The Concept Of Hazard In A Geographical Context Flashcards
What is fatalism?
The viewpoint that hazards are uncontrollable natural events and any losses should be accepted as there is nothing that can be done to stop them.
Could use this concept when discussing human responses to hazards e.g. why people didnt evacuate and why death tolls were so high
How can wealth impact how a person views a hazard?
- Wealthier people may perceive a hazard to be smaller as they are less vulnerable e.g. ability to evacuate with transport access, build stronger houses.
- However wealthier people may also view the hazard as greater as there is an increased risk of property damage and financial loss than someone who is less wealthy.
How can experience influence how a person views a hazard?
- Someone who has experienced more hazards may be more likely to understand the full effects of a hazard.
- However people who have experienced hazards are likely to have an optimistic and unrealistic outlook on future hazards, almost like a ‘lightning never strikes twice in the same place’ mentality.
How can education influence how a person views a hazard?
- A person that is more educated about hazards may understand their full effects on people and the devastating impact that they can have.
- Those who are less educated on hazards may not understand the full extent of a hazard and may not evacuate.
How can religion and beliefs influence how a person views a hazard?
- Some people may view hazards as put there by God for a reason, or being a part of the natural cycle of life- so they may not perceive them to be negative.
- However those who believe strongly in environmental conservation may perceive hazards to be a huge risk to the natural environment, especially hazards that are becoming more frequent due to global warming.
How can mobility influence how a person views a hazard?
- Those who have limited access to escape a hazard may perceive hazards to be a greater threat then they are.
- Whether they are in a secluded location, or they are impaired with a disability or illness, those who cannot evacuate quickly may feel at risk.
What is prediction?
- Using scientific research and past events in order to know when a hazard will take place, so that warnings may be delivered and impacts of the hazard can be reduced.
- In some cases hazards may also be prevented when predicted early enough.
What is adaptation?
Attempting to live with hazards by adjusting lifestyle choices so that vulnerability to the hazard is lessened (e.g. earthquake proof housing).
What is mitigation?
Strategeies carried out to lessen the severity of a hazard (e.g. sandbags to offset the impact of flooding).
What is management?
- Coordinated strategies to reduce a hazard’s effects.
- This includes prediction, adaptation and mitigation.
What is risk sharing?
A form of community preparedness, whereby the community shares the risk posed by a natural hazard and invests collectively to mitigate the impact of future hazards.
What is hazard insidence?
The frequency of a hazard.
This is not affected by the strength of a hazard, it is just how
often a hazard occurs
Why are low incidence hazards usually more impactful?
- They may be harder to predict due to the low frequency of them.
- They usually (not always) are more intense than high incidence hazards.
- They usually have less management strategies put in place for them, meaning the hazard could be more catastrophic when it does occur.
- E.g. there have only been 36 recorded earthquakes since 1500 that were a magnitude of 8.5 or above, but millions of earthquakes that are considered too weak to be recorded occur annually.
Why are high incidence hazards usually less impactful?
- Areas of high hazard distribution are likely to have a lot more management strategies, and those living there will be adapted to the hazardous landscape because it dominates the area more so in places with a low hazard distribution.
What is hazard intensity?
The power of a hazard i.e. how strong it is and how damaging the effects are.
What is hazard magnitude?
The size of the hazard, usually this is how a hazard’s intensity is measured
How does economic development affect how a place will respond?
- An area with a lower level of development is less likely to have effective mitigation strategies- so, the effects of a hazardous event is likely to be much more catastrophic.
- This usually is opposite for areas with a higher level of development.
- However many HICs are not as prepared for natural hazards as they should be, meaning they lack the management strategies for an event.
- This is especially true in multi-hazard environments where resources are spread thinly over a variety of hazards.
Explain Canada’s poor public responses to natural hazards:
- In Canada where the frequency of wildfires is increasing, less money and resources have been available for earthquakes and tsunami
preparation. - For example, detailed evacuation routes and tsunami sirens are not available in popular tourist beaches such as Vancouver Island.
- Text message systems are available to act as a warning system to suggest people to evacuate, but many people switch their phones off at night, reducing the effectiveness.
- There are inadequate measures put in place to allow for sufficient public warnings to natural hazards.
What is the park model?
A graphical representation of human responses to hazards.
Name the 3 stages of the Park model:
Stage 1: Relief
Stage 2: Rehabilitation
Stage 3: Reconstruction
What happens in stage 1: Relief of the Park Model?
- Immediate and local response (medical aid, search and rescue)
- Immediate appeal for foreign aid
What happens in stage 2: Rehabilitation of the Park Model?
- Services begin to be restored
- Temporary shelters and hospitals set up.
- Food and water distributed
- Coordinated foreign aid
What happens in stage 3: Reconstruction of the Park Model?
- Restoring the impacted area to the same or better quality of life.
- Ecosystem restored, crops regrown
- Infrastructure rebuilt
- Mitigation efforts for future events
What is the hazard management model?
Model that outlines the stages of responding to an event, showing how the same stages occur after every hazard.
What are the 4 stages in the hazard management model?
- Preparedness
- Response
- Recovery
- Mitigation
What happens in the preparedness stage of the hazard management model?
Preparing and being ready for a hazard to occur e.g. public awareness, education
What happens in the response stage of the hazard management model?
Immediate action is taken after an event e.g. medical assistance, rescue
What happens in the recovery stage of the hazard management model?
Long-term responses occur e.g. restoring services, reconstruction
What happens in the mitigation stage of the hazard management model?
Strategies to lessen effects of another hazard e.g. barriers, warning signals developed
