrific things that happened in another country; but those exact experiences are what make them a true hero.