MH503 Mod 1 Case 1 LP
Running Head: MHE503 MODULE 1 – CASE ASSIGNMENT
MHE503 Module 1 – Case Assignment:
Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis
[Student Name]
TUI University
[Quarter and Year]
PART I
Compare the impact between the tsunami in the Indian Ocean (2004) with the tsunami in Hokkaido (1993) on the population and
infrastructure. What mitigation and/or prevention measures may have reduced the impact in each of these disasters?
PART II
Question 1:
Within the framework of a hazard and vulnerability analysis, what were the pre-9/11 indicators that a possible disaster (terrorist
attack) might occur?
Question 2:
Could this strike have been pre-empted? What factors, if changed, may have pre-empted the disaster?
References
Module 1 – Case
Disasters/Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis
Case Assignment
Part I.
Disasters: Tsunamis
One of the deadliest tsunamis in recorded history occurred in the Indian Ocean in 2004. Based on information obtained from articles in
the Background section, address the following:
Compare the impact between the tsunami in the Indian Ocean (2004) with the tsunami in Hokkaido (1993) on the population and
infrastructure. What mitigation and/or prevention measures may have reduced the impact in each of these disasters?
Part II.
Terrorism: 9/11
The terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, emphasizes the importance of not relying on history alone. There had
never been such an attack by terrorists on civilians on American soil; consequently, preparation for such a major attack seemed
pointless. Any historian would note that during World War II, there were some skirmishes off our coasts, and minor sabotage from “fifth
columnists” was rapidly quelled. The Pearl Harbor military installation was attacked, and although tragic, it was seen as military-to-
military confrontation best handled by our fighting forces.
Times have changed; 9/11 happened. Other factors, such as political, environmental, and economic changes should be examined. Answer the
following questions in your paper:
Within the framework of a hazard and vulnerability analysis, what were the pre-9/11 indicators that a possible disaster (terrorist
attack) might occur?
Could this strike have been pre-empted? What factors, if changed, may have pre-empted the disaster?
Writing Style Guide: The following APA template is recommended for this assignment: Module 1 Case Template.
Assignment Expectations
Assignments should be at least three pages double-spaced, not counting the cover or reference page. Paper format: (a) Cover page, (b)
Header, (c) Body. Submit your assignment by the last day of this module.
Relevance—All content is connected to the question.
Precision—Specific question is addressed. Statements, facts, and statistics are specific and accurate.
Depth of discussion—Points that lead to deeper issues are presented and integrated.
Breadth—Multiple perspectives and references, multiple issues/factors are considered.
Evidence—Points are well-supported with facts, statistics, and references.
Logic—Presented discussion makes sense; conclusions are logically supported by premises, statements, or factual information.
Clarity—Writing is concise, understandable, and contains sufficient detail or examples.
Objectivity—Avoids use of first person and subjective bias.
References—Sources are listed at the end of the paper (APA style preferred).
Module 1 – Background
Disasters/Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis
Dawson, A., & Stewart, I. (2007). Tsunami geoscience. Progress in physical geography, 31(6), 575–590. Retrieved from ProQuest.
(Document ID: 1417208901).
Folger, P. (2011). U.S. tsunami programs: A brief overview. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41686.pdf
Kelman, I., Spence, R., Palmer, J., Petal, M., & Saito, K. (2008). Tourists and disasters: lessons from the 26 December 2004 tsunamis.
Journal of Coastal Conservation, 12(3), 105–113. Retrieved from ProQuest. (Document ID: 1898789281).
Morin, J., De Coster, B., Paris, R., Lavigne, F., Flohic, F., & Le Floch, D. (2008). Tsunami-resilient communities’ development in
Indonesia through educative actions: Lessons from the 26 December 2004 tsunami. Disaster Prevention and Management, 17(3), 430–446.
Retrieved from ProQuest. (Document ID: 1510355911).
Preventing terrorism and enhancing security: Implementing 9/11 Commission recommendations (2014). Department of Homeland Security.
Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/preventing-terrorism-and-enhancing-security
Schiermeier, Q. (2009). Tsunami watch. Nature, 462(7276), 968–969. Retrieved from ProQuest. (Document ID: 1935423651).
The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (2009). EM-DAT: The ofda/cred international disaster database. Retrieved from
https://www.emdat.be/database
Module 1 – Home
Disasters/Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis
Modular Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will be able to satisfy the following outcomes:
Case
Compare the impact of natural disasters on specific countries.
Identify mitigation measures that reduce the impact of tsunami disasters.
Identify pre-9/11 indicators within the context of a hazard analysis framework.
SLP
Assess the vulnerability of a specific disaster on a country.
Discussion
Identify limitations of tsunami warning systems in reducing impact.
Module Overview
This module will focus on: (1) Disasters, how disasters are defined, types of disasters, and the epidemiology of disasters; and (2)
Hazard Vulnerability Analysis: A method for prioritizing and identifying those hazards that present the biggest risk to communities.
Part I: Introduction to Disasters
What is a Disaster?
A disaster is an event that causes destruction and distress, often causing death, injury, and human suffering. A family may label a
single death as a disaster, but it may be unnoticed by the community. State, local, and disaster relief organizations consider an event
a disaster if it causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant assistance.
Types of Disasters
There are two main types of disasters: natural and man-made. Below are some of the most common types of natural and man-made disasters.
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Landslides
Floods
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Wildfire
Drought/Famine
Terrorism
Nuclear/Chemical/Biological Warfare
Urban Fires
Transportation Accidents
Civil Disorder
Epidemiology of Disasters: Worldwide, the number and cost of disasters have been increasing.
The most common disasters worldwide are windstorms, floods, and earthquakes. Earthquakes contribute to more injuries than any other
disaster. However, drought and famine account for more deaths, followed by earthquakes, high winds, and floods.
Here is a bittersweet video clip of lost and found: Click: Dog Rescued after Oklahoma Tornado.
Almost twice as many disasters occur in Asia than in North and South America. The fewest disasters occur in Oceania, Africa, and
Europe. Over 90% of disaster-related deaths occur in developing countries where the economic losses they cause hit harder.
*Review this brief video on the Top 10 Infamous Natural Disasters of the Last 100 Years. (1931-2011).
Although the continents of North and South America had the second highest number of disasters in the world, they had fewer deaths and
injuries relative to the number of disasters. What accounts for this difference?
One explanation is disaster management programs, which can significantly reduce the impact of a disaster. During this course, students
will be focusing on five main components of a disaster management program: 1) Hazard and vulnerability analysis, 2) Mitigation and
prevention, 3) Preparedness, 4) Response, and 5) Recovery.
*from 20th Century, 21st Century American History, Asian History
Part II: Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis
Hazard Analysis
Hazard analysis is the first phase of a disaster management program. Because it is often not practical to be prepared for all types of
disasters, hazard analysis is a method for prioritizing and identifying those hazards that present the biggest risk to your community.
These are the steps for hazard analysis:
1. Hazard Identification
Identify what hazards can occur in a community (including cascading emergencies—situations in which one hazard triggers others in a
cascading manner).
Review any existing hazard analysis.
Review past disasters.
Identify new hazards due to changes in your community (e.g., nuclear power plant, high-rise apartments).
Identify if newly recognized hazards are in your community (e.g., newly discovered earthquake fault, newly discovered hazardous
chemical in chemical waste).
Are there any new mitigation measures that eliminate the hazard?
Monitor activities in your community so that hazard identification is current.
2. Profile Each Hazard
How often does this hazard occur in the community?
What is the potential magnitude of the hazard?
Where is it likely to occur?
How large of an area is it likely to affect?
How long is it likely to last?
At what time of the year is it more likely to occur?
Does a warning system exist? How much warning time is there?
Keep the hazard profile updated.
Vulnerability Analysis
A hazard may not have the same impact on every population. For example, a flood in a business district would probably involve much more
economic loss than a flood in a rural area.
In a vulnerability analysis, the objective is to identify who or what will be affected and how badly. The key considerations are HUMAN
LOSS (i.e., deaths and injuries) and ECONOMIC LOSS.
These are the steps for vulnerability analysis:
Profile sectors of the community.
Geographical features that relate to disaster occurrence or response (e.g., fault lines, coastal areas, natural/urban fire interface).
Land Use and Property (e.g., number of structures, types of construction, building codes, facilities where hazardous materials are
manufactured or stored).
Infrastructure (e.g. utilities, communication system, major highway transportation routes, and mass transit systems).
Demographics – population size, distribution and concentration of special populations, animal populations.
Response Agencies – locations, facilities, services, and resources.
Compare and prioritize risk.
Risk – the predicted impact that a hazard would have on people, services, specific facilities, and structures in the community.
Review each hazard identified in order of most likely to occur and assess vulnerability to the hazard.
Identify elements of the community that are at risk (e.g., populations, facilities, and equipment). Identify special populations that
require special provisions and attention, such as older adults, the disabled, and children. Examine existing mitigation (e.g., dam for
flood control) and preparedness capabilities (e.g., tornado shelters and drills).
Determine potential damage. What is the overall impact and the impact on each sector of the community? What are the consequences in
terms of morbidity, mortality, and economic loss?
Assign severity ratings. Below is a severity rating provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):
Severity Level
Catastrophic
Multiple deaths.
Complete shutdown of facilities for more than 30 days.
More than 50% of property is severely damaged.
Critical
Injuries and/or illnesses result in permanent disability.
Complete shutdown of critical facilities for at least two weeks.
More than 25% of property is severely damaged.
Limited
Injuries and/or illnesses do not result in permanent disability.
Complete shutdown of critical facilities for more than one week.
More than 10% of property is severely damaged.
Negligible
Injuries and/or illnesses are treatable with first aid.
Minor quality of life lost.
Shutdown of critical facilities and services for 24 hours or less.
Less than 10% of property is severely damaged.
Jackson, J. (2013). Dog rescued during interview Oklahoma tornado 2013. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APjnJopfQi8
