Disaster Medicine: Understanding the Threat
Natural disasters are increasing in both frequency and severity. In the past 40 years, there have been over 6000 documented natural disasters affecting more than 5 billion people. Three fourths of these events and 98% of the related expenses have occurred in the past 10 years. It is estimated that this trend will continue. We live in a world of multiple threats. Each occurrence leads to a chain of events that affects our infrastructure, creates social and civil unrest, and causes additional disease. The net effect is that our response is hindered and additional losses are experienced.
Disasters may be the consequence of human intent (terrorism), unintended results of human activity (industrial accidents), or natural occurrences. More often, it is the interaction of human and environmental effects that result in increased devastation. We must recognize the concept that disasters are interconnected. Unintended but contributing consequences of human activity have altered the environment and increased our vulnerability. Atmospheric changes increase the probability of a major disaster and altered ecosystems limit natural defenses resulting in greater destruction. Human effects on the environment increase both the probability for disasters and our vulnerability. Change in the ecology, such as wetland encroachment, deforestation, bio-invasion and water diversion, decrease natural barriers of protection. Atmospheric alterations due to natural (eg, El Nino, multidecadal trans-Atlantic cycle, etc.) and human influences increase the frequency and severity of storms and hurricanes.
Disasters do not need to be large scale, global events. The majority of these threats will occur on a local level, affecting a defined community that may be unable to meet demands and rapidly become overwhelmed. Regardless of the cause, the end product and our roles and responsibilities are the same, to minimize the loss of life.
Disasters impact our health, community, and economy; they devastate the environment and significantly disrupt our daily life. The fundamental goals of disaster mitigation are to understand and define the threat, limit our vulnerabilities, prevent the occurrence when possible, and minimize the effects and losses when they arise.
Natural disasters are increasing in both frequency and severity. In the past 40 years, there have been over 6000 documented natural disasters affecting more than 5 billion people. Three fourths of these events and 98% of the related expenses have occurred in the past 10 years. It is estimated that this trend will continue. We live in a world of multiple threats. Each occurrence leads to a chain of events that affects our infrastructure, creates social and civil unrest, and causes additional disease. The net effect is that our response is hindered and additional losses are experienced.
Disasters may be the consequence of human intent (terrorism), unintended results of human activity (industrial accidents), or natural occurrences. More often, it is the interaction of human and environmental effects that result in increased devastation. We must recognize the concept that disasters are interconnected. Unintended but contributing consequences of human activity have altered the environment and increased our vulnerability. Atmospheric changes increase the probability of a major disaster and altered ecosystems limit natural defenses resulting in greater destruction. Human effects on the environment increase both the probability for disasters and our vulnerability. Change in the ecology, such as wetland encroachment, deforestation, bio-invasion and water diversion, decrease natural barriers of protection. Atmospheric alterations due to natural (eg, El Nino, multidecadal trans-Atlantic cycle, etc.) and human influences increase the frequency and severity of storms and hurricanes.
Disasters do not need to be large scale, global events. The majority of these threats will occur on a local level, affecting a defined community that may be unable to meet demands and rapidly become overwhelmed. Regardless of the cause, the end product and our roles and responsibilities are the same, to minimize the loss of life.
Disasters impact our health, community, and economy; they devastate the environment and significantly disrupt our daily life. The fundamental goals of disaster mitigation are to understand and define the threat, limit our vulnerabilities, prevent the occurrence when possible, and minimize the effects and losses when they arise.
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