Comparative analysis of spring flood risk reduction measures in Alaska, United States and the Sakha Republic, Russia

Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017River ice thaw and breakup are an annual springtime phenomena in the North. Depending on regional weather patterns and river morphology, breakups can result in catastrophic floods in exposed and vulnerable communities. Breakup flood risk is especially high in rural and remote northern communities, where flood relief and recovery are complicated by unique geographical and climatological features, and limited physical and communication infrastructure. Proactive spring flood management would significantly minimize the adverse impacts of spring floods. Proactive flood management entails flood risk reduction through advances in ice jam and flood prevention, forecasting and mitigation, and community preparedness. With the goal to identify best practices in spring flood risk reduction, I conducted a comparative case study between two flood-prone communities, Galena in Alaska, United States and Edeytsy in the Sakha Republic, Russia. Within a week from each other, Galena and Edeytsy sustained major floods in May 2013. Methods included focus groups with the representatives from flood managing agencies, surveys of families impacted by the 2013 floods, observations on site, and archival review. Comparative parameters of the study included natural and human causes of spring floods, effectiveness of spring flood mitigation and preparedness strategies, and the role of interagency communication and cooperation in flood risk reduction. The analysis revealed that spring flood risk in Galena and Edeytsy results from complex interactions among a series of natural processes and human actions that generate conditions of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Therefore, flood risk in Galena and Edeytsy can be reduced by managing conditions of ice-jam floods, and decreasing exposure and vulnerability of the at-risk populations. Implementing the Pressure and Release model to analyze the vulnerability progression of Edeytsy and Galena points to common root causes at the two research sites, including colonial heritage, unequal distribution of resources and power, top-down governance, and limited inclusion of local communities in the decision-making process. To construct an appropriate flood risk reduction framework it is important to establish a dialogue among the diverse stakeholders on potential solutions, arriving at a range of top-down and bottom-up initiatives and in conjunction selecting the appropriate strategies. Both communities have progressed in terms of greater awareness of the hazard, reduction in vulnerabilities, and a shift to more reliance on shelter-in-place. However, in neither community have needed improvements in levee protection been completed. Dialogue between outside authorities and the community begins earlier and is more intensive for Edeytsy, perhaps accounting for Edeytsy's more favorable rating of risk management and response than Galena's

Operations research in disaster preparedness and response: The public health perspective

Operations research is the scientific study of operations for the purpose of better decision making and management. Disasters are defined as events whose consequences exceed the capability of civil protection and public health systems to provide necessary responses in a timely manner. Public health science is applied to the design of operations of public health services and therefore operations research principles and techniques can be applied in public health. Disaster response quantitative methods such as operations research addressing public health are important tools for planning effective responses to disasters. Models address a variety of decision makers (e.g. first responders, public health officials), geographic settings, strategies modelled (e.g. dispensing, supply chain network design, prevention or mitigation of disaster effects, treatment) and outcomes evaluated (costs, morbidity, mortality, logistical outcomes) and use a range of modelling methodologies. Regarding natural disasters the modelling approaches have been rather limited. Response logistics related to public health impact of disasters have been modelled more intensively since decisions about procurement, transport, stockpiling, and maintenance of needed supplies but also mass vaccination, prophylaxis, and treatment are essential in the emergency management. Major issues at all levels of disaster response decision making, including long-range strategic planning, tactical response planning, and real-time operational support are still unresolved and operations research can provide useful techniques for decision management.-JRC.G.2-Global security and crisis managemen

Governance Struggles and Policy Processes in Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study from Nepal

In the neo-liberal climate of reduced responsibility for the state, alongside global platforms established to implement the Hyogo Framework for Action, a new arena opens for a multitude of stakeholders to engage in disaster risk reduction (DRR). The key role that the state can play in instituting effective DRR tends to receive little attention, yet in situations where the state apparatus is weak, such as in Nepal, it becomes evident that integrating DRR into development is a particularly challenging task. Due to the political situation in Nepal, progress has been stalled in providing a legislative context conducive to effective DRR. This paper traces the evolution of key DRR initiatives that have been developed in spite of the challenging governance context, such as the National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management and the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium. Informed by in-depth interviews with key informants, the argument is made that the dedicated efforts of national and international non-governmental organisations, multilateral agencies and donors in mainstreaming DRR demonstrate that considerable progress can be made even where government departments are protective of their own interests and are slow to enact policies to support DRR. The paper suggests however, that without stronger engagement of key political actors the prospects for further progress in DRR may be limited. The findings have implications for other post-conflict countries or weak states engaging in DRR

Haiti Earthquake January 2010: What Actions and Policies Can the Government of Haiti Implement to Improve Emergency Management Response

In 2010, Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city and the governmental offices that should have guided the response to the disaster. This research focuses on how Haiti can benefit from the Caribbean Disaster Management Agency’s standards for disaster resilience as it works to recover from the earthquake. Unfortunately, Haiti has long been dependent on assistance from non-governmental organizations due to its extreme poverty; its recovery is complicated by the need to integrate disaster assistance and on-going economic and social assistance into its development of a more resilient society

Disaster relief management: supply chain challenges and recent progress

This research starts by introducingthe topic ofdisaster relief management and underlines theimportance of logistics and supply chain in the humanitarian context. It thenfocuses on describingfour of the main chronic challenges hindering the humanitarian relief effectiveness and efficiency, by providing an overview of eachandthe recent solutions and progressesachieved in each of those areas. The former is supported by data on real disaster scenarios,and when possible, is inserted in the context of the relief upon the Mozambican cyclonesin 2019. Follows a compilation of themain results of such analysis, and recommendations to NGOs on how to further improve the performance of their relief operations.Concludes by presenting the shortcomings of the concern research and potential directions forfuture similar studies