Knowledge of the Types of Hazards is relevant in mitigation processes and how to be prepared when one encounters them. Understanding the types of hazards that exist in the community is particularly important in making decisions on how to manage them and developing strategies to deal with the impacts. This paper is set to identify kinds of hazards in the community, differences between natural and technological hazards, ways in which emergencies and disasters differ and their significance in the mitigation and recovery process.
There are different kinds of hazards such as man-made, technological and natural. They are activities or situations which have the ability to affect people, property or the environment. Natural disasters differ significantly from technological hazards. Natural hazards occur naturally, and they include; hurricanes, disease outbreak and earthquakes while technological are those that occur as a result of system faults due to human error such as oil spills, power failure, a plane crash and mining accidents.
Notably, disaster and emergency are used interchangeably; they differ immensely. Disaster refers to a calamity that can cause enormous destruction and loss while an emergency is a situation which needs immediate attention and action that it can lead to disaster. A disaster is an emergency though it is not entirely as it can be sudden such as an earthquake. A disaster affects a larger area an emergency can have an impact on a relatively smaller area. Understanding these terms is important in determining that both disasters and emergencies require different qualitative demands and needs. This knowledge is particularly important in determining the actions to be taken to deal with the situation thus being necessary for the mitigation and recovery processes. Understanding of the terms discussed above is critical in responding to situations according to their impact on the larger society. Awareness of these conditions is essential in planning for action and preparedness.
References
David, A. (2002). Principles of Emergency Planning and Management. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 56-63.
Koch, N. K. (1995). Geohazards: natural and human. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, pg 121-126.
Smith, K. ( 2001). Environmental Hazards: Assessing risk and reducing disaster. . New York: Routledge, pg 37-43.
