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Disaster Management Cycle: Source
You are going to read about different phases (stages or steps) of disaster management. Read through each of the 4 sections in Text 1. Put each subtitle in the appropriate column in the table given below.
Note: One of the phases can be placed in two different columns.
Before the Disaster I During the Disaster I After the Disaster
................................. ................................... ................................
When you are finished watch the video below, then check your answers at the bottom of the text.
Recovery phase
The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are mostly concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, re-employment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure. An important aspect of effective recovery efforts is taking advantage of the opportunity to implement mitigation measures that would normally be unpopular. Residents of the affected area are more likely to accept more mitigation- related changes when a recent disaster is in fresh memory.
Preparedness phase
Preparedness is based on casualty prediction, the study of how many deaths or injuries to expect for a given kind of event. This gives planners an idea of what resources need to be in place to respond to a particular kind of event. Preparedness is a continuous cycle of planning, managing, organizing, training and equipping activities to ensure effective coordination of concerned organizations to prevent, respond to, recover from and reduce the effects of natural disasters and other man-made disasters. Common preparedness measures include development of warning strategies, emergency shelters, evacuation plans, groups of emergency workers and stockpiling food.
Mitigation phase
Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. This is achieved through risk analysis or identification of risks, which results in information that provides a foundation for mitigation activities that reduce risk. Mitigation activities should feed back into the preparedness stage. In contrast with the other phases, the mitigation phase focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk. The implementation of mitigation strategies can be a part of the recovery process if applied after a disaster occurs. Mitigation measures can be structural or non-structural. Structural measures use technological solutions like building a sea wall alongside occupied areas of the coast to prevent flooding of the surrounding land and making structural changes in the buildings for protection against earthquakes. Non-structural measures include legislation, land-use planning (e.g. designating non- essential land like parks to be used as flood zones), and insurance
Response phase
Response phase includes actions taken to save lives and prevent further property damage in an emergency situation. This phase includes the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and first responders in the disaster area. This is likely to include a first wave of core emergency services, such as firefighters, police and ambulance crews. A well-rehearsed emergency plan developed as part of the preparedness phase results in an efficient response phase. In this phase, there is a need for being both methodical (following the plan, doctrine, process) and innovative (adapting to new information and changes in circumstances as they arise).
Note: The words in bold are assessed. See Unit 2 Vocabulary
The words in italics are in the glossary below.
Glossary
Glossary
Emergency Shelter (n) - a small building or covered place which is made to protect people from bad weather or danger.
Stockpile (n) - a reserve supply of something essential accumulated within a country for use during a shortage
Risk analysis (n) - a process of deciding how likely it is that injury, damage, or loss will happen, and what the effects will be if it does happen.
Structural (adj) - relating to the way something is built or organized
Analyzing the Text: Inferential skills
Analyzing the Text: Inferential skills
To infer is to conclude information from some evidence in the text. Answer the following questions by using inferential skills:
A preparedness plan is successful when
a. there is an alarm system
b. the army is on alert
c. very few people are killed/injured
d. there is a recovery plan
How is the mitigation phase different from the other phases?
a. its benefits include those with long-term potential.
b. its primary aim is reducing loss of life and property
c. its main focus is coping with natural disasters
d. it deals with the risks when a natural disaster strikes
First response is required as soon as
a. the storm warning is given
b. the storm makes landfall
c. the plan is discussed
d. the storm has passed
What is the reason for using preparedness measures? Explain in one phrase using only four words.
The text in the Mitigation Phase talks about “…mitigation activities should feed back into the preparedness phase.” Explain with examples.
Analyzing the Text: Critical thinking skills
Analyzing the Text: Critical thinking skills
Discuss in pairs or groups the answers to the following question:
Two ways of ordering items/steps etc. are given below. Which way do you think is the most appropriate for arranging the above phases? Give reasons for your choice.
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