1

2

Responding to a hazard

ALL students must understand the sequence of the Park Model and evaluate its

advantages and disadvantages (Grade C)

MOST students will be able to apply this understanding to the 2004 Boxing Day

Tsunami (Grade B)

SOME students will consider other models which look at the sequence responding to a

hazard (Grade A/A*)

Responding to a hazardWhen a hazard event occurs, it disrupts economic and social life often immediately

and totally. The Park model describes a sequence of three phases following such an event. (Read through Dunn p264 and make notes on each stage)

The response curve (Park’s model)

5

The MODEL Hazard impacts on Human systems (after Park 1991)

Improvement

Normality

Deterioration

Pre-Disaster

Qua

lity

of L

ife.

Leve

l of E

cono

mic

Acti

vity

. So

cial

Sta

bilit

y C

omm

unic

ation

s / s

ervi

ce le

vel

The pattern of change in various indicators at different phases of the hazard.

Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction

Hours - days Days - Weeks Weeks - Years

DisruptionReco

very

Search Rescue Care Temporary housing services Rebuild

6

Improvement

Normality

Deterioration

Pre-Disaster

Qua

lity

of L

ife.

Leve

l of E

cono

mic

Acti

vity

. So

cial

Sta

bilit

y C

omm

unic

ation

s / s

ervi

ce le

vel

Relief Rehabilitation Reconstruction

Hours - days Days - Weeks Weeks - Years

DisruptionReco

very

Search Rescue Care Temporary housing services Rebuild

The hazard event

Relief and rehabilitation often with the help of outside agencies

7

The Nature of recovery is related to :1. The need to reduce Vulnerability2. The desire to increase self reliance3. Goal of restoring normality as soon as possibleBishop V (1998) Hazards and Responses Collins

During the RELIEF phase teams arrive from outside the immediate area, to help with search, rescue and care operations. Urgent medical supplies, rescue equipment, clothing and food may be flown in. Dunn et al (2009) Edexcel A2 Geography Philip Allan Updates

The rehabilitation phase might last for several weeks or months. Actions are designed to restore physical and community structures. Rehabilitation is more complex and requires assessment of needs and coordinated planning of resources.Dunn et al (2009) Edexcel A2 Geography Philip Allan Updates

Reconstruction is the phase during which permanent changes are introduced to restore quality of life and economic stability to the original level or even better. Dunn et al (2009) Edexcel A2 Geography Philip Allan Updates

Responding to a hazardRead through the Geofact sheet – Tsunami response analysis. Annotate your blank copy of the Park’s Model to show the three phrases following the 2004 Boxing Day

Tsunami.

9

Hazard perception and response.

• Perception is what we believe or understand about something.

• At an individual level our perception of risk often fails to match the reality because we receive filter and distort information.

• Therefore responses to hazard risks at an individual, community and national level may be significantly influenced by perception.

Characteristics of different perceptions.

Acceptance:Natural events, acts of God, events random & part of everyday life.

Acceptance:Natural events, acts of God, events random & part of everyday life.

Domination: Hazards predictable through scientific research ,controllable with technology.

Domination: Hazards predictable through scientific research ,controllable with technology.

Adaptation: hazards influenced by human & natural systems. Magnitude and frequency may be estimated-based on experience & research.

Adaptation: hazards influenced by human & natural systems. Magnitude and frequency may be estimated-based on experience & research.

Perception & response links.

Perception Response

Acceptance.

Do nothing. Accept losses.

Dominance. The technological fix- building dams, forecasting technology,earthquake proofing etc.

Adaptation. •At traditional level lifestyle may be adapted to environmental risks e.g. nomadism.•Modern level means changing human behaviour as well as trying to control environment.

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Summarise Kates (1971) disaster responseKates (1971) sees hazards as the outcome of interaction between human

use systems (like land-use) and natural event systems (the natural environmental processes which give rise to hazards) (Figure 6). This interaction promotes actual hazard events which we perceive and then respond to. The way we react can in turn modify the human use system (for example by changing land use), the natural events system (for example by changing the magnitude/frequency relationship for river flooding), or both.

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/staff/gyaccp/hazards/chap4.htm