Reactions to Natural Hazards

Reactions to Natural Hazards

Hazard

A hazard is something that can cause someone a chance of being injured, harmed, or put in danger.

Visibility of Hazards

When we assess the relative safety of a place, some natural hazards are easy to spot. A cliff is clearly a dangerous place! Other hazards may not be so apparent. Tectonic plates may shift and cause earthquakes. Earthquakes can touch off tsunamis thousands of miles from the original shock.

Basic Strategies to Deal with a Natural Hazard

• Migrate or move away from the area to an area that seems safer.

• Stay in place, but make plans for emergency evacuations.

• Use tools and technology to warn of danger and protect from harmful conditions.

• Accept some risk. Make plans for responding to people in trouble and repair or rebuilding of damaged property.

• Discount the risk as not very likely.

Open Ended

If you had to face a natural hazard which basic strategy would you used to deal with the natural hazard and why?

Perception

The way that you think about something or the impression you have of it

Role of Perception in Decision Making

• Perception plays a big part in decision making.

• In general, people tend to underestimate the danger of natural hazards and overestimate their ability to cope.

• Sometimes the amount of risk that exists is underestimated.

• It may surprise you to learn that floods account for more loss of life and property than other hazards in the US each year.

• People make decisions about how to act during an event and what to do afterwards based on their perceptions of risk,

Rate the Hazard

On the upcoming slides you will be shown examples of eight different natural hazards. You will rate the level of danger you would except if you experienced some natural hazards. Ratings will be done using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 meaning least dangerous and 5 meaning most dangerous.

Poll

Earthquake

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Tornado

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Hurricane

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Drought

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Erosion

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Volcanic Eruption

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Most Dangerous)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Flood

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Poll

Blizzard

• 1 (Least Dangerous)

• 2

• 3 (Medium Danger)

• 4

• 5 (Most Dangerous)

Open Ended

List one natural hazard you rated at a 1 and explain why you rated that hazard at a 1?

Open Ended

List one natural hazard you rated at a 5 and explain why you rated that hazard at a 5?