Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather Topics

Theme: 1 Natural disaster
Plan:

1. 
   About Natural Disasters
   
2. 
   Disaster Management
   
3. 
   Safety management,
   

Natural Disasters and Extreme Weather Topics
Natural disasters can cause great damage on the environment, property, wildlife and human health. These events may include earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, landslides, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and extreme temperatures. Natural disasters generally constitute an emergency since they require immediate intervention due to their high impact on human health and safety; they affect the normal functioning of working infrastructure, interrupting normal day activities and representing a risk for residents and workers in affected areas.
Emergency response and recovery workers may be at risk of exposure to multiple health hazards associated with the occurrence of an event. These hazards can include physical, chemical, ergonomic, biologic, radiologic, psychological, and behavioral health hazards. Therefore, it is imperative to implement appropriate measures to assure the health and safety of emergency responders, including the implementation of a disaster management plan that prepares responders before an emergency, informs them about how to act during an emergency and provides guidance on how to perform the necessary activities after a particular event.
This webpage provides information and recommendations for emergency response and recovery workers regarding safety and health hazards associated with natural disasters. The information provided guides workers through disaster and safety management resources aiming to inform involved personnel about potential hazards and situations they may face during a response
Disaster Management
Management of activities before, during and after an emergency is a difficult task. Different components must be considered to account for all the potential hazards that can be faced. The preparation of a comprehensive plan is vital to ensure the correct management of resources, consecution of activities and protection of responders. During the elaboration of a disaster management plan, potential hazards can be identified which helps to establish the necessary measures to prevent, control and mitigate those hazards. Such measures can include but are not limited to the establishment of a system to manage personnel during an emergency, provide training to face a particular hazard, define the use of personal protective equipment, and install guidelines and mechanisms to be used in case of an emergency, among others.
The following link redirects to the disaster site management topic page which includes general information on Disaster Site Management. The site provides a series of reports on emergency responders’ safety management in disaster and terrorism response. The different reports cover topics such as rubble and debris, dust and smoke, heat, anthrax, stress, types and use of protective equipment, hazard assessment, risk communications, site management, structural collapse, fire, and explosions. The disaster management page also offers information on other hazards such as asbestos, carbon monoxide, confined spaces chemical and structural hazards and provides guidance on identifying and handling human remains. Other possible hazardous substances and situations such as chemical and structural hazards are also included in the website to ensure the health and safety of workers.