Haiti and the unfolding response strategy demonstrate how little we have learnt after decades of dealing with disasters. It is my understanding that the Prime Minister of Dominica, who is also the current chair of CARICOM, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit is on his way to Haiti. His visit, I understand will be short but he along with the former Minister of Education and Foreign Minister, Vince Henderson are probably in my estimation, the best disaster coordinators that I know. However, given the magnitude of the quake and the context in Haiti, one can expect logistics problems. Tierney (2007) noted "how people die during disasters is an indication of how they lived." what has worked so far in Haiti, it the determination and effort of local people in mounting the rescue effort. Often with bare hands, simple tools, patience and tenacity, they have been able to rescue many. High tech equipment, technology and experts and all those gadgets often tooted as tools for recovery are nowhere near present. It is local people, ordinary people who are now making the difference in Haiti.
Despite the assurance that assessors were evaluating the situation, they were unable to recognize that the airport was too small, the port was damage and has to find alternatives and the roads were impassible. No amount of manuals can make a difference here and it is this situations that make people cynical about disaster education and its ability to make a difference. In any case, the Haitian context is what is essential and disaster management should be designed within this context: the poverty, inadequate infrastructure, little expertise, inadequate organizational and institutional support.
Disaster recovery is the function of local people and local organization and the Haitian case is proving that. This is even more so when no one can reach the disaster site from the outside. Dominica's experience of using local disaster management committees in each community with responsibility for shelter management, local relief and reporting with central government and related disaster organization - the red cross, public utilities, media, taking on a coordinating role. The media has demonstrated that they are essential assets for relief mobilization and distribution as well. However, Dominica's experience has been with hurricanes which can be forecast and preparation made. The devastation can be just as tragic as Dominica discovered with Hurricane David In 1979. A system of local village councils also assist in organizing for disasters.
We need heavy equipment to clear roads, choppers to air lift food. local food centers can be manned by FAO and other UN Agencies who know the place well; the Red Cross to coordinate the list of missing they have wide experience in that area and providing emergency supplies; the church has years of experience in feeding large groups of people: the Adventist Relief Agency (ADRA) who are working in Haiti are excellent at Emergency shelter construction; the army are tent experts, they live in those all the time: UNICEF and Save the Children also in Haiti are best with children providing emergency education and supplies and support. Those kind will need PSTD intervention. Doctors without borders are world renowned to know their roles. Both the Dominica Electricity Company and LIME Telecoms in Dominica as well have tremendous experience in the restoration of electrical and telecoms infrastructure. They worked in Grenada after Ivan and in Montserrat at the Soufirere volcano; LIME moved it's cables underground to protect them after the use of community health workers, and local fist aids can be used to stabilise the injured.
However, the first three days of chaos is expected can be reduced significantly if locals - community organization is fostered because this is what is essential when cultural protections collapse. Neighbors know where people are, what their conditions are. Again Dominica is fortunate because of its health care system. a cadre of health and medical persons are located within each community. Haiti's poverty is a serious drawback in this case but there are some structures in place that can be used as I mentioned.
What is instructive here is how the very structures to be used for response and relief crumble during disasters and that it is local people, ordinary people who are presently making the difference, not only in direct help but how after almost 72 hours, they have been able to conduct themselves; their tenacity, attitude and patience; I supposed forged out of centuries of hardship and pains maybe. These are the protections in which we need to invest because Haiti shows that irrespective of the context this is what works in those critical hours. It can also work in the long term. Research in children, learning and chronic natural disaster will demonstrate how this can be done on a sustained level using intergenerational approach and the establish system of education.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Haiti, I'm sorry
A West Indian Calypsonian penned and sang a heart touching song "Haiti, I'm Sorry." This song captured the historical struggles of a people and whose daily existence seem to have reached its nadir with this 7.0 quake that has rocked and totally devastated the country. Haiti is and has been a fragile state. Coups, poverty and poor infrastructure and institutions have marked the governance and organiscape of the the nation. Today as the extent and impact of the Haitian earthquake unfolds, its become clear that this is a perfect disaster. A classical lesson in disasters that no graduate level course could teach. My hope is that all students of disaster are paying close attention.
The Haitian case exposes the weakness of mainstream theories of disaster and approaches to emergency management. Any centralized management apparatus is worthless because communication and transportation have become victims of the disaster. Those have collapse. Telecommunications and any other technology gadgets long the bastion of mainstream disaster management have also collapsed. It is local people relying on their knowledge, skills and attitudes that are making a different in Haiti in that 36hour windows that is considered the most critical. Whatever emergency plans and organizations exists, it seems no one is consulting or referring to them. Theories of disaster should be congruent with the response approaches and recommendations. The need to remove protection from the infrastructural, technological and economic domains to the social and cultural domains that is knowledge,skills and attitudes. This would necessitate a philosophical shift in our thinking and the organizations that promote and fund disaster research and practice.
David Alexander (2000) in his excellent blog on "Disaster Planning and Emergency Management," argued for emergency planning and management, that focused on culture and context. Given the theories are "road maps" for practice, theories that focuses on culture and context have to be developed.
While a 7.0 quake by any imagination is huge, by Haiti's, its catastrophic. The poverty, poor infrastructure, weak management, poor environmental practices, weak governance under normal conditions are disastrous. California had a 6.9 quake a few week ago but with little damage. The disaster is not in the trigger. It is in the culture and context. In the case of Haiti, the quake was just a trigger and pictures fed on television are merely, the results or symptoms of the disaster. The disaster is in the collapse of the social and cultural protections - the knowledge, skills and attitudes that is necessary to get citizens to make informed decision in every day life conscious of the risk and vulnerability. Those have to be learnt in systematic and sustained ways and has to be pervasive to address this widespread collapse. The widespread extent of that destruction and collapse is a clear indication of the pervasive nature of what the issues are and the cultural and social elements inherent in that pervasiveness are assumed.
Change can be attained through a systematic process of transmitting the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to make decisions around the persistent threat of earthquakes and hurricanes. This requires shifts in disaster management - from institutional focus to community focus, from a centralized to a decentralized approach. This may not suffice now. Relief and human suffering has to be alleviated but the future demands that new approach that responds to or at best captures the culture and context notions of David Alexander.
The Haitian case exposes the weakness of mainstream theories of disaster and approaches to emergency management. Any centralized management apparatus is worthless because communication and transportation have become victims of the disaster. Those have collapse. Telecommunications and any other technology gadgets long the bastion of mainstream disaster management have also collapsed. It is local people relying on their knowledge, skills and attitudes that are making a different in Haiti in that 36hour windows that is considered the most critical. Whatever emergency plans and organizations exists, it seems no one is consulting or referring to them. Theories of disaster should be congruent with the response approaches and recommendations. The need to remove protection from the infrastructural, technological and economic domains to the social and cultural domains that is knowledge,skills and attitudes. This would necessitate a philosophical shift in our thinking and the organizations that promote and fund disaster research and practice.
David Alexander (2000) in his excellent blog on "Disaster Planning and Emergency Management," argued for emergency planning and management, that focused on culture and context. Given the theories are "road maps" for practice, theories that focuses on culture and context have to be developed.
While a 7.0 quake by any imagination is huge, by Haiti's, its catastrophic. The poverty, poor infrastructure, weak management, poor environmental practices, weak governance under normal conditions are disastrous. California had a 6.9 quake a few week ago but with little damage. The disaster is not in the trigger. It is in the culture and context. In the case of Haiti, the quake was just a trigger and pictures fed on television are merely, the results or symptoms of the disaster. The disaster is in the collapse of the social and cultural protections - the knowledge, skills and attitudes that is necessary to get citizens to make informed decision in every day life conscious of the risk and vulnerability. Those have to be learnt in systematic and sustained ways and has to be pervasive to address this widespread collapse. The widespread extent of that destruction and collapse is a clear indication of the pervasive nature of what the issues are and the cultural and social elements inherent in that pervasiveness are assumed.
Change can be attained through a systematic process of transmitting the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to make decisions around the persistent threat of earthquakes and hurricanes. This requires shifts in disaster management - from institutional focus to community focus, from a centralized to a decentralized approach. This may not suffice now. Relief and human suffering has to be alleviated but the future demands that new approach that responds to or at best captures the culture and context notions of David Alexander.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
I missed the President of the United States report on the findings of the investigation following the Christmas Day attempted bombing of the Northwestern Flight. However, I listened to Messrs Brenan, Gibbs and Napolitano's press conference on the findings and strategies for response. As I did, a number of things come to mind. The first being the need to guard against solving the wrong problems. Dunn (1997) identified what he described as Type III error in which one arrives at the false conclusion that the estimated boundaries of a problem approximates the true boundary of the problem. He offers several benchmarks for establishing congruence between those boundaries. The second being the fact that the flight emerged out of the United States as an indication that terrorist may be finding it increasingly difficult to launch attacks from US soil - a possibility that the measures being taken within the United States are effective. The third things can be seen as two important aspects of the shift in terror tactics - the use of non- middle eastern, Muslims to launch attacks and to do so from outside the US. That third thing having been highlighted at the press conference. These three things have to be central to the response and approach. The press conference appear to focus strategy on the United States - new machines, more K-9 officers, sharing of intelligence. While there is the need to ensure greater supervision and decisive action to be taken within the public service arms involved in national security, there is a need to ensure that those avenues for attacks available outside of the United States are policed if not curtailed.
Returning to the question of problem boundaries, adequate analysis of the problem is required to identify as nearly as possible its true boundary that is, it causes, not its symptoms must be the focus of responses.
Another critical aspects of that approach is to develop "a culture of disaster aversion" - a mental and cognitive shift in understanding and accepting the risks and vulnerabilities and adopting matched attitudes and skills to diffuse. In means a systematic inculcation or transmission of the Knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to respond to disasters or at best threats of disasters. The reaction of the passengers on that Christmas Day flight is an example of the the kind of attitude that is required. It must extend to all citizens on airplanes, in airports, in queues, on trains, on buses, in schools, in neighborhoods. As much as we may not want to be suspicious of our neighbours and friends. Often it is they who have the greatest opportunities to do us harm. We all must be come disaster intelligent. This means refusing to remain silent in the face of suspicion, and confronting when breaches are recognized whether with respect to security or regulations.
In addition, there must be open and outright condemnation of these Al Kaeda attacks by mainstream Islam. It is these condemnations that will assist in serving as a signal to the young and unsuspecting adherents and would be recruits. The silence of mainstream Islam on these attacks continue to be troubling.
Returning to the question of problem boundaries, adequate analysis of the problem is required to identify as nearly as possible its true boundary that is, it causes, not its symptoms must be the focus of responses.
Another critical aspects of that approach is to develop "a culture of disaster aversion" - a mental and cognitive shift in understanding and accepting the risks and vulnerabilities and adopting matched attitudes and skills to diffuse. In means a systematic inculcation or transmission of the Knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to respond to disasters or at best threats of disasters. The reaction of the passengers on that Christmas Day flight is an example of the the kind of attitude that is required. It must extend to all citizens on airplanes, in airports, in queues, on trains, on buses, in schools, in neighborhoods. As much as we may not want to be suspicious of our neighbours and friends. Often it is they who have the greatest opportunities to do us harm. We all must be come disaster intelligent. This means refusing to remain silent in the face of suspicion, and confronting when breaches are recognized whether with respect to security or regulations.
In addition, there must be open and outright condemnation of these Al Kaeda attacks by mainstream Islam. It is these condemnations that will assist in serving as a signal to the young and unsuspecting adherents and would be recruits. The silence of mainstream Islam on these attacks continue to be troubling.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Overreaction?
There is a tendency to think that when attempts are made to prepare adequately for disaster or crises and they do not materialize, that it is overreaction. This is why preparation is done to ensure nothing happens and so if it did not, particularly given past experiences, then the preparation may have worked. The Government of Dominica's recent decision to close schools and businesses in the face of an impending stormed was framed as overreaction. The overwhelming police presence in Pittsburgh as the G20 gets on the way, and the decision to close large parts of the city reduce the number of people in town, remove innocent people from the scene, allowing the officers to focus on protesters. Imagine trying to differentiate the innocent from those bent on social mischief in the name of peaceful protest with the world watching.
The mountainous terrain in Dominica amplifies the orographic lifting and results in torrential rain; that terrain also results in landslides and other slope failures often with disastrous consequences (recall Hurricane Dean in which a mother and her son perished in a landslide; remember Bagatelle in which an entire section of the community was buried alive). The nature of disaster or crisis is to be disruptive and it happens when we caught unguarded. It is is when social and cultural protection collapse that disaster and crisis results.
Pittsburgh learnt from London and Seattle and their G20. Besides the city and the University of Pittsburgh have one of the nations top disaster expert and schools in the US. It is not uncommon to turn on the television on any given day and hear discussions on disaster preparedness and management and as a student of disaster, I am so pleased with the city's approach. overreaction until something bad happens and we search for those to blame. When It comes to disasters or crises, I prefer overreaction, At least it is much easier to recover from that than having to explain as Mayor Nagin had to after Katrina what happened and always what happened - we did not prepare enough, did not take it serious enough and since we cannot tell with certainty when it can go all wrong, as 9/11 taught us. We need to leave no stone unturned to avert disasters and crises and so I say overreaction all the way
The mountainous terrain in Dominica amplifies the orographic lifting and results in torrential rain; that terrain also results in landslides and other slope failures often with disastrous consequences (recall Hurricane Dean in which a mother and her son perished in a landslide; remember Bagatelle in which an entire section of the community was buried alive). The nature of disaster or crisis is to be disruptive and it happens when we caught unguarded. It is is when social and cultural protection collapse that disaster and crisis results.
Pittsburgh learnt from London and Seattle and their G20. Besides the city and the University of Pittsburgh have one of the nations top disaster expert and schools in the US. It is not uncommon to turn on the television on any given day and hear discussions on disaster preparedness and management and as a student of disaster, I am so pleased with the city's approach. overreaction until something bad happens and we search for those to blame. When It comes to disasters or crises, I prefer overreaction, At least it is much easier to recover from that than having to explain as Mayor Nagin had to after Katrina what happened and always what happened - we did not prepare enough, did not take it serious enough and since we cannot tell with certainty when it can go all wrong, as 9/11 taught us. We need to leave no stone unturned to avert disasters and crises and so I say overreaction all the way
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Late but busy 2009 season
As if to make up for the late start, three storm are now churning in the region. Ana appears to heading for Dominica. A storm watch has been issued. My wife is at Sir Grantley International Airport, Barbados waiting for her flight home. All scheduled flight for this afternoon are still on. Flights for Monday have been cancelled.
As I write it appears that the rains have begun but they are not Ana's rains just yet. Heavier rains, flooding, landslides and mudslides for which Dominica is known is expected. The rugged mountainous terrain amplifies the orographic lifting effects and results in torrential rains. The two death from last hurricane season was the result of a landslide that buried a mother and her son. Interestingly, these two were in a shelter and went back home to collect some stuff and met with their demise.
One needs to assess one's surroundings to ascertain that there is little threat from slides and floods and swelling rives. Dominica has 365 rivers and so during storms and hurricanes every stream becomes a raging threatening weapon. Fortunately, the same mountainous terrain aids drainage. Usually, DOWASCO shuts off the water supply to reduce the effect of turbidity or sedimentation. Please ensure there is enough drinking water for three to four days. Electrical power may be out, so please ensure that you have alternative light sources - avoid open flames. Be sure you have cooking gas, and petrol in your vehicle. If you feel unsafe go to a shelter - a list of shelters are in the newspapers and have been included in the newspapers for the past few weeks. Call the weather hotline 447 5555 for a shelter near you. if necessary, leave for a shelter before the storm wind and rain begin
Stay on high alert. Never underestimate the power and propensity of a storm to inflict damage. Take very precaution.
As I write it appears that the rains have begun but they are not Ana's rains just yet. Heavier rains, flooding, landslides and mudslides for which Dominica is known is expected. The rugged mountainous terrain amplifies the orographic lifting effects and results in torrential rains. The two death from last hurricane season was the result of a landslide that buried a mother and her son. Interestingly, these two were in a shelter and went back home to collect some stuff and met with their demise.
One needs to assess one's surroundings to ascertain that there is little threat from slides and floods and swelling rives. Dominica has 365 rivers and so during storms and hurricanes every stream becomes a raging threatening weapon. Fortunately, the same mountainous terrain aids drainage. Usually, DOWASCO shuts off the water supply to reduce the effect of turbidity or sedimentation. Please ensure there is enough drinking water for three to four days. Electrical power may be out, so please ensure that you have alternative light sources - avoid open flames. Be sure you have cooking gas, and petrol in your vehicle. If you feel unsafe go to a shelter - a list of shelters are in the newspapers and have been included in the newspapers for the past few weeks. Call the weather hotline 447 5555 for a shelter near you. if necessary, leave for a shelter before the storm wind and rain begin
Stay on high alert. Never underestimate the power and propensity of a storm to inflict damage. Take very precaution.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Typhoon Morakot and local response in Taiwan
As the aftermath of the Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan emerges, I am thinking of our friend, Kent who lives there. We received an email from him last week. That was just before the storm. I reckon power may be out and given the carnage, very little else may be working communication wise. The paralyzing nature of these tropical storms is highlighted. I am not sure how well the nation-wide disaster preparation activities worked but what emerges is the impact of the local response to the approach of the disaster trigger.
Surprising to the early responders are the number of people found alive in some of these remote village swept and buried by mudslides, triggered by the storm. Local people appeared to have been well aware of the vulnerabilities and evacuated themselves ahead of the storm. Whether this was a knowledge of the local dialects or the result of experiences with similar storms in the past, the response appeared to be appropriate but came as a surprise. Empowering local people and awareness of local vulnerabilities are probably more effective in disaster response, the centralized control. The use of local authorities in Dominica to organize and respond to disasters is the result of chronic exposure to disasters and learning from experience where to focus disaster activities.
The site of hotel collapsing on the edge of torrent of water and silt is another reminder of the importance of local action on the approach of a storm. Learning that the entire hotel had been evacuated before the collapse is astounding. It would be interesting to learn how that was done, what were the sign or circumstances that indicated they needed to do that and where did the move the people to and what were their reactions to what happened to that hotel in light of their decisions to evacuate would be instructive in future.
The impact of the typhoons on the infrastructure is spectacular and shows that the combined forces of wind and water and trigger the collapse of social and cultural protection and put lives and property at risk. Kudos to those who had the presence of mind to take action and saves lives.
Surprising to the early responders are the number of people found alive in some of these remote village swept and buried by mudslides, triggered by the storm. Local people appeared to have been well aware of the vulnerabilities and evacuated themselves ahead of the storm. Whether this was a knowledge of the local dialects or the result of experiences with similar storms in the past, the response appeared to be appropriate but came as a surprise. Empowering local people and awareness of local vulnerabilities are probably more effective in disaster response, the centralized control. The use of local authorities in Dominica to organize and respond to disasters is the result of chronic exposure to disasters and learning from experience where to focus disaster activities.
The site of hotel collapsing on the edge of torrent of water and silt is another reminder of the importance of local action on the approach of a storm. Learning that the entire hotel had been evacuated before the collapse is astounding. It would be interesting to learn how that was done, what were the sign or circumstances that indicated they needed to do that and where did the move the people to and what were their reactions to what happened to that hotel in light of their decisions to evacuate would be instructive in future.
The impact of the typhoons on the infrastructure is spectacular and shows that the combined forces of wind and water and trigger the collapse of social and cultural protection and put lives and property at risk. Kudos to those who had the presence of mind to take action and saves lives.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Disasters, emergencies and cell phones
We (Dr. MCClure and I) spent the last year and a half discussing emerging technology and its role in disaster mitigation and response. one such technology is the cell phoneIt is hard to tell, given the pace of cell phone evolution, how best to use what is available to reduce hurricane damage and in particular loss of lives. As cell phones become ubiquitous, they provide wonderful opportunities to reach a large number of people at the same time. LIME formerly Cable and Wireless (Dominica) Ltd., has been to my mind at the forefront of using text messaging for advertising and promotion both for its own purposes and for local business in Dominica particularly those with which it has some affiliation. Recall, it was Cable and Wireless after Hurricane David in 1979, after its infrastructure was completely destroyed moved into direct dialling and made Dominica, the first country in the world to go distance direct dialling (DDD) completely.
In collaboration with the DBS radio, the national radio station, the company provides public service announcement for disaster preparedness. I also believe they have begun to use text messaging via mobile phones to transmit disaster preparedness announcements and alerts. Call this being at the forefront. The company has also run its cables underground to ensure that during disasters there is uninterrupted service. Lessons learnt from past disasters.
The University of Pittsburgh has a voluntary emergency alert for which students can sign both via Internet and mobile phones. These provide alert when emergencies exist. To date I have received two alerts. For one of those I was in class when my mobile went off (vibrate of course)with the alert. Interestingly, mine was the only one. Having related the information to the class, I wonder what would have happened had the threat been real and no one had received that text alert. Pitt is huge and there is no better system available in an open campus to reach students all at once than through mobile phones. It is unfortunate given the nature of school violence and the open campus that such a service is not compulsory for all students. Timely information in the face of disaster or emergency can result in reduced impact and loss of lives.
The current impasse in Iran and the caveats placed on mainstream media have again brought the mobile phone center stage but it also brought twitter with it. Imagine how much the world would have missed and how much carnage would have gone on unreported. Who knows the impact cell phones and twitter may be having in saving lives in Iran.
Recently, I signed up for facebook and found my long lost friends, including my college roommate. These days smart phones allow one to navigate the Internet. I am sure you will guess that I own, and for while now, one of these smart phones. Any disaster savvy person should own one and I imagine with the push of button be able to warn friends of impending danger.
A few years ago, I prepared a policy paper on the use of cell phones in Dominican schools. I still believe in this respect that it should be monitored and managed but I also believe with increasing threats in and to schools, mobiles can be useful tools in helping to keep children safe; in alerting parents. Equipped with GPS technology these phone can quickly provide information on evacuation routes and assist in navigation and travel especially in unknown territories. Kids hands have become so proficient on these ting key pads, they can send messages with alacrity. They may be able to help save their lives and those of their friends. I imagine we cannot turn the tide on these apparatuses and the concept of them as gadgets have faded. These are mobile phones with the technology to help save lives and reduce the impact of disasters and emergencies.
In collaboration with the DBS radio, the national radio station, the company provides public service announcement for disaster preparedness. I also believe they have begun to use text messaging via mobile phones to transmit disaster preparedness announcements and alerts. Call this being at the forefront. The company has also run its cables underground to ensure that during disasters there is uninterrupted service. Lessons learnt from past disasters.
The University of Pittsburgh has a voluntary emergency alert for which students can sign both via Internet and mobile phones. These provide alert when emergencies exist. To date I have received two alerts. For one of those I was in class when my mobile went off (vibrate of course)with the alert. Interestingly, mine was the only one. Having related the information to the class, I wonder what would have happened had the threat been real and no one had received that text alert. Pitt is huge and there is no better system available in an open campus to reach students all at once than through mobile phones. It is unfortunate given the nature of school violence and the open campus that such a service is not compulsory for all students. Timely information in the face of disaster or emergency can result in reduced impact and loss of lives.
The current impasse in Iran and the caveats placed on mainstream media have again brought the mobile phone center stage but it also brought twitter with it. Imagine how much the world would have missed and how much carnage would have gone on unreported. Who knows the impact cell phones and twitter may be having in saving lives in Iran.
Recently, I signed up for facebook and found my long lost friends, including my college roommate. These days smart phones allow one to navigate the Internet. I am sure you will guess that I own, and for while now, one of these smart phones. Any disaster savvy person should own one and I imagine with the push of button be able to warn friends of impending danger.
A few years ago, I prepared a policy paper on the use of cell phones in Dominican schools. I still believe in this respect that it should be monitored and managed but I also believe with increasing threats in and to schools, mobiles can be useful tools in helping to keep children safe; in alerting parents. Equipped with GPS technology these phone can quickly provide information on evacuation routes and assist in navigation and travel especially in unknown territories. Kids hands have become so proficient on these ting key pads, they can send messages with alacrity. They may be able to help save their lives and those of their friends. I imagine we cannot turn the tide on these apparatuses and the concept of them as gadgets have faded. These are mobile phones with the technology to help save lives and reduce the impact of disasters and emergencies.
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