Disaster Prevention and Management

Kristy Graham; Dirk H.R. Spennemann

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712694

Purpose – Natural disasters exert a continual toll not only on property and public infrastructure, but also on places and items of cultural heritage value. Whereas infrastructure and modern buildings can be rebuilt, archaeological and heritage sites cannot be restored without loss of integrity and authenticity. Often, the impact of management decisions during and following a disaster is greater than the physical impact of the disaster itself. Aims to assess attitudinal barriers that may exist among disaster management professionals, a study of local controllers of the state emergency service of New South Wales (Australia). Design/methodology/approach – All local controllers of the state emergency service of New South Wales were surveyed by a mail‐out questionnaire as to their knowledge of cultural heritage and their attitudes to the protection of cultural heritage assets during bushfires. Findings – Key areas identified are a general lack of awareness of the special needs of heritage places, a lack of communication between emergency and heritage managers; an acknowledged need for but decided absence of disaster planning for cultural heritage assets; and a need for training and education. Research limitations/implications – The study considered the local controllers of the state emergency service of New South Wales. Given the observed attitudinal barriers, there is a need for future research looking at the attitudes held by the various levels in the vertical decision making and authority tree. Practical implications – The awareness of SES controllers regarding cultural heritage in disaster situations needs to be improved as are the communication channels both in the disaster preparedness and the disaster response phase. Originality/value – This is the first time research has been carried out into assessing the attitudes and awareness of local controllers of the state emergency service of New South Wales with respect to cultural heritage asset management.

José A. Blanco; David W. Gillingham; John H. Lewko

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712702

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a simple heuristic model that provides diagnostic capabilities and prevention insights. Design/methodology/approach – The paper brings together findings from previous research including injury statistics from several industries to illustrate that the model's predicted results can be found in practice. This is a conceptual paper that applies a simple heuristic model to existing data. The model leads to an equation with four parameters: a rate of improvement reflecting prevention, a rate of deterioration reflecting obsolescence and lapsing of procedures and practices, an intrinsic limit reflecting technological capability, and a “viscosity” that adds the impact of management system malfunction to the technological limits and normal delays. Findings – The model says that, on the average, injury rates decrease with time if the rate of rejection is greater than the rate of mortality. If “r”<“m” injury rates increase exponentially with time, and drastic results can follow. When “r”=”m” the model produces a constant rate of failure that will continue until something is done to increase “r” or decrease “m”. A constant rate of failure means that an apparent safety limit has been reached. Unless this corresponds to the technological limit, a constant rate means that some preventable failures are recurring with regularity: they risk being accepted as “hazards of the job”. Stable periods may be normal, but they can lead to complacency. Practical implications – The heuristic power of the model is evident in that parameters and insights from applying it can help define prevention activities to reduce the rate of injury and, by implication, to lengthen operational periods between consecutive injuries. Originality/value – The drum model can help managers understand the separate but related effects of technology and management on injury rates. The model can be used to seek prevention possibilities hidden in the aggregate data, and it can help the manager to use period data to identify areas or groups in need of help.

Kevin C. Desouza; Tobin Hensgen

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712711

Purpose – The development of virtual crisis centers for organizations should be established. This study seeks to contend that having such a center will help an organization monitor the necessary signals generated and dissipated from within and around the organization in order to sense impending crisis. Once detected, the center can be used to evade or in some cases even curtail the effects of the crisis. If signal detection does not work, the center can be used to restore the organization. Design/methodology/approach – Conceptual. The discussion of what it takes to build such a crisis center is grounded on past work related to failures in intelligence leading to the disaster of 9/11. Findings – Virtual crisis centers will become a necessity in face of even more uncertain economic and political times. The benefit of such centers stems from an initiative which reflects preparedness and determination through actions to mitigate and possibly evade some of the consequences related to crisis. Originality/value – Proposes a design approach to the creation of virtual crisis centers to manage signals of crises.

Ibrahim Mohamed Shaluf; Fakhru'l‐Razi Ahamadun

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712720

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide some definition and foundation principles regarding disaster management. The paper also tests the Malaysian major hazard installations through the awareness and application of the Malaysian National Security Council (MNSC) directive 20. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire was circulated on 177 MHIs throughout Malaysia. Respondents of various demographic characteristics answered the questionnaires. It is believed that people of different age, sex, educational level, experience, and management levels are expected to have different perception and response to disaster management questions. A total of 65 completed questionnaires were answered. Findings – The analysis of the disaster management questionnaire highlighted that more than half of the MHIs in Malaysia are multinational installations. The analysis revealed that 61 per cent of the Safety, Health and Environment Managers were aware of the MNSC directive 20 and 62 per cent said that the MNSC directive 20 is relevant to their facilities. The analysis further showed that 62 per cent of the respondents think the MNSC directive 20 is essential to their MHIs. However, 31 per cent of the respondents said that the emergency response plan (ERP) is used as an alternative to the MNSC directive 20. In the light of this, more than half of the MHIs are not local organizations; the Safety and Health Managers apparently are familiar with the safety guidelines of their parent organizations. Therefore, the authorities that are responsible for the enforcement of the MHIs' relevant regulations should be vigilant and follow up the MHIs to apply the relevant regulations, which suit the safety culture of Malaysia. Originality/value – This paper presents an overview on technological disaster prevention. The paper also shows the results of testing of the Malaysian major hazard installations which are aware of the MNSC directive 20. The Malaysian experience can be beneficial.

John W. Reich

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712739

Purpose – The purpose of this conceptual paper is to present a discussion of some of the core components of human resilience occurring in the face of natural or human‐made disasters. Resilience is often observed, but optimum responding is more than biological survival. Resilience implies the ability to bounce back and even to grow in the face of threats to survival. It is important to incorporate these key psychological principles into disaster planning. Design/methodology/approach – Research from the social sciences suggests three core principles of resilience, the “3 Cs:” control, coherence, and connectedness. Research evidence supporting the importance of the three Cs to resilient responding is presented, followed by some elementary prescriptions for how they might be implemented. Findings – An approach to disaster planning and management can meld these principles into already‐existing intervention techniques, creating a more comprehensive and a more integrated response, potentially resulting in improved intervention effectiveness. Originality/value – Provides a psychological perspective on natural and human‐created disasters. Governmental and private sector responses to these tragedies have received a great deal of media attention, but there has been little systematic attention paid to the basic nature of human responding in such situations. Although it has been noted that humans are often resilient in such conditions, there has been virtually nothing written about what “resilience” is. This paper communicates the basic principles of resilience and how they would play out in future disaster planning and responding.

Piyoosh Rautela

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712748

Purpose – The cumulative impact of accidents not considered as disasters far surpasses the impact of disasters. Accidents taking toll of human lives and economy are often underreported and go unnoticed and the victims of these incidences are also ill compensated. It is therefore necessary to pay adequate attention to accidents and formulate appropriate policies for giving equal treatment to the victims of these events and also to make efforts for mitigating these. This paper aims to discuss this. Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses the impact of accidents and attempts to assert that these are a cause of major concern. The database of the disasters (EM‐DAT) of Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Belgium has been utilised for ascertaining the toll of disasters, while for assessing the cumulative toll of the accidents and disasters database available at departmental web sites (Department of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Government of India (www.morth.nic.in) and Railway Ministry, Government of India (www.indianrailways.gov.in) together with some other web sites have been used. The two databases have been correlated to establish that the cumulative toll is far more than what is generally perceived to be the toll of the disasters. Findings – Based on the correlation of one event each under the category of natural and man made disasters (landslides, transport accidents) it is concluded that these correlations establish that the toll of accidents is many times more than the disaster events and there exists a pressing need to pay adequate attention towards managing accidents that take heavy toll of the global resources. Research limitations/implications – At present there exists no formal and comprehensive database recording the toll of accidents and the study is based on the database compiled from different sources. The paper establishes beyond doubt that the magnitude of the toll of accidents is far more than that of disasters and there exists pressing need for managing accidents. Practical implications – This paper would bring forth the importance of managing accidents before the policy makers and initiate advocacy for putting in more resources for managing these events. In the long run the victims would not be differentiated on the basis of the magnitude of the incidents they have faced. Originality/value – The paper shows the importance of managing major accidents and provides guidance for appropriate changes to be made.

S. Bernard Manyena

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712757

Purpose – Building disaster‐resilient communities is one of the strategies of reducing the impact of disasters in marginalised communities. In Zimbabwe, the role of Rural District Councils (RDCs) as facilitating agencies in the realisation of this agenda cannot be overemphasised. However, at present, RDCs are unlikely to be effective towards the realisation of the disaster risk reduction agenda because, in effect, this means finding ways of tackling well known development problems for which there are no easy or obvious solutions. Using case study material from Binga RDC in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe, this paper seeks to argue that building institutional capacity for RDCs is fundamental if the disaster resilience agenda has to be realised. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the author's experiences in Binga District in Zimbabwe to show how disaster resilience is linked with capacity building, decentralisation and internal organisational structures of RDCs. Findings – RDCs are facing a number of challenges, which include inadequate financial and human resources; unstable political system; problems related to decentralisation and the nature and role of RDCs in Zimbabwe. Capacity building, full decentralisation package and internal organisational structure of rural local authorities are some of the central fundamentals for building disaster‐resilient communities Practical implications – With capacity building being at the centre of the building community resilience, coordination by donors as well as government agencies is fundamental. The circumstances under which RDCs are operating in Zimbabwe, highlights the implicit demand for the government to further consider fiscal and administrative aspects of the decentralisation. Proffering a devolved structure‐participation outcome scenario leaves RDCs in a miserable fiscal and administrative position to tackle issues related to long‐term disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. Originality/value – The paper introduces the concept of disaster resilience focusing on Rural Local Authorities. It illuminates the complexities surrounding the delivery of the resilience agenda and how governments, local government authorities, donor community and civil society are implicated.

Aniruddha Uniyal; C. Prasad

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712766

Purpose – Naitwar Bazar in the Upper Tons valley Indian Himalaya (Uttarkashi district of Uttaranchal in India) is showing signs of an impending disaster. This settlement has witnessed active mass wastage during rainy season of 2003 which has caused damage to infrastructure (crucial road link), hospital (i.e. the sole health facility) and residential cum commercial area. The active mass wastage zone may take heavy toll of human lives during the rains. Therefore, the paper proposes examining this subject. Design/methodology/approach – Field investigations were carried out to assess the damage during the past events, probe the causes of mass wasting hazard and to assess the elements at risk in order to evolve a disaster management strategy. Findings – It is suggested that a series of prevention and mitigation measures (both structural and non‐structural) with the involvement of the local community are required to avoid the impending disaster in the area. Originality/value – This paper highlights the need for hazard prognosis and vulnerability assessment in the remotest settlements of Himalayas in order to timely plan the awareness initiatives, response mechanism and structural and non structural mitigation measures. An attempt has also been made to bring forth importance of incorporating the disaster management component into the local developmental planning.

Mohammad A. Hassanain

2006 Disaster Prevention and Management

doi: 10.1108/09653560610712775

Purpose – The objectives of this paper are to present an assessment for the consideration of fire safety during the design stages of school facilities in Saudi Arabia; and to present the development of a fire risk assessment survey tool whereby existing school facilities can be evaluated for the purpose of identifying and eliminating fire hazards, and meeting the minimum requirements of current legislation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper classifies the factors that make school facilities a high‐risk type of buildings to fire; reviews causes of fires in schools and identifies potential high‐risk areas to fires in school facilities; and reviews design and operation factors controlling fire severity. Findings – Investigating the consideration for fire safety in the design phase of public school facilities in Saudi Arabia indicated that the design office at the Ministry of Education is active in providing the following fire safety requirements: fire detection and notification systems including smoke detectors and fire alarms; fire suppression and extinguishing systems including automatic sprinkler systems, standpipe and hose system and portable fire extinguishers; and means of egress and evacuation systems including exit doors, emergency lighting and directional signs. The fire risk assessment survey tool developed in this paper consists of 61 items to assess fire protection equipment, exitways/stairs, interior decorations/interior finish integrity, fire hydrants and lanes, electrical wiring, laboratories, and maintenance measures. Originality/value – The paper provides practical value to design professionals of school projects and school staff and facilities managers responsible for the day‐to‐day operation of school facilities.