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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Social impact of disasters
Each year, approximately 1,100 Americans 65 and older die in home
fires and another 3,000 are injured. These statistics, combined
with the fact that adults ages 50 or more care for and will soon
enter this high-risk group, inspired USFA to develop a new public
education campaign targeting people ages 50-plus, their families
and caregivers. People between 65 and 74 are nearly twice as likely
to die in a home fire as the rest of the population. People between
75 and 84 are nearly four times as likely to die in a fire. People
ages 85 and older are more than five times as likely to die in a
fire. A Fire Safety Campaign for People 50-Plus encourages people
ages 50 and older - including the high risk 65-plus group - to
practice fire-safe behaviors to reduce fire deaths and injuries.
The strategy is to inform and motivate adults as they enter their
fifties so that stronger fire safety and prevention practices are
integrated into their lives prior to entering the higher fire-risk
decades. In addition, many Baby Boomers are currently caring for
family members ages 65-plus and can encourage fire safe habits.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is committed to using
all means possible for reducing the incidence of injuries and
deaths to firefighters. One of these means is to partner with other
people and organizations who share this same admirable goal. One
such organization is the International Association of Fire Fighters
(IAFF). The IAFF has been deeply committed to improving the safety
of its members and all firefighters as a whole. This is why the
USFA was pleased to work with the IAFF through a cooperative
agreement to develop this revised edition of Emergency Incident
Rehabilitation.
This timely volume describes and analyzes the collaborative nursing
response to a variety of historic and recent global disasters that
occurred between 1908 and 2012, including Hurricane Sandy. The book
is unique in its discussion of the trans-national character of
disaster response regarding the mobilization of individuals across
national borders and continents. It examines how these
transnational partnerships developed, their implications for
policy, and how we can use lessons learned to improve care in the
future. The book addresses such questions as: How did local,
regional, and national communities mobilize for emergency care?
What was the role of local nurses in emergency care after
disasters? What was the role of the national or international Red
Cross, local and federal government, physicians, nurses, and other
first responders? What was the impact of social attitudes and
issues of race, class, and gender on the ways nurses and other
health care professionals reacted to the disasters? How did food
shortages and food insecurity, and /or violence reshape health care
goals? How did unpreparedness for the type or scope of the disaster
affect the response? How can our ideas about trans-national
exchange and/or transformation of health care knowledge be enhanced
when nurses from across the globe contribute their experiences to
the disaster response? The book will be of value to a wide variety
of undergraduate and graduate students in nursing, social work,
history, health policy, women's studies, public health, and urban
studies. Key Features: Addresses the trans-national character of
disaster response Explains in detail what nurses can expect during
disasters and what measures to take when disaster strikes Examines
previous natural disasters and calls into question whether
disasters were caused by accidents or intentional/unintentional
human error Discusses policy implications of the different
disasters, focusing on transnational partnerships
Japan's March 11, 2011 triple horror of earthquake, tsunami, and
nuclear meltdown is its worst catastrophe since Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Recovery remains an ongoing ordeal. Japan's Responses to
the March 2011 Disaster: Our Inescapable In-between uncovers the
pivotal role of longstanding cultural worldviews and their impact
on responses to this gut-wrenching disaster. Through unpacking the
pivotal notion in Japanese ethics of aidagara, or "in-betweenness,"
it offers testament to a deep-rooted sense of community. Accounts
from survivors, victims' families, key city officials, and
volunteers reveal a remarkable fiber of moral grit and resilience
that sustains Japan's common struggle to rally and carve a future
with promise and hope. Calamities snatch us out of the mundane and
throw us into the intensity of the moment. They challenge our moral
fiber. Trauma, individual and collective, is the uninvited litmus
test of character, personal and social. Ultimately, whether a
society rightfully recovers from disaster has to do with its degree
of connectedness, the embodied physical, interpersonal,
face-to-face engagement we have with each other. As these stories
bring to light, along with Michael Brannigan's extensive research,
personal encounters with survivors, and experience as a volunteer
in Japan's stricken areas, our degree of connectedness determines
how we in the long run weather the storm, whether the storm is
natural, technological, or human. Ultimately, it illustrates that
how we respond to and recover after the storm hinges upon how we
are with each other before the storm.
In 2010, the Incident Emergency Medical Subcommittee (IEMS),
operating under the authority of the National Wildfire Coordinating
Group (NWCG) - Risk Management Committee, completed the document,
Interim Minimum Standards for Medical Units Managed By NWCG Member
Agencies. The document was the first of several to be developed
that will address the need for uniform standards and safe delivery
of medical care provided by Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
personnel at wildland fire. It focused on recognizing current
practices and recommending standards to medical units for;
promoting the use of licensed personnel within their scope of
practice, state EMS office notification, applicable rules and
jurisdictions, medical direction, communications, patient
transportation and medical equipment, medication and supplies used.
The IEMS also committed to developing wildland fire specific
protocols and this document, Clinical Treatment Guidelines for
Wildland Fire Medical Units, PMS 551, is the finished product. A
task group of physicians with diverse backgrounds in wildland fire
medicine, wilderness medicine and emergency/ clinical backgrounds
reviewed this document and provided valuable input. These
guidelines where developed with the expectation that the typical
appropriate Basic Life Support (BLS) or Advanced Life Support (ALS)
EMS interventions will be provided as needed so we did not include
detailed protocols for EMS medical or trauma patient care, which
already exists. Rather, we focused on guidance for the unique
differences and challenges associated with remote sites and
expanded evaluation skills needed for patient care issues such as:
1) assisting a patient with first aid and self-care health
management; 2) triaging conditions for recognition of appropriate
self-care assistance vs. need for transport to clinical medical
care; and 3) initiating urgent/EMS care using appropriate and
predetermined transport modes.
The Agency Administrator's Guide to Critical Incident Management is
designed to assist Agency Administrators in dealing with critical
incidents. A critical incident may be defined as a fatality or
other event that can have serious long-term adverse effects on the
agency, its employees and their families or the community. Although
fire incidents inspired this document, it also has application to
other types of incidents. The Agency Administrator is the
highest-ranking agency line officer with direct responsibility for
the personnel involved in the incident (for example, BLM District
Manager, Park Superintendent, Forest Supervisor, Refuge Manager,
BIA Agency Superintendent or State land manager). Through
effective, efficient, and timely leadership, Agency Administrators
are responsible for the overall management of critical incidents
within their jurisdiction. This document includes a series of
checklists to guide an Agency Administrator through those difficult
and chaotic days that follow a death, serious injury, or other
critical or highly visible event. The time to use it is now This
document needs to be reviewed and updated at least annually. The
availability of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams
and related resources varies constantly - it is imperative that
local units pre-identify in this plan the CISM resources that can
support local unit needs. This guide was designed as a working tool
to assist Agency Administrators with the chronological steps in
managing the incident. It also provides a detailed overview of
Agency Administrators' responsibilities before a critical incident
occurs, during the actual management of the incident, and after the
incident activity has taken place. It is not intended to take the
place of local emergency plans or other detailed guidance. It
should be used in conjunction with other references as well as the
attached appendixes. This guide can also be used as a worksheet
(both in preparation for and in management of a critical incident)
by Agency Administrators and others with oversight responsibilities
during a critical incident.
In the summer of 2004, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) launched
its most comprehensive and intensive public fire education campaign
for elderly Americans. A FIRE SAFETY CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE 50 PLUS
provides detailed fire prevention information to assist fire
departments and other USFA partners in mitigating the risk of fire
fatalities and injuries among the 50 and over population. This
report, Fire and the Older Adult, analyzes the fire risk to persons
aged 65 and older as a complement to that campaign. The report
provides an extensive review of the fire situation for older adults
in the United States and evaluates fire risk factors and risks of
fire injury and fatality among that population group. On average,
more than 1,000 Americans aged 65 years and older die each year in
home fires and more than 2,000 are injured. In 2001 alone, 1,250
older adults died as the result of fire incidents. Moreover, the
elderly are 2.5 times more likely to die in a residential fire than
the rest of the population. With the U.S. Census Bureau predicting
that increases in the senior population will continue to outpace
increases in the overall population, the elderly fire problem will
undoubtedly grow in importance. After offering an overview of the
U.S. demographics of the 65 and older population, this report
discusses how physical, emotional, social, economic, and
residential factors have unique impacts on seniors.
Wildfires, floods, hazardous material spills, hurricanes,
earthquakes, and tornadoes- emergencies can strike anytime,
anywhere. In fact, the number of annual federal disaster
declarations has more than doubled over the past few decades. All
juvenile justice residential facilities need plans to prepare for,
respond to, and recover from these emergencies so that the
essential services they provide can become operational again as
soon as possible after an emergency strikes. Emergency planning for
these facilities takes on even greater significance because
children are often the most vulnerable population in disasters, and
protecting them from physical harm and trauma is essential.
Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice Residential Facilities
provides information about how facilities can ensure that youth
receive the supports and services they require as they experience
the disruptions that emergencies inevitably cause. This document
emphasizes the importance of ongoing communication and
collaboration with community partners in the emergency planning
process. In addition, facilities are encouraged to prepare for all
emergencies that may affect their geographical area-for everything
from a fire in a building to a major flood, earthquake, or
hurricane that impacts the surrounding region. The emergency
management cycle encompasses four interdependent phases:
prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Prevention/mitigation measures create a safer environment and
facilitate recovery from later emergencies by reducing the risk of
serious damage. Preparedness in the form of drills and exercises
helps ensure an effective and efficient emergency response. During
the recovery phase, careful assessments of what worked and what did
not contribute to improved preparedness for subsequent emergencies.
All phases are vital elements in the emergency management cycle.
This publication provides key principles and recommendations, but
it is not overly prescriptive. Emergency planners inevitably will
need to adapt these guidelines to the particular requirements of
their facilities. This document is targeted to state, county, and
local juvenile justice authorities charged with the custodial care
and supervision of youth in the juvenile justice system, with
particular focus on those authorities who oversee residential
treatment and correctional and detention facilities that house
juveniles via court-ordered placements. The principles outlined in
this document may also apply to emergency planning for youth in
out-of-home placement. Through its step-by-step guidance in the
planning process, Emergency Planning for Juvenile Justice
Residential Facilities will help ensure the efficient continuation
of operations during an emergency, the reduction of risk to the
physical plant, and, most importantly, the safety and well-being of
youth and staff in our nation's juvenile justice residential
facilities.
Our prayers are with the families and friends, the passengers and
crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The Malaysia
Airlines Flight MH370 has been missing for well over a week now.
With each passing day, the mystery deepens as analysts, governments
and global citizens at large try to decipher what happened to the
ill-fated flight. It disappeared into thin air, as if by magic,
without leaving a trace; reportedly, the Malaysian Air Force did
not pick up any data from the missing plane as it flew across the
country's airspace. Two weeks into the mystery, families and
friends of the passengers and crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines
Flight MH370 continue to wait patiently as the coordinated search
develops new twists every day. At the moment, the only sure thing
in all this is that the plane is not in the air; it either crashed
and its debris can't be recovered or landed in an undisclosed
location after having flown under the radar for several hours. As
the mystery unravels, we will keep you posted on the latest
developments as well as analyzing the most talked about theories
that have been put forward.
With one million dead, and just as many forced to emigrate, the
Irish Famine (1845-52) is among the worst health calamities in
history. In 2006, archaeologists discovered a mass burial
containing the remains of nearly 1,000 Kilkenny Union workhouse
inmates. In the first bioarchaeological study of Great Famine
victims, Jonny Geber uses skeletal analysis to tell the story of
how and why the Irish Famine decimated the lowest levels of
nineteenth century society. By examining the physical conditions of
the inmates that might have contributed to their
institutionalization, as well as to the resulting health
consequences, Geber sheds new and unprecedented light on Ireland's
Great Hunger.
Earthquakes are potentially the most destructive of all natural
disasters in both loss of life and property damage. Casualties and
structural damage result from intense ground shaking and such
secondary effects as fires, landslides, ground subsidence, and
flooding from dam collapse or tsunamis. While earthquakes in the
United States are commonly associated with the West Coast,
particularly California, 39 states altogether face some degree of
seismic risk. Seventy million people and at least nine metropolitan
areas are susceptible to severe earthquakes. Nevertheless,
California has been the focal point of most earthquake studies due
to its high frequency of events (two thirds of all earthquakes have
occurred in California), large population and extensive property
development. But the high frequency of earthquakes alone does not
warrant the amount of official and scientific attention these
events have received. It is the rare and devastating earthquake
such as the 1906 San Francisco quake and the 1964 Alaska event,
both of which measured more than 8 on the Richter Scale.
Earthquakes of this magnitude could be expected in the United
States, and most likely in California, every 60 to 100 years and
less severe but major earthquakes every 15 to 20 years (Anderson,
et al., 1981). The area currently believed to be at greatest risk
of a massive earthquake is the Los Angeles-San Bernardino region.
An event which could exceed 8 on the Richter Scale has an estimated
annual probability of occurrence of 2 to 5 percent and its
likelihood of occurrence in the next 20 to 30 years is regarded as
-high." This earthquake could kill and injure between 15,000 and
69,000 persons (depending upon time of occurrence) and cause up to
$17 billion in property damage (NSC/FEMA, 1980). Some studies have
placed the property damage estimates as high as $50 billion (U.S.
Department of Commerce, 1969). This report grew out of the City of
Los Angeles Planning Partnership for which the Southern California
Earthquake Preparedness Project (SCEPP) was asked to research and
report on several issues pertaining to earthquake insurance. In the
course of this research, it became obvious to both SCEPP and
SCEPP's Policy Advisory Board that earthquake insurance and its
role in the recovery process was a major policy issue. Thus, the
research effort was expanded to incorporate broader issues and
circulation of the report beyond the Los Angeles Planning
Partnership. The report has five goals which correspond to its
organization: (1) to outline the provisions (coverages, rates,
deductibles, etc.) of earthquake insurance policies currently
available to the major classes of insurance consumers-homeowners,
businesses, local governments and special districts; (2) to
determine the extent to which earthquake insurance is purchased by
these parties and explore the circumstances surrounding purchase or
non-purchase; (3) to review the salient issues in earthquake
insurance from the standpoints of purchasers and providers; (4) to
explore potential Federal roles in resolving these issues and in
providing or promoting earthquake insurance; and finally, (5) to
make reasonable policy recommendations involving both the Federal
Government and other stakeholders in earthquake insurance toward a
more adequate system of coverage.
Prepping A to Z The Series of Prepping Books About How to Be More
Prepared and Live A More Self-Reliant Lifestyle
The first book on the Bhopal disaster, written on site a few weeks
after the accident. "The people knew right away the source of the
poisonous air, although it was incredible and shocking. Thousands
had fled their homes a few months before upon the occasion of a
small discharge of gas and an associated rumor of disaster. Now
they choked and screamed at one another to rise and flee, aiding
each other when they could, the choking and gagging leading the
fully blinded. Some stepped out of their huts at the first whiffs,
strangling, and were too blinded to turn back in, were swept in the
gathering human torrent and often never saw their families,
neighbors and friends again..." "A moving account of a shattering
experience." - Arun Gandhi "Rightly, Al de Grazia highlights the
important role of a Free Press. The Press has had to battle secrecy
and suppression to expose the full extent of the Bhopal tragedy.
Conitnuing now to assail the shocking failures of managers and
officials in India and the USA, we must demand the reform of the
irresponsible liaison between governments and multinational
corporations." - S. B. Kolpe
The original Earthquakes -A Teacher's Package for K-6 (FEMA 159)
was developed as a joint effort of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
under contract with FEMA. NSTA's project team produced an excellent
product. Since its publication in 1988, over 50,000 teachers have
requested copies. This revised version brought members of the
original project team together with a group of teachers who had
used the materials extensively in their classroom and served as
teacher-educators at FEMA's Tremor Troop workshops. About 75% of
the original material remains unchanged: a few activities were
removed and a few added. A major change was the addition of
assessments throughout the units. The examples we provide relate to
life outside the classroom and/or activities similar to those of
scientists. We also added matrices linking activities to the
National Science Education Standards. The Teacher's Package has
five units. Each of the first four units is divided into three
levels: Level 1, for grades K-2; Level 2, for grades 3-4; and Level
3, for grades 5-6. Since classes and individuals vary widely you
may often find the procedures in the other levels helpful for your
students. The last unit has four parts with activities for students
in all grades, K-6. Unit L, Defining an Earthquake, builds on what
students already know about earthquakes to establish a working
definition of the phenomenon. Legends from near and far encourage
children to create their own fanciful explanations, paving the way
for the scientific explanations they will begin to learn in this
unit. Unit I, Why and Where Earthquakes Occur, presents the modern
scientific understanding of the Earth's structure and composition,
and relates this to the cause of earthquakes. Unit II, Physical
Results of Earthquakes, provides greater understanding of the
processes that shape our active Earth. Earthquakes are put in the
context of the large- and small-scale changes that are constantly
at work on the continents as well as the ocean floor. Unit IV,
Measuring Earthquakes, explains earthquakes in terms of wave
movement and introduces students to the far-ranging effects of
earthquakes. Unit V, Earthquake Safety and Survival, focuses on
what to expect during an earthquake; how to cope safely; how to
identify earthquake hazards; and how to reduce, eliminate, or avoid
them.
This FEMA 154 Report, Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for
Potential Seismic Hazards: A Handbook, is the first of a two-volume
publication on a recommended methodology for rapid visual screening
of buildings for potential seismic hazards. The technical basis for
the methodology, including the scoring system and its development,
are contained in the companion FEMA 155 report, Rapid Visual
Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazards: Supporting
Documentation. The rapid visual screening procedure (RVS) has been
developed for a broad audience, including building officials and
inspectors, and government agency and private-sector building
owners, to identify, inventory, and rank buildings that are
potentially seismically hazardous. Although RVS is applicable to
all buildings, its principal purpose is to identify (1) older
buildings designed and constructed before the adoption of adequate
seismic design and detailing requirements, (2) buildings on soft or
poor soils, or (3) buildings having performance characteristics
that negatively influence their seismic response. Once identified
as potentially hazardous, such buildings should be further
evaluated by a design professional experienced in seismic design to
determine if, in fact, they are seismically hazardous. The RVS uses
a methodology based on a "sidewalk survey" of a building and a Data
Collection Form, which the person conducting the survey (hereafter
referred to as the screener) completes, based on visual observation
of the building from the exterior, and if possible, the interior.
The Data Collection Form includes space for documenting building
identification information, including its use and size, a
photograph of the building, sketches, and documentation of
pertinent data related to seismic performance, including the
development of a numeric seismic hazard score. Once the decision to
conduct rapid visual screening for a community or group of
buildings has been made by the RVS authority, the screening effort
can be expedited by pre-planning, including the training of
screeners, and careful overall management of the process.
Completion of the Data Collection Form in the field begins with
identifying the primary structural lateral-load-resisting system
and structural materials of the building. Basic Structural Hazard
Scores for various building types are provided on the form, and the
screener circles the appropriate one. For many buildings, viewed
only from the exterior, this important decision requires the
screener to be trained and experienced in building construction.
The procedure presented in this Handbook is meant to be the
preliminary screening phase of a multi-phase procedure for
identifying potentially hazardous buildings. Buildings identified
by this procedure must be analyzed in more detail by an experienced
seismic design professional. Because rapid visual screening is
designed to be performed from the street, with interior inspection
not always possible, hazardous details will not always be visible,
and seismically hazardous buildings may not be identified as such.
Conversely, buildings initially identified as potentially hazardous
by RVS may prove to be adequate.
Recent earthquakes around the world show a pattern of steadily
increasing damages and losses that are due primarily to two
factors: (1) significant growth in earthquake-prone urban areas and
(2) vulnerability of the older building stock, including buildings
constructed within the past 20 years. In the United States,
earthquake risk has grown substantially with development while the
earthquake hazard has remained relatively constant. Understanding
the hazard requires studying earthquake characteristics and locales
in which they occur while understanding the risk requires an
assessment of the potential damage to the built environment and to
the welfare of people - especially in high risk areas. Estimating
the varying degree of earthquake risk throughout the United States
is useful for informed decision-making on mitigation policies,
priorities, strategies, and funding levels in the public and
private sectors. For example, potential losses to new buildings may
be reduced by applying seismic design codes and using specialized
construction techniques. However, decisions to spend money on
either of those solutions require evidence of risk. In the absence
of a nationally accepted criterion and methodology for comparing
seismic risk across regions, a consensus on optimal mitigation
approaches has been difficult to reach. While there is a good
understanding of high risk areas such as Los Angeles, there is also
growing recognition that other regions such as New York City and
Boston have a low earthquake hazard but are still at high risk of
significant damage and loss. This high risk level reflects the
dense concentrations of buildings and infrastructure in these areas
constructed without the benefit of modern seismic design
provisions. In addition, mitigation policies and practices may not
have been adopted because the earthquake risk was not clearly
demonstrated and the value of using mitigation measures in reducing
that risk may not have been understood. This study highlights the
impacts of both high risk and high exposure on losses caused by
earthquakes. It is based on loss estimates generated by
HAZUS(r)-MH, a geographic information system (GIS)-based earthquake
loss estimation tool developed by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the National Institute of
Building Sciences (NIBS). The HAZUS tool provides a method for
quantifying future earthquake losses. It is national in scope,
uniform in application, and comprehensive in its coverage of the
built environmen
One of the activities authorized by the Dam Safety and Security Act
of 2002 is research to enhance the Nation's ability to assure that
adequate dam safety programs and practices are in place throughout
the United States. The Act of 2002 states that the Director of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in cooperation with the
National Dam Safety Review Board (Review Board), shall carry out a
program of technical and archival research to develop and support:
improved techniques, historical experience, and equipment for rapid
and effective dam construction, rehabilitation, and inspection;
devices for continued monitoring of the safety of dams; development
and maintenance of information resources systems needed to support
managing the safety of dams; and initiatives to guide the
formulation of effective policy and advance improvements in dam
safety engineering, security, and management. With the funding
authorized by the Congress, the goal of the Review Board and the
Dam Safety Research Work Group (Work Group) is to encourage
research in those areas expected to make significant contributions
to improving the safety and security of dams throughout the United
States. The Work Group (formerly the Research Subcommittee of the
Interagency Committee on Dam Safety) met initially in February
1998. To identify and prioritize research needs, the Subcommittee
sponsored a workshop on Research Needs in Dam Safety in Washington
D.C. in April 1999. Representatives of state and federal agencies,
academia, and private industry attended the workshop. Seventeen
broad area topics related to the research needs of the dam safety
community were identified. To more fully develop the research needs
identified, the Research Subcommittee subsequently sponsored a
series of nine workshops. Each workshop addressed a broad research
topic (listed below) identified in the initial workshop. Experts
attending the workshops included international representatives as
well as representatives of state, federal, and private
organizations within the United States. Impacts of Plants and
Animals on Earthen Dams; Risk Assessment for Dams; Spillway Gates;
Seepage through Embankment Dams; Embankment Dam Failure Analysis;
Hydrologic Issues for Dams; Dam Spillways; Seismic Issues for Dams;
Dam Outlet Works. Based on the research workshops, research topics
have been proposed and pursued. Several topics have progressed to
products of use to the dam safety community, such as technical
manuals and guidelines. For future research, it is the goal of the
Work Group to expand dam safety research to other institutions and
professionals performing research in this field. The proceedings
from the research workshops present a comprehensive and detailed
discussion and analysis of the research topics addressed by the
experts participating in the workshops. The participants at all of
the research workshops are to be commended for their diligent and
highly professional efforts on behalf of the National Dam Safety
Program. The National Dam Safety Program research needs workshop on
Hydrologic Issues for Dams was held on November 14-15, 2001, in
Davis, California. The Department of Homeland Security, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, would like to acknowledge the
contributions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hydrologic
Engineering Center, which was responsible for the development of
the technical program, coordination of the workshop, and
development of these workshop proceedings. A complete list of
workshop facilitators, presenters, and participants is included in
the proceedings.
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