Household supplies for natural disaster: factor of influence on the possession of supplies

Purpose –The paper presents the results of the quantitative research of the impact of certain factors on household possession of supplies necessary for the survival of the consequences of natural disasters.Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative research was conducted by using a survey strategy in households with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The first step, which was related to the primary sampling units, included selection of parts of the community for conducting research. The second step, which was related to research cores, included selection of streets or parts of streets at the level of primary sampling units, and finally a selection of households for surveying 2500 citizens in 19 local communities.Findings –It was found that only 24.6% of the respondents have supplies, while 61.5% have no supplies for surviving natural disasters. On the other hand, 37.2% of the respondents possess supplies of food for 4 days, while only 12% have supplies of food for 1 day. It was found that 17.6% of the respondents have a transistor radio, 40% a flashlight, 40.6% a shovel, 25.8% a hack, 33.6% hoe and spade, and 13.2% a fire extinguisher. The results of the inferential statistical analyses show that there is a statistically significant influenceof gender, education, marital status, parenthood, employment, income level, level of religiosity, completed military service on having supplies to survive the consequences of natural disasters. On the other hand, there was no influence of previous experiences on having supplies. Originality/value –research results allow the design of strategies aimed at raising the level of preparedness of households for natural disasters with regard to their supplies

Floods in the Republic of Serbia-Vulnerability and Human Security

Vulnerability and human security have been changing over time and depended on the physical, social, economic and environmental factors. In modern terms these phenomena have become multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral and dynamic. However, in addition to empirical changes with respect to the nature of security threats, the increase of vulnerability and threatening to human security, there have increased the analytical range in their understand-ing as well as the institutional changes within the security structures. Many countries have aban-doned the attitude that the floods and flash floods as the most important natural hazards can be suppressed or controlled, i.e. that can be fought against or placed under full control. With that regard, the attitude of adoptive management of security and rescue from floods and flash floods be-comes more and more prevalent, as well as flood risk adjustment or the principle of “living with floods”. Accepting such attitude, relating cultural values of the society, economy, institutional and functional possibilities for the purpose of mitigating vulnerability and providing human security proved prominent in the Republic of Serbia. The state has taken a series of reform steps in view of recognizing its own physical exposure to food risks. At the same time, after such great floods which endangered a large part of the country’s territory, the country recognized its social-eco-nomic weaknesses of the community, as well as the necessity to increase the capacity to mobilize the resources in mitigating vulnerability and facilitating human security

Household supplies for natural disaster: factor of influence on the possession of supplies

Purpose –The paper presents the results of the quantitative research of the impact of certain factors on household possession of supplies necessary for the survival of the consequences of natural disasters. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative research was conducted by using a survey strategy in households with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The first step, which was related to the primary sampling units, included selection of parts of the community for conducting research. The second step, which was related to research cores, included selection of streets or parts of streets at the level of primary sampling units, and finally a selection of households for surveying 2500 citizens in 19 local communities. Findings –It was found that only 24.6% of the respondents have supplies, while 61.5% have no supplies for surviving natural disasters. On the other hand, 37.2% of the respondents possess supplies of food for 4 days, while only 12% have supplies of food for 1 day. It was found that 17.6% of the respondents have a transistor radio, 40% a flashlight, 40.6% a shovel, 25.8% a hack, 33.6% hoe and spade, and 13.2% a fire extinguisher. The results of the inferential statistical analyses show that there is a statistically significant influenceof gender, education, marital status, parenthood, employment, income level, level of religiosity, completed military service on having supplies to survive the consequences of natural disasters. On the other hand, there was no influence of previous experiences on having supplies. Originality/value –research results allow the design of strategies aimed at raising the level of preparedness of households for natural disasters with regard to their supplies

Floods in the Republic of Serbia-Vulnerability and Human Security

Vulnerability and human security have been changing over time and depended on the physical, social, economic and environmental factors. In modern terms these phenomena have become multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral and dynamic. However, in addition to empirical changes with respect to the nature of security threats, the increase of vulnerability and threatening to human security, there have increased the analytical range in their understand-ing as well as the institutional changes within the security structures. Many countries have aban-doned the attitude that the floods and flash floods as the most important natural hazards can be suppressed or controlled, i.e. that can be fought against or placed under full control. With that regard, the attitude of adoptive management of security and rescue from floods and flash floods be-comes more and more prevalent, as well as flood risk adjustment or the principle of “living with floods”. Accepting such attitude, relating cultural values of the society, economy, institutional and functional possibilities for the purpose of mitigating vulnerability and providing human security proved prominent in the Republic of Serbia. The state has taken a series of reform steps in view of recognizing its own physical exposure to food risks. At the same time, after such great floods which endangered a large part of the country’s territory, the country recognized its social-eco-nomic weaknesses of the community, as well as the necessity to increase the capacity to mobilize the resources in mitigating vulnerability and facilitating human security

A SURVEY OF SUBJECTIVE OPINIONS OF POPULATION ABOUT SEISMIC RESISTANCE OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

The unpredictability and the seriousness of the potential earthquake consequences for people and residential buildings in Serbia imply the need for improving the resilience of local communities. The paper presents the results of a quantitative research regarding the level and factors of influence on the awareness of citizens about the seismic resistance of their residential buildings to earthquake consequences. Multiple-point random sampling was used to survey 1,018 citizens (face to face) during 2017 in 8 local communities: Kraljevo, Lazarevac, Jagodina, Mionica, Prijepolje, Vranje, Lapovo and Kopaonik. The questionnaire consisted of two segments: questions on demographic, socio-economic and psychological characteristics of respondents and questions regarding resistance of residential buildings to earthquake consequences. The results show that 35% of respondents state that they live in residential buildings that are not resistant to earthquakes, while 70.7% state that they live in buildings built of reinforced concrete, which are considered safe. Beside that 9.2% of respondents examined the resistance of their facilities to earthquake consequences. Inferential statistical analyses show that men to a greater extent than women state that their buildings are resistant to earthquake consequences. Starting from the multidimensionality of citizen vulnerability to earthquakes, it is necessary to conduct additional studies and further elucidate the sociological dimension of vulnerability and resilience.

Spremnost sistema zaštite i spasavanja u odgovoru na rizike vanrednih situacija

Present-day measures for saving, above all, lives and then property in emergencies are usually implemented in several stages. These are: preparedness (readiness), response, recovery and mitigation. Preparedness represents a permanent process through which it is possible to achieve a state of readiness i.e. preparedness for responding to an environmental disaster, a crisis or another emergency. Preparedness is highly complex and multilayered. It includes everyone within the emergency management system and depends on the preparedness of all the subjects within the system of protection and rescue

Resursi kritične infrastrukture i njihov značaj za upravljanje vanrednim situacijama

It is widely accepted that emergencies are a part of everyday life and that, as a state and society develop, the sources and forms of emergencies and the loss of human lives increase, accompanied by extensive material damage. Another known fact is that a technologically advanced society is organized in such a way that, for economic and other reasons, the supply with energy sources, food, raw materials and semi-½nished goods, medical supplies, and numerous other goods is regular, which has made the accumulation of large reserves non-standard. In the majority of cases, emergencies cause damage and delays within infrastructure systems and thus disrupt the established practices and methods of supplying the population, the economy and other users who directly depend on the functioning of this system. On the other hand, delays in the regular functioning of infrastructure systems can lead to emergencies. This is why the priority in protection and rescue worldwide is de½ned in such a way as to include the necessity of protecting critical infrastructure, with the protection of human lives still remaining the top priority. The e¾cient functioning of critical infrastructure during emergencies largely depends on whether the system resources are adequately used since they can help meet security challenges, risks and threats

Psychosocial support in emergency situations

In recent decades we have witnessed a growing number of major accidents and emergencies caused by natural hazards (floods, earthquakes, cyclones) and human factors (chemical and nuclear accidents, conflicts, terrorism). In such situations, people’s lives are fundamentally changed and accompanied by various social consequences: loss of loved ones, loss of control over one’s own life, loss of the sense of security, hope and initiative, social infrastructure, access to services and assets. Reactions may be various; shock, tears, anger, rage, a sense of hopelessness and an anxiety are just part of the whole range of unpleasant experiences. However, the intensity of the stress responses differs among individuals, but also communities, and thus the needs for interventions are different. The role of organizations dealing with the protection and rescue is to provide immediate assistance and protection, and also psychosocial assistance and support. The psychosocial support is the process of facilitating the recovery of individuals, family and communities from the effects of hazards and it plays a key role in the interventions at major accidents involving large number of victims. Psychosocial support means that in the approach to a person two dimensions are involved influencing each other mutually: psychological (inner, emotional and meditative processes, feelings and reactions of individual) and social (relationships with other people, family networks, social values and culture of the community). The third dimension involves the first responders. Stress can initiate the development of depression, depressive disorders, anxiety, professional burn-out, depersonalization, distress, emotional exhaustion and related mental health problems, as well as other indicators of psychological distress among members of rescue teams. Bearing in mind the importance of psychosocial programs of the nineties, their implementation is supported in many projects and it is proposed that the psychosocial care becomes an integral part of the emergency response of the public health care system

Methionine versus homocysteine: future directions in cardiovascular research

L-methionine, the principal sulfur-containing amino acid in proteins, has important roles in cell physiology as an antioxidant, and in the breakdown of fats and heavy metals. Methionine is the precursor of homocysteine, and participates in the methylation and transsulfuration pathways. Elevated total plasma homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia) is associated with atherosclerosis, thromboembolic disease and cancer. Whether homocysteine per se or a coincident metabolic abnormality (homocysteine-related compounds, thiolactone metabolites) causes vascular disease is still an open question. Animals with genetic hyperhomocysteinemia have so far not displayed atheromatous lesions. However, when methionine-rich diets are used to induce hyperhomocysteinemia, vascular pathology is often observed. Such studies have not distinguished the effects of excess dietary methionine from those of hyperhomocysteinemia. It is known that high methionine diet, not only red meat for example lamb, beef, pork but also chicken meat can induce cardiovascular dysfunction but the mechanisms are unclear. It has been hypothesized that a diet rich in methionine can malfunction the cardiovascular system in three ways: (1) by augmenting oxidative stress, (2) by inflammatory manifestations, and (3) by matrix/vascular remodeling. However, some evidence indicates that an excess of methionine can be harmful for other systems, and can increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, brain alterations such as schizophrenia, and memory impairment. However this is still controversial because previous studies suggesting the use of L-methionine as a treatment for depression and other diseases indicate that it might also improve memory (role in brain function). Thus, the direction of our research is to further elucidate mechanisms of cardiovascular and neural effects of homocysteine vs. methionine overload.HISPA 2017 : HISPA TRILATERAL "Cardiovascular challenges on Balkan roads crossing" : Abstracts : September 15-17, 2017, Zlatibor

Impact of climate change on the distribution of extreme temperatures as natural disasters

Much of the scientific community agrees that global temperature as a result of climate change has increased significantly in the last century, and will continue to grow in the near future. According to the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC, 2001 (IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the global average temperature has increased by about 0.6 degrees in the 20th century, although climate warming was not uniform neither spatially nor temporally, as was indicated by observed changes and modelling studies. Variations in global or regional cases of extreme air temperatures that occurred due to changes in climate cause more and more attention lately as living beings and ecosystems and human society are sensitive to the severity, frequency and persistence of cases of extreme temperatures. In this regard, in order to effectively protect and respond to emergencies caused by harmful temperature extremes, it is necessary among other things to comprehensively investigate the mentioned natural phenomenon, so the subject of this paper will be an analysis of climate change as well as form, consequences, temporal and geospatial distribution of extreme temperatures. Using an international database on natural disasters of the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), based in Brussels, with the support of program for statistical analysis (SPSS) and the method of thematic cartography, we have tried to point out the number, trends, consequences, temporal and geospatial distribution of extreme temperature in the period from 1900 to 2013, as well as the need for an adequate response of society to this type of natural hazard