Disaster management theory and practice

Safety

Those concerned with disaster and development represent diverse interests like; they represent political, practitioner- oriented, academic-theoretical, and policy related issues. This leads to a range of different interests, thus conflicting expectations and hostility in those dealing with development and disaster.

Development, economic and societal factors influence a country's vulnerability to disasters. Development is a forward-focused, positive term, while disaster has negative connotations. Development studies and practice, share with disaster management and studies in varied histories and diversity of identities. Melding of disaster and development is a matter of common sense, but this simplicity is deceptive as it masks the practical and conceptual complexities. Many researchers are calling for the bringing together of development and disaster. Many Third World examples of disasters have been linked to long-term unsolved development problems and they can be seen schematically. This shows that disaster and poverty are closely linked. Disasters do not suddenly occur but take many years to develop; Spanish building settlement plans and building techniques contracted people to narrow streets. Hundred years later 65, 000 people died due to lack of space for storage, to provide to survivors after the disaster.

The role of vulnerability provides a promise that a much practical and conceptual focus could redirect and improve the ongoing effort in disaster mitigation and prevention. Disaster and vulnerability denote underdevelopment and dependence. Vulnerability is also linked to underdevelopment problems. Approaches to reduce vulnerability should be within normal patterns of development. Other factors include designing of diagnostic tools, providing sustainable solution, and the role of political, policy and organizations. Emergency sophisticated multi-disciplinary approach should be implemented to include different levels of analysis; linked to environmental, natural, cultural, social and institutional factors.

There has been a disconnected between risk management and development due to lack of awareness and perception. Disasters seriously affect development posing serious challenges hence; theoretical approaches can be combined to provide better long-lasting solutions in disaster management. Disaster risk management is management of operational skills, administrative decisions, abilities to implement policies and coping capabilities of the society to reduce impacts of a disaster. This combination is critical in mitigation of disasters as every organ plays a key role. Policy implementation will lead to designing of strategies and practices that will minimize vulnerabilities. These practices will reduce physical hazards and enhance economic and social capacity to adopt.

Approaches to disaster management differ across different nations depending on the hazard, reflecting on the distinctive characteristics of that society. Different approaches can be used in disaster reduction and mitigation, which includes both conservative and radical approaches. These approaches can be combined to mitigate the disaster effects; the approaches include using systematic ways to reduce disasters. Multi-media publication on risk reduction this helps in increased prevention culture, hence public awareness, education and preparedness. Using disaster informatics, where people are appropriately informed about disasters; this offers information management hence information is widely distributed to the grass root levels. Twenty four hours medical surveillance systems can be used to give information about public health and monitor infectious diseases. Alert technologies and reliable alert systems should be made to mitigate disastrous effects. Advanced collaborative technologies should also be implemented to manage disasters.