Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery

The assignment analyzes various disaster scenarios and their impact on communities. It delves into emergency management reforms in Queensland, reviews flood recommendations from the Royal Commission, examines the enduring physical and environmental consequences of the Bhopal gas leak, and discusses the psychological toll of the 2017 China floods.

Running head: DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Disaster Management
name of the Student
name of the University
Author’s Note

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Week 1 – Disaster Concept
Topic 1
Discussion forum
I would like to let you know that I reach safely to my campus. The reason behind my
decision to select this topic is to understand the state of the planate and prepare sustainable plan
to overcome and also prevent similar disaster in near future.
Reflection
One of the worst natural disasters that I can recall is the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. It
was an earthquake took place in Indian Ocean that produced energy equal to 23,000 atom bombs
and resulted into the biggest tsunami mankind have ever evidenced. The whole world shook by
its effect. It was a shocking news and hard to grasp. I never believe a disaster this great can ever
happen, that is also a tsunami. The count of the recorded death is around 230,000 in 14 countries.
Topic 2
Newcastle Earthquake 1989

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Topic 3
Learning Journal
The numbers indicates that the victims effected by drought are greater in number than
riverine flood or typhoon. The most affected areas are China and Brazil. Moreover, sudden
climatic changes are noticeable in China, which resulted into different kinds of disasters. Global
warming is to blame for the changes in the climate that are causing these disasters. Hence, these
disasters can be called as mixed disasters as the global warming is an outcome of human
technological innovation and natural exploitation. Further analysis indicates that the number of
victims high in the high density population areas.
Week 2
Topic 1
The most vulnerable group in the case scenario that can be indentified is the people with
existing mental disorder. The evidence of severe psychological trauma in the mentally normal
people were not evidence, however they are facing some regular after disaster moral breakdown
due to their loss. The people with ongoing mental health issues are the vulnerable people in the
community. They were in need of support during the bushfire. The people were moved far away
from the disaster place. Local psychological attendants were present at the scenario to handle
them and prevent their condition from deteriorating. Their vision were blocked in some of the
cases to control them while shifting to a safe place as it might impose a life lasting trauma in the
patient. The key models that were used in the scenario to handle the situation are community
development program, strong support from informal networks, psychological first aid, emotional

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holding and family recovery planning, short term counseling, traumatic stress treatment and
specifically addressing the needs of the children and the people with mental health issue.
Topic 2
The problems that are likely to occur in the Blue Mountain bushfire are both
environmental and socio-psychological. The stakeholders of the area will likely be homeless due
to the loss in fire and will be going through psychological trauma. The survivors might
experience distress due to their loss. Diverse community of the area will be facing more or less
similar problems. Though, chances of severe mental disorder are hard to find in post disaster.
However, the patients with ongoing mental issues may face some challenges and may be at risk.
They are the most vulnerable group among the various stakeholders in the disaster who needs to
be properly addressed for holding their mental stability. Moreover, their economic condition will
also deteriorate as the might have lost everything in the fire and require economic support to
reestablish their life. The environmental problems on the other hand, that are likely to occur are
the increased CO2 in the air, ashes in the air, decreased O2, soil degradation and many more.
Environmental degradation needs to be addressed with tree plantation that can be the only way
out.
If I am involved in a scenario like this one I would consider cutting down the trees in a
distance and separate the fire and stop the fire from spreading. As I will make a gap between the
fires from its fuel, it will stop expanding. On the other hand, a safe exit for the stakeholders has
to be made to escape the situation. According to me, the post disaster issues are more of a
concern as it relates economic support to reestablish the settlement for the dwellers. Moreover, a

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communal support are required specially for the preventing the psychological deterioration of the
children and the stakeholders with severe mental health issues.
Topic 4
Several reports show that the burden of post traumatic stress disorder among the recovery
workers with high exposure to 9/11 was substantial. The terrorism is the primary factor that the
workers fear the most as it is unpredictable and uncontrollable. This experience is different from
the natural disaster as it shows the cruelty of man. The community reflects a high risk PTSD due
to their high exposure. Moreover, they are the direct evident of the result of the terrorism as they
have to clear the leftover of the attack. They had to evidence more number of dead than a man
can sustain to witness over a life span. The psychological department of USA suspects that the
traumatic effects to the people with high exposure will likely to remain for a life time. They
require special psychological treatment to recover from the situation that can include community
support, weekly sessions, support from family and friends and what so ever psychological
treatments possible. On the other hand, they are likely to fear the terrorism and sit back to their
home and neglect their daily life schedule. It will only deteriorate their condition for which they
must be encouraged at utmost possibility.
Week 3
Topic 1

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Topic 2
The video represents that there were no strategic plans made to fight against Cyclone
Larry. This is a clear case management failure in the first ywo stages of disaster management
that are prevention and preparedness. No death case was reported in this particular case due to
low density of population in the attacked area. Though, a huge economic loss was evidenced by
the population. Houses, shops, factories and crop fields received severe damage due to the attack.
The electricity went out in the affected areas as the poles were ripped off the ground. It is
because they took no as such precaution for as such event or planned to tackle with the incident.
However the response and recovery is somewhat visible in the case. The affected received

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immediate supply of food and water from the government. Health care departments were also
mobilized to support the affected. However, no as such community development or
psychological support was noticed in the video. The planning and preparedness could have
reduced the damage received. The building structure was poorly build that could have been
avoided. The proper guards were to placed to save the crops in the field if there was an active
planning implemented. Moreover, response and recovery could have been better is they sent
psychological department in place for support.
Topic 3
The mass gatherings need to consider various factors that might impose threat. Most of
the mass gathering events that I participated in are rock concerts. The risk analysis that needs to
be done in this type of event are crowd type, size, location of the event and the position of the
emergency team, medical team and response plan. Crowd in type of events occasionally
consume drug which is a possible risk for the event for which, an active health team and security
force is required in the venue to tackle with any inconveniency occur. As most of the concerts
are open air concerts, the weather consideration is essential. For this particular type of event, few
important issues are likely to occur. First, the health and security issue as the crowd is likely to
consume drug and alcohol. This might result into violence that needs be controlled. Moreover, as
the instruments are supported by electricity, a proper fire plan is required to contain it without
causing too much damage. A large mass is always a target for terrorist attack in certain parts of
the world. Hence, a proper security check for the entry is necessary to avoid any circumstances.
Topic 4
Hurricane Matthew Strikes Haiti

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Hurricane Matthew was a category four that stroke Haiti, the poorest country in the
western hemisphere. The hurricane resulted flood and devastating loss to the affected people.
The reports on the event reflect both positive and negative where the negativity dominates the
report. The report presents accurate information with real time screening that is the positive
aspects. However, the repeated scenes of the affected area and people convey the negativity in
their news. The post disaster images of the reports that were viewed had psychological
implication. However, there were no distorted information was found in the new.
Week 4
Topic 1
The third recommendation Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission 2009 recommended a
total of 67 actions out of which several are already implemented. The recommendation number
three is completed by its due time. The actions recommended were role of municipal fire
prevention officers in planning or prevention, review emergency and fire management planning
regimes and fire ready community. The first two were addressed in 2012, whereas the last action
was completed in the year 2015. The first mentioned action was reviewed in 2012. The reforms
that took place required several tranches of legislation over a number of years. Review of
emergency and fire management planning regimes along with MFPOs was consider complete by
IGEM where a considerable amount of work had be conducted for reviewing and development of
fire and emergency management planning and the proposed emergency management planning
bill. It further developed an action plan for the year 2014-15 which complements the strategic
directions and can be modified with changes through emergency management reform like,
community emergency management planning and all hazards approach. The last action

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mentioned in the recommendation is considered to be complete by IGEM. It identified the high
risk prone zones and made 36 projects in the areas and invested around $1.4 million. The
program was reviewed in 2013 and became Resilient Community Program to address an all
hazards and all agencies focus. It again invested $1.5 million in 20 projects. The project included
local government planning, community education and programs to build community education.
Topic 2
Royal Commission has proposed various recommendations for developing the situations
in Queensland regarding the flood that is a regular phenomenon in the area. The recommendation
was proposed in the year 2012 annual report where around 17 broad recommendations were
made. Chapter 6 proposes the development of satellite planning systems. According to the
recommendation, the government is asked to consider the Urban Land Development Authority
Act 2007, The state Development and public Works Organization Act 1971 and the South Bank
Corporation Act 1989 for an amendment. These acts should address the risk from flood and
consider any development application. The state planning schemes should reflect consideration
of flood in their policies. The applicants should be bound to consider the projects flood risk for
which, the coordinator-general is asked to amend the guideline under the State Development and
Public Works Organization Act 1971. However, there is no record found addressing these issues.
Week 5
Topic 2
The biggest impact that Bhopal had due to the exposure of gas leak in 1984 is the
physical one as the effects still lives among the people of Bhopal. Nearly 150,000 people are
living with chronic illness in the streets of Bhopal till date. The major illnesses that can be

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evidenced are blindness, respiratory diseases and cancer. Many of the mothers are giving birth to
still born babies or with serious deformities and disabilities. The rate of stillbirth babies was
increase by 300%. Whereas, the rate of neonatal mortality had to evidence a hike of 200% due to
gas exposure. The environmental awareness and activism suddenly increased over night after the
1984 Bhopal incident. The major environmental impact was faced by water. However the soil
and the air is now out of risk. But the people of Bhopal still drinks contaminated water. The
Union Carbide Corporation and Union Carbide India Ltd had to over $550 million to both Indian
government and for recovery purpose by 1999. About $90 million was spent on the charitable
trust for Bhopal hospital, $20 million for initial funding for hospital and many other sectors in
helping the people of Bhopal to recover from this tragic incident.
Week 6
Topic 3
China faces yet another devastating flood in the early June 2017. Over 14.9 million
people in 10 provinces and municipalities of China were affected due to the flood. It washed
away over a number of 18,100 houses and 9,821 sq-meters of crops. The people faced various
psychological distress specially those who lost their crops in the in the flood. This economic loss
placed a great impact on heir psychology. They not only lost their shelter but also the source of
income. They were psychologically devastated and underwent stress, moral breakdown.
Depression and anxiety is noticed among a large number of affected people and are undergoing
post traumatic stress disorder. Though a large number of people are affected by the flood, there
are as little reported death cases as 7 which give some relief in this traumatic situation. Though
the loss of house is the primary psychological distress for the people, other psychological trauma

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the people faced is the threat of life. many believes that they could have washed away in flood
which they couldn’t recover from.