DMG1145/2018/2/A Disaster Management 1 Compulsory Assignment for October 2018 Examination This assignment consists of 7 pages Due Date: 31 May 2018 Examiner: E.J. Louw Moderator: M.C Opperman Marks: 100 INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Answer ALL the questions. 2. Write neatly and legibly. 3. Number your answers correctly. 4. Read the questions thoroughly. 5. Use the allocation of marks for each question as a guideline to how to structure your answer. 6. Only make use of black or blue pen. Typed assignments are allowed. 7. Allow a space of 8 lines between the answers to each question of the assignment. 8. NO Tipp-ex or similar products may be used. Note to Student: In completing this assignment you are encouraged to discuss it with colleagues and fellow students and to read widely on the subject. However, the final product must be your own work. All quotations (from books or the internet) must be properly identified and referenced in your assignment. Any sign of collusion ( copying ) with another student may result in both learners being awarded 0% and being prevented from writing examinations. No more than 40% will be awarded for any answer that is just copied from your study guide. You MUST answer all the questions in your own words. [Please be reminded that from 2013 onwards, a sub-minimum of 40% will apply to examinations. Please check your calendar for details.] Page 1 of 7
QUESTION 1 TRUE/FALSE (25) STATEMENT T F 1. Disaster management is the discipline dealing with disaster risks 2. Since the Krakatoa eruption, the discipline of disaster management has developed from a haphazard to an evidencebased approach 3. The period from 1980-1989 is known as the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 4. The Disaster Management Act (Act no. 57 of 2002) determines the direction of disaster management plans for local government 5. Mitigation in relation to a disaster, means measures aimed at reducing the impact of a disaster 6. Vulnerability means the degree to which communities means the state of readiness of such a community 7. Ecosystem consists of a complex interaction of the tropical Pacific Ocean and the global atmosphere that results in irregularly episodes of changed ocean and weather patterns 8. Hazard analysis a potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon or human activity that may cause the loss of life 9. The vulnerability of communities is increased by increased population growth 10. Hazards such as floods, drought and volcanic eruptions tend to hurt the rich most of all 11. A characteristic of war and civil strife are regarded as hazards that cause large scale displacement of people 12. A complex disaster occurs when one type of hazard triggers a domino effect of hazards, e.g. a drought that leads to famine 13. The Disaster Risk Equation commonly used to reflect the components of risk consist of: Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability Capacity 14. Hydro-meteorological hazards are responsible for most of the disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa 15. Severe heat waves may result in deaths from hypothermia 16. Biological hazards include epidemics and insect infestations and accounts for 36% of disasters in Africa 17. An estimated 5,6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa more than in any other country 18. Toxic waste excludes acids and poisons 19. Cyber hazards include spreading viruses 20. Stampede hazards are caused by an act of mass impulse among a crowd causing them to start running without clear purpose or direction Page 2 of 7
21. An example of a natural hazard is that of environmental degradation 22. Vulnerability consists of two types, namely tangible and intangible 23. Intangible vulnerability consists of people, property, the economy and the environment 24. Blaike et al. (1994:50) developed the Pressure and Release Model (the PAR model) 25. The first set of conditions consists of the root causes (economic, demographic and political processes) that cause vulnerability QUESTION 2 (25) a. Define and describe disaster (5) b. Define hazard and discuss sociological hazards (20) QUESTION 3 (25) a. Define vulnerability and describe the two types of vulnerability as well as their characteristics (10) b. Discuss non-structural mitigation (15) QUESTION 4 (25) a. List 15 recovery activities (15) b. Describe the recovery plan (10) END OF ASSIGNMENT Page 3 of 7
REVISION QUESTIONS DO NOT SUBMIT AS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT QUESTION 1. 51. Resilience is defined as a combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society or organisation that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster 52. Coping capacity is defined as a combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society or organisation that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster 53. Manageability is defined as the degree to which a community can intervene and manage a hazard in order to reduce its potential impact 54. Capacity is defined as the degree to which a community can intervene and manage a hazard in order to reduce its potential impact 55. If the measures taken to decrease resilience are not sustainable, the community s vulnerability will again increase 56. Comprehensive disaster management comprises of four phases. 57. The disaster management cycle consists of five phases 58. The complete disaster management cycle includes the development of public policies and plans 59. The pre-disaster phases of mitigation and preparedness unfolds and disaster managers become involved in the immediate response and long term recovery phases 60. The post-disaster phase occurs as the disastrous event unfolds and disaster managers become involved in the immediate response and long term recovery phases 61. Structural mitigation refers to any physical construction to reduce or avoid the impact of disasters 62. Maintenance is not part of structural mitigation 63. Structural mitigation measures include planting of trees along shorelines vulnerable to tsunamis 64. Non-structural mitigation measures include planting of trees along shorelines vulnerable to tsunamis 65. Structural mitigation measures include legislation, land-use planning and insurance 66. Non-structural mitigation measures include legislation, landuse planning and insurance 67. A hazard can result in natural and human-induced disasters Page 4 of 7
68. The second step in mitigation must be the identification of hazards that have the greatest potential to cause a disaster 69. Few countries are at risk from a combination of natural hazards and only some face the possibility of technological disasters 70. Mitigation strategies must be participatory in design and must address the community s vulnerabilities 71. The preparedness phase of the disaster management cycle is a continuous cycle of planning, organising, training, equipping, exercising, evaluation and improvement activities 72. The response phase of the disaster management cycle is a continuous cycle of planning, organising, training, equipping, exercising, evaluation and improvement activities 73. The STARCC principles are useful when planning mitigation measures 74. When drafting messages to the public, the disaster practitioner must consider various cultural and environmental descriptors 75. Public awareness efforts or campaigns should include public education to ensure a community s recovery 76. The public may be more informed about hazards today than they were in the past due to improved access to disaster information 77. One of the steps in sustaining a public education campaign is to established benchmarks 78. An effective early warning system needs to ensure there is a constant state of preparedness 79. An effective early warning system needs to ensure there is a constant flow of mitigation measures 80. An individual checklist has been developed for each of the four elements of early warning 81. An additional checklist has also been developed for each of the four elements of early warning 82. One of the key elements of people-centred early warning systems is risk knowledge 83. Education and preparedness programmes play a key role in response capability 84. Education and preparedness programmes play a key role in risk knowledge 85. One of the cross-cutting issues in designing and maintaining early warning systems is a multi-hazard approach 86. One of the cross-cutting issues in designing and maintaining early warning systems is a technological approach 87. The private sector has a diverse role to play in early warning Page 5 of 7
88. In Key Element 1: Risk Knowledge, a key actor is UNESCO 89. In Key Element 3: Dissemination and Communication, a key actor is UNESCO 90. A disaster management plan should be comprehensive, riskbased and use an all-hazards approach 91. The National Disaster Management Centre should be comprehensive, risk-based and use an all-hazards approach 92. One of the typical disaster response activities is supply chain management 93. One of the typical disaster response activities is security 94. One of the steps of a recovery plan is the gathering of basic information 95. One of the steps of a recovery plan is mobilising resources 96. In documenting a disaster photographs of the damage as well as the repair work should be taken 97. There are 10 steps in ensuring thorough documentation of a disaster 98. For a while after a disaster, the political environment may favour a much higher rate of economic and social change than before 99. For a while after a disaster, the economic environment may favour a much higher rate of political and social change than before 100. Disaster management means a state of readiness which enables organs of state and other institutions involved in disaster management, to mobilise, organise and provide relief measures to deal with disasters. QUESTION 2 (25) Name and describe nine hydro-meteorological hazards. QUESTION 3 (20) The preparedness phase (of the Disaster Management Cycle) is a continuous cycle of planning, organising, training, equipping, exercising, evaluation and improvement activities. Discuss preparedness. QUESTION 4 (5) Briefly describe the key elements of people-centred early warning systems Page 6 of 7
QUESTION 5 (20) Define and discuss complex disasters. QUESTION 6 (10) Identify the two main types of hazard, and list the hazards included in each of the two main types. END Page 7 of 7