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Preparing for Natural Disaster (September 16, 2005, One)

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Program Summary

The air has been thick with discussion recently about who is to blame for the lack of planning and preparation for Hurricane Katrina. But there are many other natural disasters waiting to happen, as Ira’s guests point out, and Katrina should be used as a model for minimizing such devastation in the future.

Different disasters require different ways of thinking: planning for a flood will not necessarily use the same parameters as planning for a tornado or blizzard. In most situations, there is plenty of warning and time for reinforcements and evacuations, but what about earthquakes? They strike with no warning at all, and officials can only plan for the aftermath. Ira’s guests feel that there must be complete cooperation and communication between agencies and personnel involved in disaster planning, something that was lacking before, during, and after Katrina, even though scientists had modeled worst-case scenarios for years.

There is also the matter of complacency – people tend to downplay the horrors of a disaster as time passes. For example, the worst earthquake in America’s history took place not in California, but in New Madrid, Louisiana in 1812! A series of magnitude 8 quakes devastated the region, but it occurred so long ago that the residents don’t quite believe it could happen again. So, no matter where you live, make your own personal survival plan, practice it, and use it.

Guests

Kathleen Tierney, professor in the department of sociology and Institute of Behavioral Sciences; director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder

Lucile Jones, scientist-in-charge of the Southern California Earthquake Hazards Team, U.S. Geological Survey in Pasadena, California

Henry Petroski, author of "Pushing the Limits: New Adventures in Engineering" (Knopf, 2004) and Aleksandar S. Vesic (VESS-ick) Professor of Civil Engineering and Professor, History, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Rich Eisner, Regional Administrator, Coastal Region, Governor's Office of Emergency Services , Oakland, California

Related Links and Resources

Natural Disaster Reference Database
BBC Science & Nature Hot Topics: Natural Disasters (explores a variety of natural disasters and how they could affect Britain; opinion poll, quiz, links to other sites)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security ReadyAmerica: Be Informed: Natural Disasters
ReliefWeb
American Psychological Association: Natural Disasters
United States Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program: Hazards & Preparedness (links to sites concerning earthquake awareness and preparation)

For Discussion:

• What do disaster planners have to take into account when creating a disaster management plan?

• What are the different kinds of natural disasters? What affects do the various disasters have on topography, building infrastructure, and city services? How would these factors shape the planning for them?

• What are some examples of man-made disasters? Do you think disaster plans for these would differ from natural disaster planning?

• What kind of disaster might happen where you live? Does your municipality have a disaster plan?

Activities

Make the best of it. Several lesson plans from the New York Times Learning Network address natural disaster. When Disaster Strikes examines a locality’s infrastructure, such as healthcare, construction, utilities, industry, tourism, etc., is affected and how these groups plan for disaster. Calamity Sane explores how disasters disrupt the social order, and Blowing through History focuses specifically on hurricanes and relief efforts.

Earth, wind, fire, and water. Dealing With Disasters, from National Geographic Xpeditions, has students consider what natural disaster might occur in their own area of the country. They study the geography and geology of their region and interview local officials about how the town has responded to disasters in the past and what the current plan is. Meet with school officials to design a disaster preparation and evacuation plan for various occurrences. Oxfam's Cool Planet for Teachers’ Dealing with Disasters focuses on the psychological effects of disasters. Though this is a British site, the lessons can easily be adapted for American situations.

Live and let live. Living With Risk: The Human Element of Natural Disasters, which concentrates on volcanoes, investigates why people continue to live in high-risk areas even when they know that their lives could be in jeopardy. This lesson compares how ancient and modern populations’ response to disaster and includes real-life statements from children. If your students have experienced a disaster, have a discussion about their families’ actions and their feelings about the incident.

Activities and links abound at these Science Friday Kids’ Connection pages related to natural disasters:

May 30, 2003: Hour Two: Shake it, Baby! Earthquakes!
April 1, 2005, Hour One Earthquakes: Rocking Your World
October 8, 2004, Hour One: Let Your Lava Flow: Mt. St. Helens
January 7, 2005, Hour Two Ecological Impact of the 2004 Tsunami
Tsunami Science: (December 31, 2004, Hour Two)
Science Friday Kids Connection, September 19 2003: Hurricane!
December 5, 2003, Hour One: It's Getting Hot in Here! A Discussion of Global Warming

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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