Hazards+and+disasters—risk+assessment+and+response

[|**Articles from Diigo fo Further Reading**] = = = = =Revision Materials From Greenfield = media type="custom" key="8785040"toc

[|FLICKR] =Characteristics= AIM: Explain the characteristics and spatial distribution of the following hazards. -Either earthquakes or volcanoes -Hurricanes (tropical cyclones, typhoons) -Droughts -Any one recent human-induced (technological) hazard (explosion or escape of hazardous material) media type="custom" key="8774230" [|Follow a year's worth of coverage on the BP oil spill from the first days of the disaster to the current state of the cleanup.] [|NYT Tracking the Oil Spill Info graph] AIM: Distinguish between the chosen hazards in terms of their spatial extent, predictability, frequency, magnitude, duration, speed of onset and effects.

=Vulnerable populations= [|AIM: Explain the reasons why people live in hazardous areas.] media type="custom" key="8785008" =Vulnerability= AIM: Discuss vulnerability as a function of demographic and socio-economic factors, and of a community’s preparedness and ability to deal with a hazard event when it occurs.

AIM: Explain the reasons for some sectors of a population being more vulnerable than others.

=Analysis of risk= AIM: Examine the relationships between the degree of risk posed by a hazard and the probability of a hazard event occurring, the predicted losses and a community’s preparedness for it.

AIM: Explain the reasons why individuals and communities often underestimate the probability of hazard events occurring.

AIM: Discuss the factors that determine an individual’s perception of the risk posed by hazards.

=Hazard event prediction= AIM: Examine the methods used to make estimates (predictions) of the probability (in time and space) of hazard events occurring, and of their potential impact on lives and property.

AIM: Discuss these methods by examining case studies relating to two different hazard types.

=Disasters= = = AIM: Distinguish between a hazard event and a disaster.

AIM: Explain why this distinction is not always completely objective.

AIM: Measuring disasters Describe the methods used to quantify the spatial extent and intensity of disasters. media type="custom" key="8785292"

AIM:Explain the causes and impacts of any one disaster resulting from a natural hazard.

AIM: Explain the causes and impacts of any one recent human-induced hazard event or disaster.

AIM: Examine the ways in which the intensity and impacts of disasters vary in space and have changed over time.

=Responses to the risk of hazard events= AIM: Discuss the usefulness of assessing risk before deciding the strategies of adjustment and response to a hazard.

AIM: Describe attempts that have been made to reduce vulnerability by spreading the risk (aid, insurance) and by land-use planning (zoning).

=Before the event= AIM: Describe strategies designed to limit the damage from potential hazard events and disasters.

=Short-term, mid-term and long-term responses after the event= AIM: Describe the range of responses, at the community, national and international levels, during and after a hazard event or disaster.

AIM: Distinguish between rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction responses.

AIM: Explain how these responses are affected by individual and community perceptions.

AIM: Examine the factors that affected the choice of adjustments before, and responses to, actual hazard events or disasters.

AIM: Discuss the importance of re-assessing risk, and re-examining vulnerability, following any major hazard event or disaster.