Category: Disaster

Summary of the events

On November 5, 2010, a disaster occurred at the Valero Delaware City, Delaware. Two workers succumbed to suffocation within a process vessel. According to the report, the victims were unaware of the presence of too much nitrogen, as a result of the gas being odorless in nature, and unable of identifying the danger they were exposed to (U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2006a). Only after their bodies had been deprived of oxygen and filled with nitrogen, the effects probably started manifesting.

Had particular steps been taken to ensure safety within the confined space, the fate of the two victims would probably have been less fatal. One of such steps, as stipulated in the Safety and Health Fact Sheet No. 36 as a requirement for confined spaces (American Welding Society, 2009), is to constantly monitor and ventilate the confinement so as to ensure that the safe exposure limits are not exceeded.

Something else that could have saved the lives of the two victims would have been to check that the vents were unclogged and leak free. This would have ensured the circulation of clean and safe air within the vessel.

Having more than one watchpersons at the entry of the vessel to constantly check in on the workers would also have contributed to saving the lives of the workers. This would ensure that as one foreman attends to an incident, the other would quickly set an alarm and request for immediate medical attention.

Analysis of the initial vessel entry

The vessel entry, as shown in the video from the companys website, seems to have been blocked (U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2006b). The nature of the entry probably made it even harder for the victims to climb back up even if they suspected they had being suffocated by poisonous gas. The foreman could have had a chance of surviving if he had alerted any other worker that he was going down to attend to the motionless entrant who seemed to be in trouble. He could have also taken time to put on an artificial respirator incase the air within the vessel had reached dangerous levels. Although it would have taken a little time, it could have helped save his life.

Importance of safety procedures within confined spaces

Safety procedures within confined spaces are put there with the primary objective of ensuring workers safety. They are part of company regulations that must be followed before a permit is issued, allowing the company to carry on with their business (Asfahl & Rieske, 2009).

However, some companies may want to evade such rules in an attempt to reduce operational costs. However, such cases are monitored and checked by the authorities so as the working conditions follow the requirements stated in the OSHA Construction Safety and Health Regulations (1926.21). Regarding the confined spaces, it is said that workers who access confined or enclosed spaces should be aware of the nature of the hazards involved and educated in the use of protective and emergency equipment provided by the company, thus all the necessary precautions are to be taken.

Roles and responsibilities of entrants, attendants, and supervisors in confined spaces

The entrants/workers in any confined space have the right and responsibility to ask for equipment, such as respirators and gas masks in order to safeguard their own health. They also deserve to be trained on how to operate the equipment for maximum efficiency.

Attendants and supervisors are supposed to be always alert and on standby in case of any accident. Appropriate response plans should be formulated and protocol followed to avoid the consequences of any accident.

Conclusion

The accident that occurred at Valero Refinery on November 5, 2010, was absolutely devastating and served as a wakeup call to all the participants within the industry. The fatalities could have been avoided only if the proper controls had been put in place and accurately implemented.

Other facilities, such as panic buttons within the confined spaces, could actually reduce fatalities and make it easy for working process to be monitored.

The adoption of emergency drills in such companies would test their response time and help workers know what to do in case of actual danger.

References

American Welding Society. (2009). Ventilation for Welding and Cutting. (Safety and Health Fact Sheet No. 36). Web.

Asfahl, C.R. &. Rieske, D.W. (2009). Industrial Safety and Health Management (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. (2006a). Confined Space Entry  Worker and Would-be Rescuer Asphyxiated. (Case Study No. 2006-02-I-DE). Web.

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. (2006b). Hazards of Nitrogen Asphyxiation. Web.

Energy is essential in ensuring that modern civilization is sustained. Large quantities of energy are needed by modern technologies and in the process increase the energy demand. Traditional sources of energy such as fossils and hydroelectric energy are not in a position to satisfy the ever-increasing global energy demands. Nuclear energy has been one of the solutions to the global energy crisis but unfortunately, this form of energy has some major risks associated with it. Despite being feasible and cost-effective, nuclear generation plants are a source of radioactive materials that can be very disastrous to the environment and human beings if not well contained. This paper will report on the mechanical and engineering failures that sparked a nuclear meltdown in the Three Mile power plant, the effects of a nuclear accident and finally look at how to improve safety in nuclear power plants to prevent accidents.

Nuclear plants are supposed to produce nuclear energy in large quantities and the process prevents the occurrence of any form of nuclear disaster. Since nuclear disasters need to be avoided as much as possible, it is therefore very important for nuclear energy generation plants to put much emphasis on multiple prevention methods. Some of the recommended multiple prevention methods include the installation of fail-safe locks in the reactor, the use of concrete and lead in constructing the plants, putting evacuation protocols in place and not forgetting the plant area lockdown. All nuclear reactors should have multiple ways of cooling down reactors in case a cooling system fails. One of the major sources of nuclear disasters is when the water in the plant turns into steam. This kind of threat is normally controlled by pressurizing the primary system.

The pilot-operated relief valve is normally used to release excess pressure from the primary system and in the process prevent water from turning into steam. The emergency core coolant system is very useful in emergency cases when there is insufficient coolant in the primary system. The other potential source of a nuclear disaster is when a piping system of the nuclear plant fails and this can be very fatal. This kind of failure occurred at Three Mile Island in the year 1979. The mechanical failure occurred in the piping system of the plant consequently causing the turbines to shut down because the pumping system had ceased to operate. The nuclear reaction was stopped because the rate of nuclear fusion could not be regulated by the systems control rods.

Accidents at a nuclear plant can also be prevented using civil engineering processes. Civil engineers employ the use of isolation technology to protect the building from being destroyed and at the same time prevent internal instruments and equipment from being damaged. The isolation technology is a precaution of protecting the nuclear plant from the effects of natural forces like earthquakes. The earthquake energy can not be transferred to the building in the event preventing the occurrence of a nuclear disaster. In case a nuclear disaster occurs in the plant, the plant remains stable to a certain degree while the reactor remains safe from outside events due to the isolation technology. The use of thick concrete walls in constructing the reactor and power plants ensures that the plant does not leak any radiation to the environment. The walls are normally one to two meters thick.

The Flixborough chemical plant disaster exposed some problematic ethical issues found in the engineering industry. The industry provides a professional code of ethics that is used to shape the duties and responsibilities of engineers together with the type of product and service that they provide. The bomb disaster was a result of a lack of compliance to the engineering code of ethics that created a dangerous atmosphere for workers in the plant and people living in the neighboring community.

Looking at the different types of ethical theories, it is clear that there was no compliance to the utilitarian theory. The theory provides the greatest good to the greatest number of people. In the case study, the repair work did not consider the danger that it posed to the welfare of the majority including the costs involved. Additionally, the operation did not conform to the rights and duties ethics. The decision made did not consider the rights of the people who were to be affected by the explosion. It did not also adhere to the duties provided by the engineering industry where safety takes precedence over anything else. Finally, the operation did not comply with the virtues ethics which provides that actions taken by engineers should exhibit good character. Clearly, the actions caused by the decision did not exhibit any good traits but were unreasonable and careless.

Therefore, the explosion was a result of non-compliance to the code of ethics in the engineering profession. It did not reflect responsible engineering practices. It means that moral principles were not applied to professional practices which led to the disaster. The most important professional ethic of safeguarding the health and safety of the public was ignored (Flixborough Case Study). The decision to do the repair work did not reflect that the concerned individuals could have been accountable for their actions which led to the loss of life. The engineers could have used a safe process, products, and structures before starting the operation. Their main concern could have been the welfare of the people and not how fast they could have fixed the leakage.

Reference

Unknown author. Flixborough Case Study.

The solar system is believed to have majorly contributed to the formation of the Earth when a cloud of massive swirling dust and gas condensed through a supercooling. Earth has evolved over 4.5 billion years, after such occurrences of massive cooling (Hill, 2016). The solid formed is the current core and the crust, on which the natural bodies sit. After the formation of the earth, several natural phenomena have occurred leading to the development of lakes, rivers, mountains valleys, craters volcanoes, and canyons.

Grand Canyon in Arizona will form the center stage of this work, in which two theories purporting its formation will be discussed. For a long time, the world believed in the teachings of the Bible. The churches acted as a solace to the faithful in which most of the questions were answered. In this context, most of the earths physical features including the Grand Canyon are believed to have formed due to floods. Therefore, the debate here will focuses on the arguments developed by the geologists and the clergy for a broader understanding of the discussion.

Several theories have been put forward by geologists, independent scholars, and the Bible to try to explain the existence of the Earths natural features. Geologists such as Montgomery researched the conflict generated between the biblical theories of creation such as Noahs flood context and the scientific proofs (Hill, 2016). Irrespective of the philosophies, it is crucial to recognize that finding the best way to explain natural incidences requires insight into both biblical and scientific perceptions. Thus, this paper will prove that the floods of Noahs time did not cause the formation of the Grand Canyon.

From a scientific point of view, Noahs flood did not create the rocks seen in the Grand Canyon. Rather, it is an integration of several weather aspects combined with the Earths gradual evolution nature (Hill, 2016). Firstly, exclusively believing that it is Noahs floods that solely led to the formation of the rocks at the Grand Canyon underscores the Earths evolution process. According to fossil records, Grand Canyon rocks formed around six million years ago. Secondly, Montgomery further affirms that floods are not prone to forming major features on Earth such as the Grand Canyon rocks (as cited in Hill, 2016). The dating according to the Bible shows that the flooding started when Noah was 600 years old (New American Standard Bible, 2015, Genesis 7:11) and that was 1656 BCE on the world calendar. These two dates are conflicting with each other and provide solid evidence that Noahs flood must have taken place in 1656 BCE after the Grand Canyon was formed.

With the influence of the Biblical beliefs before the renaissance and civilization, most people indeed trusted in the church before the advent of civilization. Apart from Montgomery, scientists believe that the gorge was formed between 5 to 6 million years (Hill, 2016). Another important point, Grand Canyon had been inhabited by the Native Americans for thousands of years. The history of Native Americans in this unique feature is dated back to the ice age. With the glaciation that swept across the globe, it is possible that movement of ice must have also suggested having caused the depth witnessed in the Grand Canyon. The mile-deep canyon exposed some of the oldest rocks known to man, such as Vishnu basement rocks, which are estimated by carbon dating to be closely 1.7 billion years old (Harris, 2018). Additionally, due to inaccuracy in dating, it may also be challenging to discern whether the Grand Canyon rocks were purely a creation of Noahs floods. In summary, Noahs floods least contributed to the formation of the Grand Canyon rocks seen a few years ago.

On proposing that Noahs flood caused the rocks seen at the Grand Canyon, one must understand the role of the church and its relation to the explanations of the creation. Despite challenges in dating methods and conflicting information, Noahs floods were a world major occurrence whose effects cannot be underscored (Marcus et al., 2015). The flow of water within the terrain could gradually move masses of land, causing mudslides and valleys, which were later dug by the Colorado River, eventually forming the Grand Canyon.

In a different study, Montgomery further acknowledges the pivotal role played by religion in explaining some development of world features. He states, But the idea that scientific reason and religious faith are at odds with each other, which is, in my view, a false dichotomy (as cited in Hill, 2016, para. 4). He also studied the work of St. Augustine to unveil the understanding of the development of the worlds features as a result of Noahs floods. Through his studies, he concluded that as per the role of the clergy at a time when science was not fully established, it was right to believe that the flood led to the formation of the Grand Canyon (as cited in Hill, 2016). The scholars also explained their perception of the geology which discredited most of the biblical aspects and Noahs flood was one of the cited examples.

To refute claims of Noahs flood theory, there is a need to look at the weaknesses of this claim. Modern science had not fully evolved to offer satisfactory answers such as the formation of physical features (Marcus et al., 2015). It was good for the church to step in and give the answers to such a daunting question that was beyond human understanding by then. Despite the conflicting ideologies from the church against science, there is a need to consider the fact that the church plays an important role to harmonize human understanding and scientific views on the development of physical features. Nevertheless, science provides more facts and explanations of the formation of Earths physical features.

In conclusion, Noahs floods did not form the rocks seen in the Grand Canyon a few thousand years ago. As such, developing a distinction between the sole causes for the development of the Grand Canyon rocks is still a daunting task in the context of Biblical theory. Moreover, it is eminent to conclude that the formation of the rocks at the Grand Canyon was a result of several scientific factors and cannot be anchored on the biblical perception. The flow of the river Colorado through the valleys of Arizona in antiquity must have contributed to the formation of the rocks and other features at the Grand Canyon. This case is not only interesting to study, but also shows a relationship between science and religion, which is anchored through the study of such life phenomena as Earths physical features. Interestingly, science has overtaken the old explanations that the people believed in through the church for a long time.

References

Harris, M. Apocalypses now: Modern science and biblical miracles: The Boyle lecture 2018, Journal of Religion and Science, 53(4), 10361050.

Hill, C. (2016). The Grand Canyon, monument to an ancient earth: can Noahs flood explain the Grand Canyon? Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 68(4), 268271.

Marcus R, Ross S, Gollmer, Steven M. & Danny R Faulkner. (2015). The heavens & the earth: Excursions in earth and space science (2^nd ed.). Kendall Hunt Publishing.

New American Standard Bible. (2015). The Lockman Foundation.

The overview of the study

The scholars analyzed mobility patterns of mobile devices to determine the movement of people in Houston, Texas after Hurricane Harvey hit it. The research aimed at developing a generalizable method that could predict peoples response and recovery after a natural disaster. It was found that the socioeconomic status and race of the affected people influenced their resilience capacity and patterns of evacuation.

How the study fits with the current state of knowledge

The study seems to be consistent with other studies, although it takes a different methodology of data collection. For instance, while other studies retrieved data from the social media platforms such as Twitter, the researchers used large-scale smartphone geolocation data. The findings agree with other research works such as those conducted by Ilan and Rio (2018). Both works conclude that race and socioeconomic statuses affect peoples ability to cope with the impacts of natural disasters.

The type of study and data collection

The collected data is enough, however, the study methodology raises some concerns as the availability of the data used is restricted and not available to the public. It implies that other scholars may not easily access the data if they wanted to verify the results of this study. The authors appear to have accounted for the various factors that might have come into play. For instance, smoothing the time series data before clustering eliminated factors such as ping observation noises.

How the data supports the researchers story and conclusions

Data is used to support the conclusion of this study. For instance, in the study of mobility and movement patterns during Harvey, it was found that 68.1 percent of Houstonians stayed around while 31.9 percent left Houston to other cities and states (Hong et al., 2021). Those who stayed were people of low socioeconomic status and were impacted by the floods. These people were from distressed and abandoned areas of residence. Those who left were not affected by the storm and were people of higher socioeconomic statuses such as homeowners and those with high income. The results of the study are reliable as they are supported with reliable sources of data and concur with other studies.

References

Ilan, N., & Rio, Y. (2018). Economic vulnerability and resilience to natural hazards: a survey of concepts and measurements. Sustainability, 10(8), 2850. 

Hong, B., Bonczak, B., Gupta, A., & Kontokosta, C. (2021). Measuring inequality in community resilience to natural disasters using large-scale mobility data. Nature Communications, 12(1), 1-9. 

Introduction

Disasters always cause considerable concern for the population since they are connected with sufferings, losses, and other long-term damaging aftermaths. In this regard, every community should have a coherent disaster recovery plan (DRP) that considers available community resources and identifies issues and vulnerable areas needing careful consideration. Such a plan provides a timely and adequate response to various disasters, irrespective of their scope and type, and mitigates adverse consequences. Thus, this PowerPoint presentation aims at providing a DRP for the Vila Health community, outlining the factors of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers, and presenting evidence-based strategies to enhance the recovery effort.

The Determinants and Barriers

The cultural, social, and economic determinants affecting community recovery efforts are directly depending on the demographics of Valley City and the existing resources of Valley City Region Hospital. In particular, the citys population comprises 8,295 with a median age of 43.6 years and consists of white (93%), Latino (3%), African-American (2%), Native American (1%), and others (1%) (Background, n.d.). Undocumented migrant workers with poor English skills also live in Valley. Furthermore, the city contains older residents with complicated health disorders, including 147 physically disabled and those who use American Sign Language to converse (Background, n.d.). Finally, there are significant issues with the homeless, the police and fire departments, and the deteriorating financial situation overall.

It is worth noting that Valley City Region Hospital (VCRH) is also in deplorable conditions. Specifically, the hospital possesses only 105 beds, two aging VCRHs ambulances needing an overhaul, and outdated necessary infrastructure and equipment (Background, n.d.). Moreover, VCRH experiences financial hardships and considers cutting nursing staff. These overall community features indicate that all city agencies, especially the Fire and Police departments, the hospital, and City Hall, will be disorganized and unprepared to provide an adequate response in case of emergencies. This acute unpreparedness was particularly evident in the terrible derailment of an oil-tanker train that occurred two years ago.

Social Justice

Vulnerable communities are always subjected to different threats, and disparities only exacerbate the severity of adverse situations. In this regard, a DRP should follow the four principles of social justice, including access, equity, participation, and human rights (Social Justice, n.d.). Concerning access, the plan should consider that all socio-economic groups have equal access to goods and services, irrespective of their age, ethnicity, and sex. In the second concept, a DRP should ensure a reasonable distribution of available resources among society; namely, the physically disabled or injured come first. Participation implies allowing all people to participate in decision-making affecting their livelihood and safety, averting discrimination. Regarding the final principle, a plan will guarantee the protection of everybodys civil rights, including rights to life, free speech, to vote, and to a fair trial.

Governmental Policies

Existing health and governmental policies have been primarily designed to address disaster response. For instance, the 2006 Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act requires developing the National Health Security Strategy (NHSS). The central role of NHSS is to alleviate disasters health effects by forming resilient communities and reinforcing the healthcare reaction capabilities (Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, n.d.). The first measure in the strategy is an evaluation of the communitys general baseline health, including analyzing disability and chronic disease prevalence, citizens access to health services, and the communitys socio-economic conditions.

Besides, the US federal government adopted other critical acts that protect human rights and help be prepared for calamities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed in 1990, forbids discrimination against persons with disabilities in all public life fields, such as employment, healthcare, transportation, and education, among others (What is, n.d.). The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) authorizes the provision of federal financial, logistical, technical, and other aid to states and localities during occurred disasters or emergencies (Robert T. Stafford, n.d.). Furthermore, it encourages local governments to design thorough disaster preparedness plans for enhanced intergovernmental coordination and delivers assistance programs for losses because of a disaster.

Effective Strategies

In case of disasters, including pandemics, and human-made or natural calamities, the Valley community should adhere to specific steps. First, the mayor should organize a Disaster Management Team (DMT) that includes the various public departments representatives, including healthcare, police, fire service, armed forces, municipal services, and others. The convened DMT appoints a disaster coordinator who should coordinate disaster operations, reports to DMT regularly, and direct the teams strategic decisions. The fire chief puts DMTs decisions into practice, coordinating the emergency services work on saving people and animals. Firefighters extinguish fires and conduct tests to detect the realization of any hazardous substances.

Ambulance paramedics go to a disaster site, deliver first aid, stabilize the injured, and take them to the hospital. In this regard, Bazyar et al. (2019) offer to use the ESI triage model with one of the highest reliability and validity levels for hospital settings. The model is based on a five-level triage system that includes Resuscitation, Emergent, Urgent, Less Urgent, and Nonurgent. For example, under Resuscitation, life-saving intervention is needed, while Emergent implies a high risk of health deterioration. The police will make sure that the ambulance and the fire department can do their job, guarding the disaster area, whereas armed forces will evacuate people. Municipal services are accountable for the residents instant welfare, delivering temporary shelter, food, and psychological care.

The plan also should include a system for quick warning citizens about the disaster and communicating with them and between departments via desktops, mobile devices, social media, and PA systems. Furthermore, Kretzschmar et al. (2020) recommend using contact tracing based on mobile app technology that may optimize contact tracing coverage and reduce delays. For example, such technology can help avert 80 percent of all transmissions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Kretzschmar, 2020). Altogether, this tool notifies individuals of their potential exposure to viruses and provides relevant information, instructions, and referrals to clinical services, testing, and other vital support services. In addition, contact tracing facilitates detecting missing, injured, and those needing help, especially the disabled.

Conclusion

In summary, the PowerPoint presentation has provided a DRP for the Vila Health community, determining the health factors. In particular, the citys population is diverse, containing minorities, the disabled, and the elderly with chronic diseases. Additionally, Valley City has considerable problems with budget and healthcare, police, fire, and municipal departments. Nevertheless, different federal laws, especially the Stafford Act, can give substantial material support for responding to calamities appropriately. Finally, the presentation has described functions of the communitys responsible parties and evidence-based strategies, such as implementing a system for quick warning citizens about disaster and contact tracing based on mobile app technology.

References

Background. (n.d.). Capella University. Web.

Bazyar, J., Farrokhi, M., & Khankeh, H. (2019). Triage systems in mass casualty incidents and disasters: a review study with a worldwide approach. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(3), 482-494. Web.

Kretzschmar, M. E., Rozhnova, G., Bootsma, M. C., van Boven, M., van de Wijgert, J. H., & Bonten, M. J. (2020). Impact of delays on effectiveness of contact tracing strategies for COVID-19: A modeling study. The Lancet Public Health, 5(8), e452-e459.

Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act. (n.d.). ASTHO. Web.

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. (n.d.). ASTHO. Web.

Social Justice. (n.d.). Corporate Finance Institute.

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? (n.d.). ADA National Network.

Article summary

The article reviews the characteristics of the states and the systems of systems. Also, the article seeks to understand the role of shared states when developing systems Precisely, the article is based on a study of how modeling systems of systems is critical in strategic preparedness, response, and recovery from disastrous events.

The article emphasizes the need to ensure that recovery in systems of systems retains its original status after catastrophic events. From the article, it is clear that strategic preparedness is a decision-making process. In this regard, strategic preparedness must be initiated in advance before a natural or human-oriented disaster occurs.

The aim of strategic preparedness is to reduce disaster consequences in terms of recovery time, cost, and suffering. The article reviews the infrastructure systems of systems as exemplified through the input-output model (IIM) and phantom system models (PSM). The two models are critical in understanding the modeling of systems of systems.

Main points

The author reviews several definitions related to natural disasters and human-induced catastrophes. The author insightfully defines systems of systems as the combination of communities, organizations, and human-cyber-physical infrastructure (Haimes, 2012). The author defines the details and characteristics of the systems of systems concept.

From the article, the author emphasizes on how governments and community entities must negotiate for strategic preparedness about natural and human-induced catastrophes. In this regard, the author discusses the role of state variables as a way of understanding how systems of systems are modeled. Therefore, the reader understands that systems are functions, decisions, and other relevant inputs.

Understanding the role of state variables exposes the vulnerability and resilience of the system when subjected to catastrophes. Also, this explains probable risks that various natural and artificial events can pose to the systems. The author reviews the importance of modeling disasters about systems of systems.

Also, the author discusses the phantom system models (PSMs) and a case study on shared states (Haimes, 2012). However, the case study is based on subsystems of the FAA NextGen systems of systems. The author focuses on modeling systems of systems through meta-modeling that is efficiently done by sharing decisions and states (Haimes, 2012).

From the article, an insightful study on the importance of strategic preparedness and response to disasters is done. Finally, the author explains the significance of the IIM that is used to model independent systems of systems.

Intended audience

The author intends to relay the message to government agencies, students, environmentalists, researchers, communities, and disaster preparedness organizations. The article also provides insightful information to disaster management students and researchers interested in further studies based on the same topic.

Disaster planning issues

According to the article, disaster planning is determined by the states of the system. In this regard, shared states and systems of systems play a critical role in planning and decision-making processes. Moreover, understanding how shared states in systems of systems contribute to strategic planning is prioritized. Also, the contribution of systems of systems in response and recovery from disasters is considered the ultimate objective in strategic preparedness.

Moreover, the above must be implemented prior to the occurrence of natural or human-oriented disasters (Haimes, 2012). Disaster planning must be aimed at reducing recovery time, suffering, and the cost associated with strategic preparedness. Reducing risk levels and tradeoffs is an important issue of consideration. It is the objective of disaster planning to control and limit the accepted levels of disaster risks and tradeoffs.

Aspects of recovery

From the article, the author indicates that recovery of time used in disaster preparedness and response, which is important.

The author emphasizes the need to recover on cost used in disaster preparedness (Haimes, 2012). In most cases, disaster preparedness is expensive, and a limit on how finance is used is important. Recovery in terms of reduced community suffering is a major goal of disaster preparedness and management. Finally, recovery by reducing the levels of risk and tradeoffs is discussed in the article.

Application to the course

The article provides insightful information to environmental studies. Indeed, the article supports the information on disaster and recovery planning, which is provided as the course material. The article presents a diverse perspective on the significance of strategic preparedness in case of natural and artificial disasters. Moreover, the article gives a scholarly foundation for further studies about disaster preparedness and recovery.

Expanding main points

The author can expand the explanation of the systems of systems concept. The current definition of the concept as a combination of communities, organizations, and human-cyber-physical infrastructure is vague to the reader. Moreover, an in-depth analysis of the input-output model (IIM) and phantom system models (PSM) would be essential in understanding the concept of modeling systems of systems.

Using more than one case study would be appropriate in creating an emphasis on disaster planning and recovery. Also, the use of secondary sources and peer-reviewed articles and journals would create an impression of a well-researched topic.

Reference

Haimes, Y.Y. (2012). Strategic preparedness for recovery from catastrophic risks to communities and infrastructure systems of systems. Risk Analysis, 32(11), 1834-1845.

Facts in the case with respect to each of the following

Engineering design

The space shuttle is known to be one of the most ambitious projects of the modern age. The idea to create a space ship that would be able to fly into the outer space and return back seemed fantastic and even ridiculous. That is why its embodiment was a very complicated process that had its own peculiarities connected with the technicality of this project. With this in mind, it was obvious that every launch was risky, and in case of failure, a great number of specialists analyzed aspects of the accident.

First of all, it should be said that the space shuttle was made as a reusable launch vehicle (Fleddermann 7), and that is why it was a complicated mechanism. In order to launch this spaceship, solid rocket boosters are used. They can guarantee a great augmentation of power.

However, they are very dangerous as it is impossible to stop them once the fuel is lit. Accidents with space shuttles showed how dangerous this type of engine could be. Some problems were found in the work of solid rocket booster and field-joint design before the launch of the Challenger. They did not work in a proper way. Unfortunately, a good solution to this problem was not found before the Challenger launch.

However, the engineering design of this shuttle had a great impact on society. It was a source of pride for the community as a complicated ship with a unique design was created in their country. That is why this project was a real affair of honor for the whole nation.

Atmospheric (weather) conditions from the night before launch until the time of the disaster

Problems revealed while analyzing the project made specialists sure that in order to mitigate risks, it was better to assure of ideal weather conditions on the date of launch. This fact became obvious after investigations, which showed that cold weather influenced the work of the whole system greatly and increased the possibility of failure.

That is why the first launch was postponed because of a cold front, which was said to come. The decision to wait for another day was accepted. However, the night before the launch, the weather did not become better. The overnight temperature was even colder than it was expected. There was a significant accumulation of ice on launchpad from safety showers and fire hoses (Fleddermann 11). However, this time, the launch was not postponed.

Professional responsibilities neglected

Crash of the space shuttle was a very stressing accident, which of cause attracted much attention. That is why a great number of different specialists tried to analyze the aftermath of the launch to determine the main reasons which led to these results in order to avoid them in the future. It was rather an easy thing to do as every launch of the shuttle was filmed by hundreds of cameras, and all showings had been recorded.

Having analyzed all data and evidence which were at their disposal, specialists came to the conclusion that neglection of professional responsibilities might have been a reason for this disaster. The first obvious reason was the disdain of the officials towards weather conditions. Richard Feynmann, one of the members of the special commission, managed to prove the idea that on cold temperatures, the space shuttle becomes more vulnerable, and the probability of disaster rises significantly (Fleddermann 12).

Under these conditions, it becomes obvious that people responsible for the launch should have postponed it in order to wait for better conditions and guarantee its success. One of the fundamental canons of NSPE code for engineering, which states that deceptive acts should be avoided (NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers para. 7), was ignored. Moreover, another accident with the space shuttle showed a threatening tendency that a great number of safety measures were ignored while preparing the ship for its launch.

Having analyzed reasons for the crash of the space shuttle Colombia, the special commission came to the conclusion that it happened because of the detachment of the foam. Specialists who were responsible for this launch knew about this problem; however, they did not pay much attention to it.

That is why the report made after analyzing the data was called broken safety culture. Taking into consideration these facts, it is possible to come to the conclusion that it was possible to avoid this tragedy if all people responsible for certain aspects of this project were attentive and acted according to instruction.

Engineers assuming administrative/managerial positions during their careers

There is a tendency that many engineers assume administrative positions during their careers. It is possible to say that this fact has a pernicious influence on the whole sphere of engineering in the world. Accomplishing a managerial job, an engineer loses his practical skills, which are of great significance in the work of any good specialist.

That is why it is even possible to say that this tendency can be one of the factors which led to disastrous results. Being not skilled, engineers can forget about some tiny detail, which is very important in this complicated sphere. That is why it is important to combine managerial work with good practice in order to be in good shape.

Works Cited

Fleddermann, Charles. Engineering Ethics. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2011. Print.

NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers. Web.

Though both a tornado and a hurricane are fraught with terrible consequences, both in terms of material damage and the possible injuries, when choosing between the two, I would rather face a hurricane than a tornado. There are several reasons for the choice that I have made, yet a comparative predictability of a hurricane is the feature that was defining in the comparison between the two (Lutgens and Tarbuck The Atmosphere in Motion 447).

Indeed, a closer look at a hurricane will show that its destructive power is lesser, much like its longevity. Unlike a tornado, which traditionally forms from a cumulonimbus cloud, a hurricane, also known as a tropical cyclone, occurs as a result of water evaporation from the surface of the ocean and then forms clouds immediately (Lutgens and Tarbuck The Atmosphere in Motion 451).

One must admit that hurricanes, while causing impressively lesser damage, may conceal even greater threat, since they often trigger tornadoes. Therefore, there is a possibility of having to face both instead of merely a hurricane. However, the threat of a hurricane progressing to become a tornado is quite low; in addition, the tornadoes spawned by hurricanes are less powerful than the ones that develop directly from a cumulonimbus cloud (Lutgens and Tarbuck Weather Patterns and Severe Weather 476).

Therefore, I would rather face a hurricane than a tornado, mostly because of the difference in their duration and effect. Though each of the phenomena is potentially dangerous and is likely to do a lot of damage, a hurricane has a less powerful effect than a tornado and, which is most important, is much more predictable than a tornado (Lutgens and Tarbuck Weather Patterns and Severe Weather 484). As a result, it would be much easier to avoid injuries and predict the worst case scenario.

The course has definitely given me a lot of food for thoughts; it has made me reconsider the impact that people have had on Earth, as well as the changes that the planet is undergoing at present. Moreover, the information acquired throughout the course has allowed for not only envisioning the possible future of the planet and the civilization, but also the ways to escape the drastic consequences that may follow unless the environmental policy is reconsidered.

However, it would be wrong to claim that the course has made me view the Earth through merely an environmentalist viewpoint. While admittedly important, this manner of viewing the planet did not bring many surprises. What literally made me gasp in awe in front of the majesty of nature was the text about volcanoes. True, the information about tornadoes and hurricanes also stirred my imagination and impressed be, yet the fire that pours out of the depth of the Earth looks much more impressive to me. Before taking this course, I never thought about the forces that were raging under the Earth crust, and that the center of the Earth could literally be described as liquid fire.

Apart from the weird charm of the idea that the Earth can breathe fire, the very fact that once dormant, a volcano can become active again and bring immense destructions seems mesmerizingly terrifying and at the same time interesting and worth researching to me. As a matter of fact, it was reading about volcanoes that made me feel like doing a bit of a research on the topic. Learning about volcanoes was clearly one of the most exciting elements of the course.

Works Cited

Lutgens, Frederick K. and Edward J. Tarbuck. The Atmosphere in Motion. Foundations of Earth Science. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2014. 445-468. Print.

. Weather Patterns and Severe Weather. Foundations of Earth Science. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2014. 469500. Print.

Recent Earthquakes

It is possible to provide several examples of earthquakes that took place during the past six months. For example, one can mention the Iquique earthquake that took place on 1 April, 2014. It occurred on the western coast of Chile. The estimations indicate that its magnitude was 8.2. This event can be described as a megathrust earthquake since it occurred at the plate boundary.

This natural phenomenon occurs at the time when tectonic plate is subducted by another one. Overall, subduction is the cause of earthquakes in many areas. One should also mention that this event did not result in catastrophic effects. It is possible to compare this earthquake with the one that happened in Haiti on January 12, 2010. One should note that the Haitia earthquake had a magnitude of 7.0.

This event was caused by the thrust fault. Nevertheless, it took place at a depth of 10 kilometers, and it led to considerable ground shaking (Lutgens and Tarbuck 190). In turn, the depth of the Iquique earthquake was 20 kilometers, and its impact was less palpable. This difference in depth is the main reasons why the effects of the Haiti earthquake were much more significant (Lutgens and Tarbuck 190).

In particular, more than 100.000 people died as a result of this earthquake. Additionally, the effects of the Haiti earthquake were so disastrous due to blatant violations of construction norms in Haiti (Lutgens and Tarbuck 190). As a result, the impact of this event was intensified. These are some of the details that can be identified.

On the whole, this comparison indicates that the effects of an earthquake depend on a various factors and some of them can be controlled by people. In this case, one should pay attention to the development of infrastructure and construction rules that should be properly enforced by the government. This is one of the points that can be made.

Living near an active faultline or an active volcano?

Overall, I would prefer to live near an active fault-line, rather than an active volcano, provided that I need to make a choice. In my opinion, the effects of volcano eruption are more dangerous than earthquakes. There are several aspects that should be distinguished. First of all, ash and hot gases are emitted as a result of eruption (Lutgens and Tarbuck 190).

As a rule, they are very dangerous. Additionally, it is possible to speak about the risk of acid rains. Very often, they pose a danger to skin of a human being; moreover, they can significantly impair the quality of drinking water (Cooper 78). Admittedly, the earthquakes also pose considerable risks to peoples lives (Cooper 78).

For example, one can speak about considerable threat of tsunamis, floods, fires, and other disasters that can take the lives of many people. Nevertheless, in many cases, the dangers are increased due to the lack of safety precautions. Moreover, a community can respond to these risks. In turn, the risk of volcano eruptions cannot be effectively mitigated with the help of existing technologies. This is one of the main differences that should be taken into account.

Admittedly, the effects of natural disasters may depend on various environmental and infrastructural factors. Nevertheless, one should not expose oneself to the risks of volcano eruption since its effects cannot be controlled. This is one of the arguments that can be put forward.

Work Cited

Cooper, Malcolm. Volcano and Geothermal Tourism: Sustainable Geo-Resources for Leisure and Recreation, New York: Taylor & Francis, 2010. Print.

Lutgens, Frederick, and Edward Tarbuck. Foundations of Earth Science, New York: Prentice Hall, 2014. Print.