Modelling Case-Based Reasoning in Situation-Aware Disaster Management

Situation-aware disaster management (SADIM) is a continuous decision-making and action taking process. This process requires prior knowledge of the ongoing environment and context. SADIM comprises two major processes: situation awareness (SA) - a cognitive process that assesses current situations and anticipate future situations in the environment; and, disaster management (DM) which is a decision-making process preventing, preparing, responding, and recovering for and from a disaster. One of the decision-making technologies used in current SADIM is case-based reasoning (CBR) CBR is used for the disaster management element only. Situation awareness process in current SADIM is carried out using domain rules, statistical reasoning and other methods. This paper therefore presents a method of using CBR to carry out both situation assessment and disaster management decision-making processes in SADIM, building on previous work focusing in SA alone. Using CBR for both processes provides the capability of using past experiences to understand the state of the environment and also solve specific disaster problems. The paper evaluates the method through implementation in disaster prevention in the petroleum drilling domain for early kick detection to prevent a blowout disaster. The results show a clear improvement in similarity assessment and problem solving prediction to prevent blowout

Adaptive management of the climate change problem: bridging the gap between research and public policy

There are important differences between adaptation to normal climate and adaptation to climate change. One scientific community is organized to address extreme probabilities in current distributions, and their disaster potential. Another scientific community addresses the longer-term changes in the climate system. There are important differences between natural hazard (extreme and unpredictable events) and disaster as natural hazard with disastrous economic and social consequences as a matter of enormous concern. Finally, disaster management means a forecast for the real disaster events and after these disasters occurred, a post disaster attitude is necessary to ameliorate the situation and to take measures for rapid recovery. In this paper the author tries to address the description, understanding and prediction of extreme events in the weather system and their impact across a range of natural and socio-economic phenomena. Other goals of the paper are to present the weather and climate characteristics, the statistics of extreme events and to evaluate their impact on economy. Thus one major task of the work is to address the management of natural disasters caused by weather: the management of event forecast, risk assessment for various regions, and disaster management after the event occur. At the intersection between Economics, Management and Science of Weather Processes, this interdisciplinary study will provide the reader with insight and tools to address contemporary climate and weather hazard management problems.weather disasters, natural hazard, human vulnerability, extreme events, statistics and impact, management of event forecast, regional risk assessment, post disaster management

Should waste management be considered a lifeline in New Zealand?

Called Resilient Organisations Research Report 2010/01 at http://www.resorgs.org.nz/pubs/Resilient%20Organisations%20Lifeline%20report_250110.pdfExecutive Summary Lifelines (also referred to as Critical Infrastructure) provide the essential services that support the life of our community. Maintaining provision of these services in an emergency response situation is critical to the recovery of a community. In New Zealand regional lifeline groups have been established to promote planning, resource sharing and coordination between lifeline service providers. In addition to this, New Zealand emergency law has provision for certain designated Lifeline Utilities to act as necessary to restore services in an emergency situation. However, solid waste management is not included in either the planning process nor is it provided for under the emergency legislation. A qualitative assessment of the importance of waste management to a community recovery effort and semi quantitative assessment on the impact of waste management on other lifeline provisions has been carried out. In a recovery, it is shown that waste management has the potential to pose health and safety hazards such as disease and environmental pollution. Waste management is also shown to be important to the provision of many lifelines. Given this importance and dependence, great benefit would be gained from including waste management activities in lifeline planning and coordination to facilitate more effective resource planning and prioritisation. From a legal perspective, the complexity of the waste management system would make it difficult to legislate as a Lifeline Utility. Not only are there multiple components to a solid waste system (disposal, treatment, recycling and collection), pre-disaster solid waste capacities would need to be significantly augmented to cater for the disaster generated waste and often this would entail the operation of organisations not normally involved in solid waste management. However, there would be benefits in providing legislation to require and give regulatory flexibility to pre-disaster solid waste operators and facilities to restore pre-disaster services following a disaster. This allowance would facilitate the first stage of the clean-up effort before an integrated disaster waste management system could be implemented

Madagascar Post-Disaster Damage Assessment: Feasibility Study for a Training Program in Housing Repair.

Report describing an INTERTECT post-disaster assessment mission to Madagascar, undertaken on behalf of the Office of U.S. Foreign DIsaster Assistance, Agency for International Development. Africa/East Africa/Malagasy Republic (Madagascar). (801.4F) Damage/Situation Reports. (75) Disaster Management/Disaster Assessment. (101.4)The digital Cuny Archive was made available in part through funding assistance from USAID

Disaster Waste Law : An analysis of the implications of existing legislation on disaster waste management in New Zealand

In the recovery following a disaster, disaster waste managers are restricted by existing legislation. In many cases, emergency legislation is available to waive peace-time requirements to reduce threats to life, property and the environment. But disaster waste management sits in a grey area between an immediate hazard and a longer term threat to the economic, social and environmental recovery of a disaster struck area. Emergency laws are not often written with disaster recovery in mind. Legal waivers were used effectively and ineffectively during the waste management processes following both Hurricane Katrina, 2005 and the Victorian Bushfires, 2009. In both these examples it was clear that the main driver behind use of the legal waivers was to expedite the clean-up process. New Zealand law applicable to disaster waste is complex with a plethora of legislations and regulatory authorities associated with it. In general, current laws have adequate provisions to cope with the likely needs of disaster waste management, however, the complexity of responsibilities, stakeholders and unclear statutory precedence may result in slow or ineffectual decision-making. One potential bottle neck identified is the restrictions on transportation of hazardous goods by road and by sea. Complex licencing and permitting structures may be extremely restrictive. The consultative, effects based nature of the Resource Management Act in New Zealand is also a potential hurdle to long-term disaster waste management. While there are effective emergency mechanisms to commence activities quickly, medium to long-term continuation of activities will be dependent on resource consent approval. The uncertainties associated with consent approvals may dis-empower the decision-maker. A pre-established, regulatory approved, assessment process which balances social restoration and environmental protection would be a useful tool to support the decision maker.I n general, disaster waste management laws needs to: allow for flexibility for adaptation to any situation; be bounded enough to provide support and confidence in outcomes for decision-makers; be effectively communicated with the public both pre and post disaster; and provide stream-lining of waste management organisational structures including decision-making authority

The role of forensic dentist following mass disaster

This review article focuses on mass disaster situations that may arise from natural or manmade circumstances and the significant role of forensic dental personnel in human identification following such occurrences. The various forensic dental modalities of identification that include matching techniques, postmortem profiling, genetic fingerprinting, dental fossil assessment and dental biometrics with digital subtraction were considered. The varying extent of use of forensic dental techniques and the resulting positive impact on human identification were considered. The importance of preparation by way of special training for forensic dental personnel, mock disaster rehearsal, and use of modern day technology was stressed. The need for international standardization of identification through the use of Interpol Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) for ms was further emphasized. Recommendations for improved human identification in Nigerian situation include reform of the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), incorporation of dental care in primary health care to facilitate proper ante mortem database of the populace and commencement of identification at site of disaster

Disaster risk assessment in health centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences in functional, non structural & structural components during 2015-2016

Background and aims: Disasters and events including natural and man-made disasters cause several harmful consequences in society. Health sector has an essential role in reducing deaths and injuries during disasters. Therefore, the present study was performed to study disaster safety and risk assessment in health facilities of Iran University of Medical Sciences in functional, non structural & structural components in 2015-2016. Methods: This study is cross-sectional. To conduct the study, we used Disaster Risk Assessment in Primary Health Care Facilities Guidelines and forms of recognition threatening risks, functional preparedness assessment tool, non-structural & structural vulnerability assessment tool in 214 health units covered by Iran University of Medical Sciences. After summing up the results of all centers, safety level, vulnerability and preparedness for centers were calculated as percentage. Results: Based on the results functional preparedness level in health centers for Iran University of Medical Sciences is 23, safety of non-structural, structural elements and total safety are 27, 20 and 22 , respectively. Also, safety level index in disaster 3 form 10 was estimated. Conclusion: According to the results current situation of disaster preparedness centers is far from the favorable level. This condition is caused by lack of coherent organization for disaster risk management, lack of sufficient funds and knowledge of this context. As a result, appropriate measures in disaster risk management, especially in increasing the understanding of disaster risk at the community and authorities level should be done. © 2018 Universiteit Gent. All rights reserved

New Risk Assessments Due to Climate Change in Metropolitan Peripheral Areas. The Water Shortage Case in the Region IV of the State of México

A National Risk Assessment is a policy tool encouraged by the OECD since the 2010’s decade to identify and analyse a range of events that can cause a shock in a country and to have adequate preparedness and response measures. As disaster risks are an always-changing phenomenon, especially since the climate change emergency has been acknowledged, it requires systematic monitoring and analysis to adapt the risk management policies to the changing situation. The paper adjusts the National Risk Assessment into a micro-regional scale to present the case of the water shortage emergency due to climate change in a peripherical urban area of Mexico City. In the paper, it is explained why it should be included as a Risk Assessment by local and regional authorities with the objective to create more resilient peripherical urban territories. Eventually, the research can serve as a base to create a National Risk Assessment for water shortage in metropolitan areas on a national scale. The paper presents the current situation of the water shortage in the case study, explains why it should be considered a risk, and analyses water shortage in urban areas within the Risk Assessment rationale, using the Region IV of the State of Mexico as the case study

Experiences of people with disabilities during and after Tropical Cyclone Pam and recommendations for humanitarian leaders

The situation and needs of people with disabilities following Tropical Cyclone Pam (TC Pam) were generally not captured in formal mainstream assessments led by the National Disaster Management Office. Where the needs of people with disabilities were identified, these were not prioritised during the response (Government of Vanuatu 2015); and some people with disabilities missed out on distributions altogether. Reflections on the response hypothesized that mainstream assessment methodologies and tools generally missed people with disabilities, and that agencies tended not to automatically include them in their efforts (Ministry of Justice and Community Services & CARE 2015).More detailed information regarding the situation and needs of people with disabilities was required to support effective inclusion of people with disabilities in recovery activities. Vanuatu does not currently have reliable quantitative data on the prevalence, location and experiences of people with disabilities. In response, Oxfam in Vanuatu, Vanuatu Society for People with Disabilities (VSPD), Disability Promotion and Advocacy Association (DPA), the Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MoJCS), Nossal Institute for Global Health and CBM Australia worked with key government organisations to undertake a disability situation and needs assessment in one affected island (Tanna), in order to meet this data gap

Preliminary assessment of the gender aspects of disaster vulnerability and loss of human life in South Africa

South Africa has reached a medium level of human development and has a heterogeneous situation with respect to disaster risk management. In this article, a preliminary assessment of the gender aspects of disaster vulnerability and fatalities is presented. The United Nations, the Health Systems Trust and Statistics South Africa were used as data sources for the following gender-segregated values: the life expectancy at birth, unemployment rates, the human development index values, the maternal mortality rates and the number of deaths from unnatural and non-natural causes. The relevant inequality indices were then calculated and used to draw conclusions regarding the gender aspects of disaster risk management in South Africa. Results of the calculations indicate that between 1980 and 2011 men were 10% more vulnerable with respect to their health status. However, the gender differences have been decreasing in recent years. Access of women to healthcare is decreasing with time, potentially decreasing the recovery potential of whole families. Women are more economically vulnerable than men in South Africa, as they are 16.3% – 33% more likely to be unemployed than men. Educational status of both genders in South Africa is comparable based on literacy and enrolment rates at primary and secondary level. On the other hand, men are five times more likely to suffer fatal injuries during disasters