Natural Disasters

Introduction- What is a natural disaster?

The definition of natural disasters is any catastrophic event that is caused by nature or the natural processes of the earth. The severity of a disaster is measured in lives lost, economic loss, and the ability of the population to rebuild. Events that occur in unpopulated areas are not considered disasters. So a flood on an uninhabited island would not count as a disaster, but a flood in a populated area is called a natural disaster.

All natural disasters cause loss in some way. Depending on the severity, lives can be lost in any number of disasters. Falling buildings or trees, freezing to death, being washed away, or heat stroke are just some of the deadly effects. Some disasters cause more loss of life than others, and population density affects the death count as well.

Then there is loss of property, which affects people’s living quarters, transportation, livelihood, and means to live. Fields saturated in salt water after tsunamis take years to grow crops again. Homes destroyed by floods, hurricanes, cyclones, landslides and avalanches, a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake are often beyond repair or take a lot of time to become livable again. Personal effects, memorabilia, vehicles, and documents also take a hit after many natural disasters.

The natural disasters that really affect people worldwide tend to become more intense as the years go on. Frequency of earthquakes, mega storms, and heat waves has gone up considerably in the last few decades. Heavy population in areas that get hit by floods, cyclones, and hurricanes has meant that more lives are lost. In some areas, the population has gotten somewhat prepared for the eventuality of disasters and shelters are built for hurricanes and tornadoes. However, loss of property is still a problem, and predicting many natural disasters isn’t easy.

Scientists, geologists, and storm watchers work hard to predict major disasters and avert as much damage as possible. With all the technology available, it’s become easier to predict major storms, blizzards, cyclones, and other weather related natural disasters. But there are still natural disasters that come up rather unexpectedly, such as earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, or even volcanic eruptions. Sometimes, a time of warning is there, but it’s often very short with catastrophic results. Areas that are not used to disasters affected by flash floods or sudden hail storms can be affected in an extreme way.

It’s clear that natural disasters are a part of life as we know it. However, science is making it more possible to predict, aid is faster at coming, and people are learning how to rebuild in safer areas.

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Natural Disasters

What to Do In Specific Emergencies

Telephone Tips During an Emergency

Telephone lines are designed to handle 10% phone use at any given time. Once phone use exeeds10%, the system is overwhelmed and local call service can be suspended. That means 9-1-1 calls won't be available! Long distance calls will be easier to make so arrange an out of area contact where loved ones can check in and receive messages. If power is out, cordless telephones will not work. Keep a backup phone available to plug into the phone jack.

To help reduce the strain on the phone system:

Stay off the phone unless you have a life threatening emergency. For general information about the emergency, turn on a battery operated radio.
If the emergency was an earthquake, put telephone receivers that have been shaken off of the hook back in their cradle immediately. If you do have an emergency and can't get a dial tone, don't click the receiver. When you pick up the phone, your call request goes into a queue. Each time you click the receiver, you go back to the end of the queue line. If a dial tone is not received within 60 seconds, the system may be overwhelmed. Be sure to know life saving techniques.

Pay phones: Service is restored before residential service. Calling 9-1-1 from a pay phone is a free call.

Cellular phones: Calls must travel through regular phone lines to connect. So the same rules apply - use only for life threatening emergencies. Calling 9-1-1 from some cellular phones on or near a highway may connect you to the California Highway Patrol in Vallejo and can cause delays in emergency response. Know your local seven digit emergency number to call directly to your 9-1-1 center.

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Volunteer and Donation Information

Cert Program

FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team Program trains volunteers to prepare for the types of disasters that their community may face. Through hands-on practice and realistic exercises, CERT members:

Learn how to safely respond to manmade and natural hazards
Help organize basic disaster response
Promote preparedness by hosting and participating in community events
Find a CERT program near you
Register a CERT

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is an emergency preparedness program supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA began promoting nationwide use of the CERT concept in 1994 based on a model created and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985. Following a series of earthquakes in the United States and Mexico that left hundreds dead, injured and without emergency services, the LAFD recognized that well-trained civilian emergency work force teams are vital for disaster situations when the scope of incidents overwhelm conventional emergency services.

What is a CERT?

A "CERT" is a group of people that is organized under the leadership of a local jurisdiction and receives special training that enhances their ability to recognize, respond to, and recover from a major emergency or disaster situation. Emergency responder’s train citizens and emergency management personnel in areas that will help them take care of themselves and others before, during and after a major emergency.

Why do we need CERT?

The ability of a community to recover from the devastating effects of a disaster requires that citizens actively plan and participate in preparedness. By encouraging preparedness efforts, hazard identification and mitigation, CERT members can minimize the effects of a disaster and facilitate recovery.

CERT training enhances a community’s ability to be self-sufficient through the development of response teams that can assist others by providing vital services in the absence of emergency responders.

*Information provided by CERT

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FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

On March 1, 2003, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The agency coordinated its activities with the newly formed Office of Homeland Security, and FEMA's Office of National Preparedness was given responsibility for helping to ensure that the nation's first responders were trained and equipped to deal with weapons of mass destruction.

Within months, the terrorist attacks of Sept.11th focused the agency on issues of national preparedness and homeland security, and tested the agency in unprecedented ways.

Billions of dollars of new funding were directed to FEMA to help communities face the threat of terrorism. Just a few years past its 20th anniversary, FEMA was actively directing its "all-hazards" approach to disasters toward homeland security issues.

In March 2003, FEMA joined 22 other federal agencies, programs and offices in becoming the Department of Homeland Security.

The new department, headed by Secretary Tom Ridge, brought a coordinated approach to national security from emergencies and disasters - both natural and man-made.

On October 4, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act. The act significantly reorganized FEMA, provided it substantial new authority to remedy gaps that became apparent in the response to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the most devastating natural disaster in U.S. history, and included a more robust preparedness mission for FEMA.

Top 10 Most Popular Disaster FAQ's

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