Mitigation strategies
The aim of mitigation is to reduce the losses and effects of disaster. This aim is two-fold in that there is a primary and secondary aim. The primary aim is to reduce the risk of death and injury to people, the secondary aim is to reduce the damage and economic losses inflicted by the event on the community. To achieve these aims there are a range of mitigation strategies that need to be considered.
You should now again refer to your previous EMG100 materials, Topic 5 in which you discussed the four main prevention/mitigation goals. Review these four goals before continuing. If you did not do EMG100 and did not do that activity, please contact your Subject Coordinator for assistance here.
If you recall, these goals basically attempt to:
- change the nature of the threat;
- reduce the vulnerability to injury and damage;
- reduce the exposure;
- remove the hazard.
For most types of natural hazards it is impossible to prevent the actual geological or meteorological process from occurring; volcanoes erupt, earthquakes occur, cyclones and wind storms rage. Some natural hazards can be reduced in certain circumstances. For example, the construction of levee banks help to reduce flooding and the construction of cyclone proof shelters to reduce damage and injury to inhabitants. It is important that a complete hazard/risk analysis is completed as some mitigation strategies may cause other problems.
In order to accommodate both natural hazards and those hazards that result from human activity, there are a range of techniques that can be considered for disaster mitigation and can be classified into the following categories:
- engineering and construction;
- physical planning;
- economic measures;
- societal measures;
- management measures.
Some of the strategies I would expect to be undertaken using the above criteria would be: (Click on type of mitigation to check your answer)
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One of the greatest allies in achieving the above strategies is that of translating mitigation requirements into effective and realistic legislation.
Having now completed the above activity, review the assignment requirements for this Topic. Review your answers and ask the question: “Do all or some of these mitigation strategies relate to my event?” If so, which ones, and were the strategies identified actually taken/or in place before the occurrence of the event? As you should have observed in your readings, some of the main mitigation strategies are common to several of the hazards. One important component of the development and implementation of these strategies is that of involving the community.
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The answers provided to the above activity will be required for inclusion in your assignment and may also provide input into Topic 13, Conclusions and Recommendations.