Career

Disaster Management

The Economic Times; Date: 17-Oct-05

Disaster management is the need of the hour. Mangesh Sakharam Ghogre tracks how we can all be forearmed.

ONE of the essential skills of a manager is to know how to avoid or manage disasters in corporate life; be it an accounting scandal or a public-relations fiasco. The aftermath of recent events in the country — the earthquake in J&K, floods in Maharashtra and tsunami in Tamil Nadu — have shown that managing natural and man-made disasters in public life is crucial. Here, we explore the whys and hows of disaster management (DM). Currently, so-called DM begins after a calamity occurs, which is usually followed by an untrained and unplanned response that, in turn, fuels further tragedy — stampedes, riots, strikes and worse. One way to effectively manage disasters is to meticulously plan responses even before the disasters occur. More importantly, the response plans need to be clear regarding implementation. It is here that training in DM plays a pivotal role. Without proper training, any response would be doomed to fail.

Past experience has shown that only rarely do disasters strike only a select few. More often than not, disasters cause damage over large geographical areas and hence receiving help and relief is not only time-consuming but sometimes impossible. In such cases, DM training can be beneficial in helping people help themselves and others too.

As was seen during the recent Mumbai floods, it is very possible that people who are part of the DM team are themselves affected by disasters and hence unable to provide sufficient help. It is in times like these that DM training comes handy in saving lives and property. Shivaji Dange, Mumbai’s joint commissioner (customs), who is associated with DM programmes, agrees: “During disasters, it is the prerogative of educated youth to shoulder the responsibility of helping the needy. DM training prepares the youth to handle such situations efficiently.”

Another justification for DM training is that often untrained people, while trying to help, end up harming themselves and others. For instance, if a person is not careful while shifting an accident victim, there is a possibility of spinal injury. In another instance, an untrained person may use a Class A (water based) fire extinguisher on an electric switchboard or transformer, thereby aggravating the situation. A trained person is in a position to not only avoid mistakes but also understand his limitations.

Finally, DM training empowers a person to do the single most important thing required in times of disasters — think clearly and have presence of mind. Says Ulhas Thakur, senior manager (environment, health and safety), Schenectady Herdillia, a petrochemicals company, “Instead of panicking, a trained person is more confident and quick to wisely respond to the situation.” For example, in case of a leakage of poisonous gas, an untrained person may use a handkerchief to mask his breathing while a trained person will know to use a wet handkerchief as water drops fill the minute pores in the handkerchief texture and leave no room for the poisonous gas to enter the respiratory system. Similarly, in the event of an earthquake, an untrained person, by way of habit or in panic, may end up using a lift to exit a building. A trained person is more likely to use the stairs — a much safer option.

A number of institutes already offer training in DM. Mumbai-based Aniruddha Academy of Disaster Management (AADM) imparts free-of-cost training in DM. AADM offers a six-day programme, open to anybody in the 16-70 years age group. There are no educational criteria for this programme and instruction is available in Hindi, Marathi and English. For full-time programmes in DM, IGNOU (via distance education) and Pune University (diploma) offer courses of six months to two years duration after class 12. PRT Institute of Postgraduate Environmental Education and Research, New Delhi, in association with the Institute of Open and Distance Education, Bhopal, offers a two-year distance learning master of disaster control course. Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences, in association with the Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment, offers a master’s in disaster mitigation for graduates of any discipline.

(The author is an alumnus of VJTI and NMIMS, Mumbai)