DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION

1. DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION La-Jean Powell PCDP Manchester Parish Council

2. What is a Disaster? • Disasters are characterized by the scope of an emergency. An emergency becomes a disaster when it exceeds the capabilities of local resources to manage it. Disasters often result in great loss, damage or destruction. Flooded road (due to blocked drain) (Hurricane Ivan) Damaged roof of Church Bldg. (Hurricane Ivan)

3. Disasters and you!! • The country in which we live can be affected by disasters at anytime. • For example: • Flood - Drought • Fire • Earthquake • Hurricane • Landslide EVERY ORGANISATION NEEDS TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN

5. Map Sowing Potential Flood Prone Areas

6. Pro-active solution to prevent potential flooding IKONOS Satellite Imagery Topographic Map

7. Emergency Plan • The middle of a crisis or emergency is not the time to start figuring out who ought to do what. Everyone involved must know the plan. • Persons should prepare to be self –sufficient, capable of relying on their own resources to protect and care for their family until outside help is available.

8. The need exists because… • Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and fires can strike with little or no warning.  • These disasters have the potential to seriously threaten loss of life and damage to property. It usually demands immediate, coordinated, and effective response by external sources.

9. Simple Steps to Follow • In order to make an Emergency Plan: • Identify hazards and their locations • Know your vulnerabilities • Make an Action Plan: • Before the emergency • During the emergency • After the emergency • Test and Evaluate the plan

10. Identification and Location of Hazards • Determine which hazard pose the treat to your location. • In order to know which hazard which affects you: • Know the characteristic of the area • Know the causes • Learn the history of the hazards

11. FIGURE 4-9

12. HAZARDS EARTHQUAKES

13. What is an Earthquake? • An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the breaking and movement of large sections (tectonic plates) of the earth's outermost crust. • The edges of the tectonic plates are marked by faults or fractures. Most earthquakes occur along the fault lines when the plates slide past each other or collide against each other.

14. The shifting masses send out shock waves that may be powerful enough to: • Alter the surface of the Earth and opening large cracks in the ground • Cause significant damage or collapse of buildings and other man-made structures, broke power and gas lines (which may result in consequent fire), landslides, tsunamis (giant sea waves) and volcanic eruptions.

15. Kobe, Japan

16. Haiti, January 2010 H

19. Secondary hazards associated with quakes: • Fires • Landslides • Tsunamis

20. Landslides Landslides usually accompany major earthquakes as earth movements shift sections of land out of its place. Faultlines extend across the entire island, thus making it highly vulnerable to earthquake-produced landslides.

21. Tsunamis Tsunamis are ocean waves produced by earthquakes. These waves can have devastating effects on low-lying coastal communities. Tsunamis are often incorrectly referred to as "tidal waves." Not all earthquakes produce tsunamis, but when they do, the waves may sweep ashore causing damage locally and at places thousands of miles from the earthquake’s epicenter.

22. Major Faultlines in Jamaica

23. Jamaica’s Earthquake History • Jamaica’s recorded history is common with incidences of felt earthquakes. The famous Port Royal earthquake of June 7, 1692 was perhaps our largest and most damaging natural disaster.

24. The Great Kingston Quake of 1907 occurred January 14,of that year. Of the 48,000 people living in Kingston at the time, over 1000 perished, mostly in the fires following the shocks. The aftershocks continued for the rest of the year. Some 9,000 people were left homeless throughout the island. Damage (building) for that event was estimated at two million pounds.

25. The March 1, 1957 event, affected mostly Western Jamaica. The most damages were recorded in the parish of St. James, especially for its infrastructure such as buildings, bridges and roads. This event resulted in three (3) deaths and three associated fires.

26. EARTHQUAKE SAFETY Before the earthquake: • Conduct a hazard hunt identify potential earthquake hazards (such as heavy objects and furniture; book cases and storage cabinets.) • Practice earthquake drills. • Practice Duck, Cover, Hold • Plan how to evacuate safely • Know the location of utility shut-off valves

27. Steps in Planning a Drill • Alarm – decide on an alarm that is known and understood by all • Response – all persons are to take cover, whether they are in or out of the building • Evacuation –persons should head for the designated safe areas on the compound, using predetermined evacuation routes • Assembly – Have persons grouping according to departments or sections • Roll Call – Do a head count for person assembled to determine if all persons were safely evacuated • Evaluation – Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the exercise

28. Earthquake Safety Position If you are indoors during an earthquake, take cover under a sturdy desk or table. Avoid glass top objects

29. Earthquake Safety Positions Ensure that your entire body is covered. This way you are protected from objects which may have been dislocated during the shake.

30. The stronger the earthquake’s magnitude, the more likely it will be for objects to move from beneath you. It is therefore important to hold on to the leg of the object from which you are taking cover to keep it in place Earthquake Safety Positions

31. Earthquake Safety During the Earthquake: • If you are indoors – stay there and DUCK, COVER, HOLD • If you are outside- move to a safe area • If you are in a crowded areas do not rush for exits all at once. • If you are in a high rise building, get under a sturdy piece of furniture. • If you are in a car, ask the driver to pull to the side of the road and stop.

32. EARTHQUAKE SAFETY After the Earthquake: • Evacuate the building immediately. • Check for injured or trapped persons. • Wear protective shoes. • Use a flashlight when searching for fire hazards. • Check gas, water and electrical lines for damage.

33. EARTHQUAKE SAFETY After the Earthquake cont’d: • Immediately cleanup spilled material • Never touch downed power-lines • Check emergency supplies • Use telephone for emergencies only • Listen to the radio for reports

34. Planning for Earthquakes • Have a system of alarm in place. • Establish a safety team with clearly defined roles. • Ensure that there are adequate emergency exits. • Ensure that stairways are properly lit and free of obstructions. • Ensure that Evacuation routes and assembly points are marked.

35. Hurricanes

36. What is an Hurricane? An intense tropical weather system with a well-defined circulation and a sustained wind speed of 74 mph or higher.

37. How an Hurricane forms • Hurricanes usually form in the tropical zones north and south of the equator, where warm waters offer ample fuel for storm formation. That's where you see convection, where warm air rises and forms clusters of thunderstorms.

38. Effects of a Hurricane • Unlike earthquake, hurricane can be planned for and necessary precaution taken. • Primary effects-flooding, landslide, destruction of property, storm-surge

39. Storm Surge A storm surge is a gradual rise in water level along a shoreline produced by low pressure and onshore hurricane winds The combination of storm surge, battering waves, and high tide is the hurricane’s most deadly killer.

40. Effects of Storm Surge Storm surge can cause damage in three ways: • The rising water levels flood areas usually beyond the water line • The breaking waves impact higher along the beachfront and as they crash into the shore they send water rushing even further inland causing property damage. • Storm surges are most likely to erode beaches and undercut sea walls.

41. Storm Surge Precaution • If you live in a coastal area evacuate to a shelter or stay with relatives and friends during a hurricane • Regulate housing development in flood prone areas.

42. What to Do After a Storm Surge • Clean mud and silt quickly while it is wet • If your house was demolished by a storm surge you should rebuild on higher ground

43. Flooding • A flood is caused by excess water in a location, usually due to rain from a storm or hurricane • Can be initiated by an earthquake-induced tsunami, a hurricane's storm surge

44. Reducing Flooding • Keep drains and gully clean of garbage. • Reduce paving of ground surface • Through all garbage in the correct container. • Refrain from cutting down trees, especially on hill slopes.

45. Shelters • A shelter is a facility set up to provide housing for persons unable to their living in there homes as a result of an emergency incident such as flood, earthquake or hurricane • A shelter can be a school, church or a community center. • Please contact your local disaster preparedness coordinator for your nearest shelter.

46. Evacuation It is advise to evacuate your home if: • In an area that continue to flood • Near the coastline • You feel your home is not safe • Advised by the authorities KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE!

47. Flood Precaution • Learn the quickest way out of your community • Take domestic animals in a place high from flood waters • Wrap all important documents in plastic bags and store away from flood water • Shut off electrical power, gas, water supply in areas in immediate danger of flooding

48. Hurricane Precautions

49. Before the Hurricane Season • Make a thorough check-up of hurricane shutters, hooks and latches. • See that the galvanized sheeting on the roof of your house is properly fastened. • Keep plastics bags, nails, hammers, wire, rope and pliers handy. • Find out how to obtain lumber, plywood, timber, etc., and keep in hand a supply for battening-up purposes.

50. Before an Hurricane (cont.) • Make sure you have emergency equipment • Provision for adequate storage facilities for drinking water • If in a high risk area know of a shelter • Check on your insurance coverage