Understanding Disasters, Hazards, and Risks

• A disaster is a sudden, catastrophic event that causes significant damage, disruption, or loss to life, property, or the environment.
• Risk refers to the likelihood and potential impact of a harmful event, often measured by probability and consequences.
• A hazard is a natural or human-made phenomenon with the potential to cause harm, damage, or adverse effects.
• Readiness is the state of being prepared to effectively respond to an emergency or disaster.
• Vulnerability relates to the susceptibility of people, assets, or systems to be harmed by hazards, considering exposure, sensitivity, and coping capacity.
• The Philippines is highly disaster-prone due to its location within the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and along the path of frequent typhoons.
• Disasters are any natural or man-made events that communities cannot handle, leading to widespread economic, environmental, structural, and human losses.
• A hazard is a potential threat.
• Exposure is how much a community is exposed to a hazard.
• Vulnerability depends on the characteristics of a community that make it more or less likely to be affected by a hazard.

Nature and Effects of Disasters

• Disasters can cause death, injury, and other health problems.
• Property is susceptible to damage from disasters.
• Disasters can destroy livelihoods and services.
• Social and economic disruption can occur due to disasters.
• The environment is susceptible to damage from disasters.

Impact of Disasters

• Medical effects of disasters may include traumatic injuries, emotional stress, epidemic diseases, and indigenous diseases.
• Critical facilities can be destroyed or damaged, affecting the maintenance of a safe environment and public order.
• Transportation can be disrupted during disasters due to broken bridges and roads.
• Economic activities may be disrupted due to destruction and damage to critical facilities.
• Global climate change is increasingly evident due to both human activity and disasters.
• Developing countries are disproportionately affected by disasters due to a large segment of poor citizens.

Exposure and Vulnerability

• Exposure includes the location, attributes, and value of assets (people, buildings, etc.) that could be affected by a hazard.
• Vulnerability includes the characteristics of a person or group and their situation that influence their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from a natural hazard.
• A major reason why people take natural hazards for granted is due to a lack of awareness about the range of consequences of a hazard event.

Elements that May be Exposed to Hazard

• Buildings and structures
• Public facilities and infrastructure
• Agricultural Communities
• Environmental assets
• Business activity
• Individuals
• Dwellings and community

Bandaging

• Dressing is a sterile cover to protect wounds and control bleeding.
• Bandages are used to secure dressings and splints.
• Functions of dressing and bandaging include controlling bleeding, protecting the wound, and preventing contamination.

General Bandaging Principles

• Prioritize life-threatening conditions before bandaging.
• All wounds should be dressed and bandaged unless a life-threatening problem requires immediate transportation.
• It is important to be gentle when examining and bandaging the patient
• Bleeding should be controlled by adequately anchoring the bandage, securing the dressing over the wound, and obtaining suitable pressure.
• When applying a bandage, tie not too tight and not too loose.
• Use a square knot to tie bandages.
• Secure the tail or ends of the bandage.
• Fold the bandage outward.

Parts of Triangular Bandage

• Apex
• Sides
• Face
• Ends
• Base

Phases of Triangular Bandage

• Open or broad
• Semi broad
• Cravat

Earthquake Hazards

• An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by sudden slippage of rock masses below or at the surface of the earth.
• Ground shaking
• Ground Rupture
• Liquefaction
• Landslides
• Tsunamis

Philvocs Earthquake Intensity Scale

• Intensity 1: Scarcely perceptible
• Intensity 2: Slightly felt
• Intensity 3: Weak
• Intensity 4: Moderately strong
• Intensity 5: Strong
• Intensity 6: Very Strong
• Intensity 7: Destructive
• Intensity 8: Very Destructive
• Intensity 9: Devastating
• Intensity 10: Completely devastating