Earthquake Mitigation Planning
Earthquakes are low probability, high consequence events with devastating irreversible consequences. Moderate earthquakes and cause serious damages to buildings, non-structural building systems, serious injuries to human beings and disruption of operations, however major earthquakes can cause catastrophic damages which include among others structural collapse and an extensive massive destruction and loss of life (Philip Berke, et.al., 1989).
It is important therefore that everyone responsible for the safety of people and property should understand and evaluate the management of the risks particularly those that threaten the lives of civilians, government and other social institutions have a responsibility to the public to ensure that their safety is guaranteed. Natural hazard mitigation strategies can reduce the impact of hazard events in schools. The mitigation measures should be put in place and implemented by all stakeholders, which includes developing Relationships with emergency management services and the community members before Disasters come calling...
The following steps over an important insight on what should be done in a systematic manner they include: Hazard Identification and Analysis, School District Vulnerability Assessment, Mitigation Capabilities Assessment, Mitigation Strategy, Mitigation Action Plan and Implementation Program.
The hazard identification and analysis, gives an in-depth analysis of natural hazards present in the locality that can threaten human life and property, this includes historical data on hazards occurrences and profiles of hazards which have been documented. Geographic information systems technology which includes tabular and narrative description of community narratives are also good investigative tools to carry out the community vulnerability assessment, economic and demographic profiles also to geographically depict hazard vulnerability, the vulnerability assessment maps…
