Research Paper on Disaster Preparedness

Personal Emergency and Disaster Plan

Introduction

Natural disaster threats accompany people practically everywhere and often people are unconscious of the fact that one day the disaster may struck and change their life dramatically. In such a situation, it is extremely important to get prepared to potential disasters and know how to act and behave in different situations. To put it more precisely, it is necessary to have a clear plan of action in case of a disaster and, what is not less important, it is necessary to clearly understand what real natural disasters can really occur in the given area, for instance the IUB area, because it is apparently useless to prepare for a flood in a desert or ignore threat in such area as IUB. In such a way, it is obvious that in order to come prepared to a disaster it is necessary to know possibly more information about the disaster itself, its effects and ways of prevention, and have a clear plan of action if the disaster’s prevention has failed.

The threat of floods

Basically, IUB area is susceptible to such natural disaster as floods. Naturally, very extreme situations when floods paralyze the life of the region are quite rare, if not to say exceptional, but still the physical position of the region and the presence of natural water basins expose the area to a serious threat of floods. It should be pointed out that the threat of foods is deteriorated by the intervention of humans in natural processes that lead to changes in the local river systems. Obviously, the situation when in the result of the changes made by human in the local environment water can potentially flow into one direction and not the multitude directions expose the area to a threat of the very destructing effects of floods in IUB. By the way, such a threat is not hypothetic but quite real, especially taking into consideration the dramatic changes of the climate that increase the risk of natural disasters and, thus, make the area susceptible to the risk of floods.
 

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In fact, there have already several cases of floods which had a negative impact on the life of people in Indiana and these cases have proved the fact that often people are not really prepared for such disasters as floods. For instance, it is possible to mention the floods of North-Central Indiana in July, 2003 (Floods of North-Central Indiana) that had very destructive effects.

The vulnerability of students to floods

In this respect, students are particularly vulnerable to the disastrous and destructive effects of floods. It is not a secret that students do not have ample opportunities to prepare to the foods because they do not have facilities and, what is more, they do not have a sufficient information about the existence of such a threat as floods. In fact, it is two major problems that makes student particularly vulnerable in face of such a disaster as floods. Basically, students living in IUB area often do not have their own houses where they could feel secure enough or, at any rate, where they could prepare for the possible disaster. Instead, many students use the university’s facilities cannot fully provide students with the higher level of security than their own houses. In fact, the problem is that students are not very enthusiastic in preparation for a disaster living in their specific community where they are basically focused on the current problems and prefer to ignore potential threats.

In such a situation, informing students about the disaster and its potential effects is crucial because it will make them more concerned and more focused on the necessity of preparation to such a disaster as a flood and they will more readily learn how they should act in case of the disaster. In fact, the potential flood, if it is really huge and covers a large area, may practically paralyze the life of IUB. To put it more precisely, any sort of communication with the external world will be hardly possible because even the most sophisticated means of telecommunication will not work if the flood destroys the major infrastructure of IUB. Furthermore, the evacuation of students may be quite problematic because vehicles, namely automobiles, will be useless in case of the flood. Consequently, students will have little opportunities to leave the area in a short period of time, neither they will be able to receive an immediate help from the external world. This means that the supply of essential products, such as food, clean water, or even some medicament that may be needed if some students are injured, will be highly problematic. In such a situation, it is obvious that students should get prepared for the disaster beforehand, in order to be able to survive and live autonomously from the external world at least for a few days until the stable supply or evacuation of students will take place.

Plan of actions

Obviously, in the case of the flood the faster the students react on the disaster the less serious will be the effects of the disaster. In this respect, it should be said that they should have a clear plan of actions which includes not only actions in response to the disaster but also some preparatory actions.

Firstly, it is necessary to prepare some essential products such as food and drinking water which should be stored and regularly renewed in the areas which cannot be affected by the flood, i.e. areas which water cannot reach. It should be dry places with a regulated temperature. In case of the disaster the storage could be used and it is necessary that the stocks of food and water, as well as some basic medicaments, should be sufficient to maintain students for a few days. It is preferable that the food was canned since it minimizes the risk of the food getting spoiled. The water should be stored safely avoiding contact with any hazardous materials or water brought by the flood. Also it is important to provide the supply of electricity which could maintain the relatively normal functioning of the area. This is why it is necessary to provide generators with sufficient amount of fuel that could be used to generate electricity in case of emergency. Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare some warm clothes because the flood may be accompanied by the deterioration of weather which be quite cold and windy.

In such a situation, it is very important to avoid panic. Instead it is necessary to act in accordance to the plan. Using all the resources students can live in the area for a few days. To survive, it is necessary to schedule clearly the day and unite the efforts of all students, i.e. students should keep together in order to help each other in case of some problems. They should avoid approaching water or going outside. They should not try to save themselves if they are not prepared for it, i.e. leaving the area in attempt to finds safer place. Basically, students should wait for help.

Conclusion

Thus, in order to minimize the negative impact of floods it is primarily necessary to inform students about potential danger of the flood. Also, it is necessary to develop preventive measures to minimize the disastrous effect of the flood. Furthermore, students should be trained and they should know how to act in case of a disaster that means the introduction of a special course which could prepare them to react adequately to possible disasters, including floods.

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