MITIGATION FACTORS ON DISASTER.

The Disaster Cycle

It is important to understand where mitigation fits in the disaster cycle and the challenges

the concept has faced in the past. The emergency management profession and FEMA

have used the concept of the disaster cycle to describe the phases of a

disaster.

The four phases, Response, Recovery, Preparedness, and Mitigation can be described as

Follows:

− Response begins as soon as a disaster event occurs. Response is the provision of

Search and rescue, medical services, and access control as well as repairing and

restoring communication and data systems during a crisis. A coordinated response

plan can help reduce casualties, damage, and decrease recovery time. Examples

include emergency operations plans and business continuity plans and established

networks of first responders.

− Recovery operations provide for basic needs and restore the community. There are

two components in the recovery phase. During the first phase, infrastructure is

examined, and repairs are conducted to restore water, power, communication and

other utilities. The second phase includes returning to normal functions and

addressing future disasters. The process of recovery can take months or possibility

years to accomplish depending upon the event. An example would be the

development of a post-disaster recovery plan.

− Preparedness refers to activities, programs, and systems developed in advance of

a disaster designed to build and enhance capabilities at an individual and business.

community, state and federal level to support the response to and recovery from

disasters. Example strategies might include developing awareness and outreach

campaigns and training targeted to individuals and businesses on personal and

professional responsibility to be self sufficient for at least 72 hours post-disaster.

− Mitigation or Risk Reduction Is the act of reducing or eliminating future loss of

life and/or property, and/or injuries resulting from hazards through short and longterm

activities. Mitigation strategies may range in scope and size; however, no

matter the size, effective mitigation activities have the potential to reduce the

vulnerability and/or exposure to risk and impact of disasters. Example mitigation

activities for flooding include acquiring, elevating, or relocating structures; for

seismic include building code, retrofitting buildings or infrastructure and non structurally

retrofitting labs and offices; and for wind or winter storms include

under grounding power lines and tree replacement programs.