Natural+disasters+prevention+and+mitigation+Page+2+Narrow+Topic+and+Case+Study

Narrow Topic and Case Study

Landslide - The downwards sliding of a relatively dry mass of earth and rock. Mudflow - A downhill movement of soft wet earth and debris, made fluid by rain of melted snow and often building up great speed. Lahar - a volcanic landslide or mudflow.
 * MM (Mudflow Mitigation)**
 * - Dylan**


 * Case Study Part 1**

Our narrow and specific topic is:  Mudflows and landslides prevention and mitigation...World-wide, or at least wherever a landslide or mudflow occurs.
 * - Charles**

What is the organization?** USAID (U.S Agency for International Development) The USAID wants to equip shelters and emergency brigades in El Savador, ask well as developing emergency escape maps. In addition to that, the USAID also wants to convince schools and other structures that are usually filled with people to hold un-called evacuation processes in case of a real emergency (just so everyone is not in panic). This response was actually for an eruption, but heavy rainfall soon turned it into a landslide/mudflow. I like how they tried to persuade the schools and such to hold emergency evacuation practices because when there is doom nearby, the last thing you want is panic. I also enjoy the idea of the shelters because usually in landslides or mudflows, you can't outrun it or anything of the sort, so being able to pretty much "hide" and avoiding it would the more sensible idea. There are a few questions that I would like answered. "Whats the point of installing rain gauges? I mean, the rains' still got to go somewhere, by holding it in and then letting it all out, you would be just wasting your efforts because the landslide or mudflow is still ging to happen." "Why not try getting ideas to prevent it, in case the disaster happens again? All you are doing is getting the people safe, but wouldn't it be better if there was no landslide or mudflow to begin with?" As little kids, we can't do much to help, but as an organization, we can do more. Sure, we might just start off by sending persuasive letters to landowners and construction companies to build shelters in cooperation with the USAID. But we can also hold fundraisers, stuff like mini-carnivals and bake sales, and we can use the money to provide for the people who suffered and lost much (though not to the extent of their lives). In addition, we can also spread word of the USAID, so more people will know and hopefully donate to the cause and with that, hopefully we can make more of a difference.
 * Case Study Part 2**
 * Find an Organization (1)
 * What exactly are they doing to try and combat or change your issue?**
 * What are some of the things you like about their program?**
 * What are some questions you have about it?**
 * How could you become involved with this organization or model your action plan after it?**
 * - Dylan**

What is the organization?** FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) This organization has hundreds of people around the country of the United States who are on standby to deploy a team of trained asisstance employees that are ready to help after a disaster occurs. They also enforce buildings so that they can withstand the danger of a landslide. FEMA also tries to prepare people to be ready if a situation like a landslide or mudflow strikes. I like the fact that FEMA tries to prepare civilians for things like land and mudslides so that they can be aware of what to do when they encounter a dangerous situation as that. I also like how they have special assistance waiting in case of an emergency. " How do you get your name out to the world in the most effective way?" "What are types of ways a building structure can be reinforced to have more resistance against landslides?" We could possibly donate money and time to help this organization improve their ways as they try to warn people about the hazards of natural disasters like land slides and mudslides. Other things we could do is to make a better argument that could make more people who live in that sort of environment to become more aware of their dangers.
 * Find an Organization (2)
 * What exactly are they doing to try and combat or change your issue?**
 * What are some of the things you like about their program?**
 * What are some questions you have about it?**
 * How could you become involved with this organization or model your action plan after it?**
 * - Josh**

//Case Study 2

// Now that you have your opening paragraph posted on the wiki, you need to post some more information on your case study. Post the questions as well as the answers on your wiki. Make sure to add YouTube’s, photos and video to your wiki as well. //1. What is the specific topic your group decided to focus on? The specific topic our group decided to focus on is prevent and mitigation of landslides and mudflows.
 * Case Study and Related Links Information for Wiki**
 * - Charles**

2. Which organization did you choose to focus on and why? Our group decided to focus on the organization USAID because of it's effort to help many different global issues. Although the USAID does not focus on landslides or mudflows, they support the prevention and mitigation of floods. Some may say that floods and landslides/mudflows have nothing to do with each other, well, mudflows are caused when the earth is wet and the force of the flood could have sent layers of mud downhill, causing it to build in mass and debris, forming a devastating disaster, a mudflow.
 * - Dylan**

3.  What exactly are they doing to try and combat or change your issue? USAID tries to work with local disaster officials and non- governmental organizations to identify needs and deliver emergence assistance. They also try to involve themselves in the best places possible where they can effect the most people in need and help them in a big way. With the information they collect from helping these natural disasters, USAID tries to improve their approach to make a better and more affective change to these problems.
 * - Josh**

4. What are some of the things you like about their program? I like how the USAID is an organization that works on multiple causes and different ways to prevent and mitigate different sites where natural disasters have occurred. I also find it interesting how much money they raise for the cause and how much effort they put into it, and the different organizations that they work with.
 * -Charles**

5.  How do you plan to become involved with this organization or model your action plan after it? I think that the most we can do as a group is to donate money (we have already mentioned fundraisers before), as well as spread word of the USAID so that people far and wide can help with the cause, however, these are all on the safer side of our actions. We also want to include gathering volunteers or maybe even volunteering ourselves as part of getting involved with the USAID.
 * - Dylan**

http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/l/landslide.htm http://eeg.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/133 http://www.trb.org/ http://www.landslidecentre.org/ http://www.costa-canada.ggl.ulaval.ca/strasbourg_resume/Bornhold.pdf
 * Related tasks:**//
 * 1) Make a list of relevant articles and statistics on the issue
 * - Josh**


 * 1) Make a list of organizations that people can join to get involved in this issue and petitions that people can sign.

FEMA //(Federal Emergency Management Agency) http://www.fema.gov/ American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ National Institute of Disaster Management//