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What Do We Call Ourselves? – The Hazard Management Perspective

This article explores hazard management from a human-environment interaction perspective, emphasizing the role of people and vulnerability. It discusses the concepts of risk, response, and exposure in relation to hazards, and highlights the importance of mitigating measures.

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What Do We Call Ourselves? – The Hazard Management Perspective

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  1. What Do We Call Ourselves? – The Hazard Management Perspective Deborah Thomas, PhD Department of Geography University of Colorado at Denver FEMA Higher Education Conference June 9, 2005

  2. Hazards Management a) focusing on the management of the hazard event b) emphasizing the role of people and vulnerability c) treating hazard as human-environment interaction, including risk, vulnerability, response, and exposure When you think of the term hazard management, what does this imply for practice?

  3. Hazards Geography • “A hazard (not a natural event) results from the interaction of natural and social systems.” • “It is people who transform the environment into resources and hazards.” Burton, I, R Kates, and G White. 1993

  4. Hazards Geography • Human-environment interaction • Hazards • threats to people and the things they value • natural, technological, and social • Event, impact, and human adjustment, adaptation • Risk, hazards, and vulnerability • Hazardousness of Place (Multi-hazard)

  5. Basic Question of Hazards Geography • Where is the hazards zone/risk? • What is the human occupancy of the hazard zone? • What are the range of adjustments available to reduce the risk? • What do people know about the range of adjustments? • What do people actually do? Burton, I, R Kates, and G White. 1993

  6. Definition of Hazard Definition of hazard in relation to risk and vulnerability: Hazard = f (risk x exposure x vulnerability x response) Where: Risk = the probability of an adverse effect Exposure = the proportion or length of time that vulnerable elements are threatened by a hazard or hazards Vulnerability = the potential for loss Response = the extent to which mitigation (and preparedness) measures are in place Tobin and Montz, 1997

  7. Hazards Management or Not? • Most people view this as even based (or at least oriented to physical aspects) • Challenge of education and understanding • Academics, practitioners, and public • True for all terms

  8. Thank you!

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