The Tsunami: Lessons Learned for North American Responders

The Tsunami e su a Lessons Learned for North American Responders Omar Ha-Redeye, AAS, BHA(Hons.), CNMT, RT(N)(ARRT) APCO Canada / NENA Ontario 2006 Conference & Trade Show “9-1-1 “9 1 1 in Any Language” Toronto Sheraton Hotel and Conference Centre October 1 – 4, 2006

Overview • Structure: – Identify some major operational challenges in the tsunami relief in Indonesia – Provide corresponding examples from Toronto and Ontario

Know your Risks • Environmental disasters will be major issue for entire globe in coming years – Water related events to top the list Water-related • Plan for specific hazards in vicinity and neighboring regions • Consider industrial hazards as well

Date: Sep 24 2006 Time: 18:52:41.000 Loc: 43.3500N 79.2700W Depth: 5.00 Km Magnitude: 1.8MN Lake Ontario. 17 km N from St. Catharines, Ontario.

Global Warming

Forest Fires

Canadian Tsunamis

Canadian Volcanoes

Industrial Hazards • Perrow’s Typology of systems characteristics Perrow s Systemic intricacies R i on Room for interventio

Allocate Your Resources • Use of assessment teams centralized teams, information collection, to identify areas of need • Avoid bee-lining straight to center of disaster • Have regional resource distribution on hand h d – Measured responses

Type:Police Station Type:Ambulance Station yp Name:52 Division Name:EMS Stn 40 Address:255 DUNDAS ST W Address:58 RICHMOND ST E Type:Fire Station Name:TFD Stn 332 Address:260 ADELAIDE ST W

Maintain Useful Supply Routes • Huge amount of inappropriate donations clogged g pp p gg tiny airport in Banda Aceh – commercial cargo jet, a Boeing 737, collided with a water buffalo on the airport's only runway halting aid deliveries airport s for nearly 18 hours • ¼ of all aid t S i L k (500 containers) still sitting f ll id to Sri Lanka t i ) till itti on a dock in Colombo awaiting claiming or processing

From the airports… …to an open bed truck… …and back again. …through the virginal rainforests of through Aceh…

Alternative Routes in S Ontario

Utilize Community Leadership • Identify existing organizations and power structures • Involve leadership of various groups in planning and execution of response plan • U existing networks of communication t Use i ti t k f i ti to obtain and disseminate information

Leadership in Aceh Javanese Style Administration Ad i i t ti - Kades (Kepala Desa) - Kelurahan (Lurah) Keutchik Imam (village chief) (religious leader)

Portfolio o o o o of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Vulnerable Populations • Women –M l F Male:Female Survivor Ratio 3 1 ( 80% d th f l S i R ti 3:1 (~80% deaths female) l ) • Children – Reported missing often dead missing, – Unable to fend for themselves, orphaned • Physically & Mentally Disabled – Different communication media – Evacuation challenges • Minorities – Disproportionate aid, further marginalization p p , g

First Nation Inuit Métis

Cultural Differences • Cultural and linguistic barriers can pose a considerable challenge for responders • Prepare and develop competency prior to deployment to enhance operational effectiveness

Albanian Arabic Chinese Farsi French Greek Hungarian Italian Korean Polish Portuguese Punjabi Russian Somali Spanish Tamil Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese

Summary 1. 1 Know your local and regional risks – Environmental and Industrial 2. 2 Allocate resources appropriately – Maintain supply routes 3. Utilize community leadership and support 4. Protect vulnerable populations p p – Socioeconomic/politically marginalized/disabled groups require special attention

Discussion • What are the major risks in your region? • Are you adequately prepared for a major disaster?

Acknowledgements • All of our sponsors, volunteers, and contributors f l t d t ib t

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The Tsunami: Lessons Learned for North American Responders

by Omar Ha-Redeye on Jun 26, 2010

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