MODULE 1: The Philippine General Classifications of Natural Disasters

disaster and risk profile 1. GEOPHYSICAL

Why is Philippines known to be of high level of Definition: Hazard originating from the solid
exposure to hazards? earth, change interchangeably with the term
“physical hazard” or “geological hazard”
 Philippine geology explains the prevalence
of earthquake, tsunami and landslide. a) Earthquakes: (5) distractive
earthquakes, lots of casualties. -The
 The frequency, intensity and variability of “ground movement” that also
hydrometeorological hazards also have includes “tsunami”
heightened the compelling need for the  Ground movement (upward)
nation to adopt disaster risk reduction and  Tsunamu
management (DRRM) and climate change b) Mass movement (downward)
adaptation (CCA) i. Dry Movement
 Rock fall
 The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light
 Landslide
the weaknesses and gaps of policies,
c) Volcanic activities
systems, and structures that lack an all-
1. Ash fall
hazards approach, and makes a compelling
2. Lahar
case for the consideration of a broad range
3. Pyroclastic flow
of hazards
4. Lava flow
 4 components of Risk
2. METEOROLOGICAL
1. Exposure Definition: It is caused by short-lived micro
2. Susceptibility to meso-scale extreme weather and
atmospheric condition that lasts from
3. Coping minutes to days.
a) Extreme Temperature
4. Adaptive capabilities
 Cold wave
Concept and Types of Disaster  Heat wave
 Severe winter condition
Republic Act 10121 defines disaster as a serious a. Snow/ice
disruption of the functioning of a community or a b. Frost/freeze
society involving widespread human, material, b) Fog
economic or environmental losses and impacts, c) Storm:
which exceeds the ability of the affected community  Extra-tropical storm: -The
or society to cope using its own resources. wings that are as weak as
tropical depression or as
INDUSTRI TRANSPO MISCELLANEO
strong as hurricane. It may
AL RT US DISASTERS include low pressure systems
DISASTER DISASTER that continents mid-latitude.
Much precipitation.
Chemical Air Explosion  Tropical storm- Organized
spill or in the center of the low
Boat Collapse pressure which then
Explosion originates over warm
Rail Fire
tropical oceans. The
Radiation
Road Others maximum wind is 39-73. If
leak
that is hurricane extratropical
Collapse storm.
 Convective storm- These
Gas leak are thunderstorms, referred
Poisoning to U.K instead it is referred
as “convective storm”.
Fire Related factors such as:
Others Hail
Derecho
lightning/or
NATURAL DISASTERS thunderstorm,
Rain,
caused by natural phenomenon or environmental Tornado
forces. The Philippines is situated lying along winter storm/blizzard
pacific ring of fire where two major tectonic plates storm/surge
are meeting. We have the Philippine sea and Wind
Euracian. Highly prone to volcanic eruption. 300 severe storm.
volcanoes, 22 active volcanoes. WHO this is the
result of “ecological disruption” or threat that 3. HYDROLOGICAL
exceeds capacity of the effected community.
 Definition: Due to occurrence or movement and MAN-MADE DISASTERS
distribution of surface. The land, the soil and
substance or subsurface freshwater or even 1. TERRORISM
salt water
“Preparation is the key to prevent, mitigate, control
a) Flood: and recover from an emergency. Terrorist attacks
such as coastal flood, riverine flood, ice jam is no exemption to this”
flood, flash flood
b) Landslide: Elements of Terrorism: due to human actions;
Avalanche (rock fall, snow, debris, mudflow) they may include the use of explosives, flammable
c) Wave Action – Rouge wave or seiche agents, biological, chemical agents. These agents
cause detrimental impacts in multiple areas
4. CLIMATOLOGICAL DISASTERS including infrastructure, economy, nature, human
health.
Definition: Caused by long-lived atmospheric
processes. This would range from intra-seasonal or Terrorism Adverse effect in our health: result to
multidecadal climate variability which means it types of emergencies depending on the hazard.
happens once in a blue moon. When the earth can Hazards may include physical, biological, chemical,
no longer hold on. nuclear hazards. Responding in this kind of events
require vast number of resources specially
a) Drought manpower, financial, machinery. Health care team
-experienced during summer or recovery team should be trained, selected and
b) Glacial lake Outburst have access of recommendation with the use of
c) Wildfire PPE with the different hazards.
 Forest fire
 Land fire (Brush, Bush fire) a) Anthrax:
 Pasture wild fire infection disease caused by exposure
through inhalation, GIT absorption or dermal
5. BIOLOGICAL contact with “bacillus anthracis spores” High
fatality rates upon exposure to BAS.
Definition: Due to exposure of living organisms Animals in the wild can get infected and
and toxic substances like venom, mold or expose to human kind.
vector borne diseases that they may carry. Like
venomous wild life and insects as well as 4 types of Anthrax
poisonous plants, mosquitoes (malaria) ,
animals (snakes), bacteria, viruses.  Cutaneous: small blisters, bumps,
swelling of skin, skin sore (black at
a) Epidemic
the center of skin sore)
 Viral
Treatment: Antibiotics
 Bacterial
 Inhalation: s/s include: fever, chills,
 Parasitic
shortness of breath, chest
 Fungal
discomfort, stomach pain, sweats,
 Prion
extreme tiredness
 GIT: s/s include: swelling of the
b) Insect Infestation
abdomen, flushing, red eyes,
 Grasshopper
diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea and
 Locust
chills
 Injection:
c) Animal Accident
b) Bloodborne Infectious Disease (BBID):
d) Extraterrestrial hazard: caused by
Frontliners are exposed to bloods and other
asteroids, meteoroids or comets as they
body fluid (except sweat). Emergency
past near earth so when they enter the
response and recovery workers are risk for
Earth’s atmosphere or strike the earth
BBID such as contact with sharp objects
by changes in interplanetary
and potential contamination of open
condition that would affect the Earth’s
wounds. Concern is transmission of HIV
magnetosphere, ionosphere and
and hepatitis. It is important to establish
thermosphere.
safety practices or prevent and control the
exposure to blood and body fluids (Use
PPE) and training of handling of needles
and sharps.

c) Chemical Hazards:
Substances that have the ability to create
health hazard. The properties of chemicals
are hazardous not limited of being toxic, can
be flammable, explosive or self-reactive. It
could be oxidizing or corrosive.
  Inhalation, Dermal Absorption,
Ingestion

d) Mail handlers: PHASES OF DISASTER

Workers in mail offices and postal services can
be potential exposure to agents that can be
Eight Socio-Temporal Stages of
present in mails. Used by terrorism that could Disaster
also be accidental inhalation of chemical,
dermal contact, ingestion of particles. a. Pre-Disaster

e) Airborne Agents - Stage 0: Pre-Disaster –

Might be chemical, biological or radiological. State of social system preceding point of impact

f) Safety Management Social Impact Assessment (SIA) is the process of

analysing, monitoring and managing the social
All possible strategies that can be implemented consequences of policies, programmes and
to assure safety of workers while they perform their projects. These consequences may be positive or
job. The main purpose of this is to reduce hazard negative, intended or unintended, direct or indirect;
and to prevent/reduce potential harm or incidents they may be short-term impacts or long-term
that can occur in the workplace. The strategies changes. (NO DISASTER)
implemented include safety preventive measures
such as the use of PPE, or establishment of health b. Warning
and safety poilicies. - Stage 1:
2. TECHNOLOGICAL - Warning
The catastrophic event caused by human error in Stage 1: Warning – Precautionary activity includes
when they control technology or malfunction in consultation with members of own social network
technology system. Technology based disasters
are serious as natural disaster. Early warning systems are means by which people
receive relevant and timely information in a
 Industrial systematic way prior to a disaster in order to make
 Transportation informed decisions and take action. The word
 Miscellaneous system is used to refer to the interplay between an
array of elements aimed at facilitating
3. TRANSITIONAL HUMAN SHELTERS communication and prompt response to protect and
It could be evacuation site, evacuation area. The aid those in need.
common issue happens. There are four basic elements to an early warning
system where each part must function efficiently for
the system to be successful:
Risk knowledge builds the baseline understanding
about risks (hazards and vulnerabilities) and
priorities at a given level.
Monitoring is the logical follow-on activity to keep
up-to-date on how those risks and vulnerabilities
change through time.
Response capability insists on each level being
able to reduce risk once trends are spotted and
announced — this may be through pre-
season mitigation activities, evacuation or duck-
and-cover reflexes, depending on the lead-time of a
warning.
Warning communication packages the monitoring
information into actionable messages understood
by those that need, and are prepared, to hear them.
Community Early Warning Systems (CEWS)
Although often referred to as the “last mile” in an
end-to-end EWS, the community is better imagined
as the “first mile,” where warning information must
at the very least reach and be acted upon. Well-
informed communities are familiar with priority
risks. Communities are the first responders in
protecting their households and disadvantaged
individuals. Many communities are motivated and
able to independently drive EWS from the local
level without waiting for information or warning from
the outside while other communities are prepared Disaster Continuum / Disaster Management
to receive or monitor warning information and Cycle / Emergency Management Cycle
subsequently organize and implement a set of
appropriate responses. As seen in the Hyogo
Framework for Action (HFA), 'people centered'
approach goes beyond the concept of the
community as a receiver to one where they can
also be a producer and facilitator of early warning
information.
Disasters are partly caused by external hazards,
but they also stem from vulnerability: people being
in the wrong place, at the wrong time, or without
adequate protection or resources to respond to a
warning. Thus early warnings alone do not keep
hazards from turning into disasters. Early action, Mitigation and prevention
covering all time scales, is also essential. It is an
investment in the future, and has been proven MITIGATION
effective at attenuating the effects of disasters.
Across the world, significant efforts are being
invested in empowering volunteers to take an Includes measures taken to reduce harmful effects
active role in monitoring risks that influence their of a disaster by attempting to limit its impact on
communities. As they do so, they learn to both human health, community function, and economic
issue, and respond to, warnings that arise from the infrastructure.
monitoring. Where and when national early warning
systems are active, these community early warning PREVENTION
systems complement governmental mandates to
protect lives and livelihoods. broad range of activities, such as attempts to
c.Social and Physical Impact prevent a disaster from occurring

Stage 2: Impact – Stage of “holding on” where PREPADRENESS

recognition shifts from individual to community
affect and involvement Refers to the proactive planning efforts designed
to structure the disaster response prior to its
d. Emergency occurrence.
- Stage 3 – Emergency
-Disaster Planning
Emergency – Perception of change of conditions - Warning
that prompts survival action
RESPONSE
e. Inventory
-The actual implementation of the disaster plan.
- Stage 4: Inventory
Audit supplies, Individual rakes stock, and begins to Disaster response or emergency management
move into a collective inventory of what happened Relief

f. Rescue RECOVERY

- Stage 5: Rescue Actions focus on stabilizing and returning the

community
Spontaneous, local, unorganized extrication and
first aid; some preventive measures (bias triage
Rehabilitation
family member)
reconstruction
g. Remedy
EVALUATION
- Stage 6: Remedy
The phase of disaster planning and response that
Organized and professional relief arrive; medical often receives the least attention.
care, preventive and security measures present
h. Recovery Rehabilitation
reconstruction
- Stage 7: Recovery
Individual rehabilitation and readjustment;
community restoration of property; organizational
preventive measures against recurrence;
community evaluation
 Recovery - Rehabilitation – Reconstruction –
Evaluation
DISASTER NURSING TIMELINE
PRE-IMPACT IMPACT POST-IMPACT
DISASTER

1. Continue provision of nursing and medical

PHASES

care
TIME

0 Greater than 2. Continue disease surveillance

(0-24 hrs) (24-72 hrs) 72 hrs
3. Monitor the safety of the food and water
supply
Recovery
DISASTER CONTINUUM

Planning/Preparedness Response emergency

Rehabilitation 4. Withdraw from disaster scene
Prevention Management
Reconstruction
warning Mitigation 5. Restore public health infrastructure
Evaluation

6. Re-triage and transport of patients to

DISASTER NURSING ACTIONS appropriate level care facilities
Planning/Preparedness – Prevention - Warning 7. Reunite family members
1. Participate in the development of 8. Monitor long-term physical health outcomes
community disaster plans. of survivors
2. Participate in community risk assessment: 9. Provide staff with adequate time off for rest
3. Initiate disaster prevention measures 10. Evaluate disaster nursing response actions
4. Perform disaster drills 11. Revise original disaster preparedness plan
5. Identify educational and training needs for
all nurses
6. Develop disaster nursing databases
7. Develop evaluation plans

Response emergency - Management -

Mitigation
1. Activate disaster response plan
2. Mitigate all ongoing hazards
3. Activate agency disaster plans
4. Establish need for mutual aid relationships
5. Integrate state and federal resources
6. Ongoing triage and provision of nursing
care
7. Evaluate public health needs of the affected
population
8. Establish safe shelter and the delivery of
adequate food and water supplies
9. Provide for sanitation needs and waste
removal
10. Establish disease surveillance
11. Establish vector control
12. Evaluate the need for/activate additional
nursing staff