Ateneo de Zamboanga University

College of Nursing
2nd Semester S.Y. 2023-2024
NCM 121
MODULE HANDOUT II
UNIT 2. CONCEPT AND TYPES OF DISASTER

A. Types of Disasters • Landslides: Downward movement of

1.Natural soil, rock, and debris, often triggered
2.Man-made (Human-instigated by heavy rainfall or earthquakes,
disasters) posing risks to communities on
slopes.
1. Natural Disasters 2. Meteorological:
Types and Consequences of Natural • Tropical Cyclones: Intense rotating
and Environmental storms known as hurricanes,
Disasters/Hazards typhoons, and cyclones, bringing
1. Geophysical damaging winds, storm surges, and
2. Meteorological heavy rainfall.
3. Hydrological • Tornadoes: Violent, rotating columns
4. Climatological of air with destructive winds, causing
5. Biological localized damage and injuries.
2. Man-Made Disaster • Floods: Excessive water overflows
1. Terrorism exceeding normal riverbanks or
2. Technological coastlines, leading to property
3. Induced disasters (catastrophic damage, infrastructure disruption,
climate change, nuclear war, and and potential loss of life.
bioterrorism)
3. Hydrological:
Disaster Concepts and Types: • Droughts: Long periods of abnormally
Understanding the Threats We Face low rainfall, impacting water
Whether through the raw power of availability and leading to
nature or the unintended consequences agricultural losses and economic
of human actions, disasters disrupt our hardship.
lives in profound ways. This • Tsunamis: Giant waves generated by
comprehensive handout explores the underwater earthquakes, volcanic
different types of disasters and their eruptions, or landslides, potentially
potential consequences, helping you causing coastal devastation.
understand the threats we face and
navigate ways to prepare and build 4. Climatological:
resilience. • Heatwaves: Prolonged periods of
abnormally high temperatures,
Types of Disasters: posing health risks and impacting
A. Natural Disasters: These agriculture and ecosystems.
phenomena arise from natural processes • Wildfires: Uncontrolled fires
and can unleash immense destructive spreading through vegetation,
power. Some key types include: potentially destroying forests,
1. Geophysical: homes, and property.
• Earthquakes: Violent shaking of the
earth's crust, causing widespread 5. Biological:
damage and casualties. • Epidemics: Outbreaks of infectious
• Volcanic Eruptions: Expulsion of diseases affecting large populations,
molten lava, ash, and gas from posing challenges to healthcare
volcanoes, potentially triggering systems and public health.
tsunamis and ashfall devastation. • Pests and Disease: Infestation of
crops or livestock by pests or
 outbreaks of plant or animal Understanding the various types of
diseases, impacting food security and disasters and their potential
livelihoods. consequences is crucial for preparing,
mitigating risks, and building resilient
communities. By staying informed, being
prepared, and working together, we can
better navigate the challenges of our
ever-changing world. Remember,
B. Man-made Disasters: knowledge is power.
These disasters result from human
activity or negligence, potentially
causing significant harm and disruption. Additional Resources:
Common types include: • Federal Emergency Management
1. Technological: Agency
• Industrial Accidents: Failures in (FEMA): https://www.fema.gov/:
industrial processes or infrastructure, https://www.fema.gov/
leading to explosions, fires, toxic • Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/:
spills, and environmental damage. https://www.ready.gov/
• Transportation Accidents: Crashes • World Health Organization (WHO):
involving planes, trains, ships, or
automobiles, potentially causing Environmental Disasters and
casualties and property damage. Emergencies
• Nuclear Accidents: Release of A. Environmental Emergencies
radioactive material from nuclear Environmental Disasters and
power plants or weapons, posing Emergencies: Protecting Our Planet and
long-term health and environmental Ourselves: Our planet is home to a
risks. complex web of interconnected
ecosystems, but human activities can
2. Terrorism: disrupt this delicate balance, leading to
Intentional use of violence or threats to environmental emergencies and
achieve political, religious, or ideological disasters.
goals, causing A. Environmental Emergencies:
destruction and casualties. These are sudden, often localized events
that pose immediate danger to public
3. Induced Disasters: health and the environment. Some key
Catastrophic events with long-term examples include:
consequences and potential cascading • Chemical spills: Accidental release
effects, often linked to human activities. of toxic chemicals from industrial
These include: facilities, transportation accidents, or
• Climate Change: Gradual warming of natural disasters.
the planet's climate due to human • Oil spills: Discharge of oil into
emissions, leading to rising sea waterbodies, causing ecological
levels, extreme weather events, and damage and threatening coastal
ecosystem disruptions. communities.
• Nuclear War: Devastating conflict • Radiation releases: Accidental or
involving the use of nuclear weapons, intentional release of radioactive
causing widespread destruction and material from nuclear power plants
long-term radiation risks. or accidents.
• Bioterrorism: Intentional release of • Water contamination: Pollution of
biological agents to cause harm to drinking water sources through
humans, animals, or crops. toxins, pathogens, or industrial
waste.
• Air pollution spikes: Extreme increasing cancer risks and genetic
events like wildfires or industrial mutations.
malfunctions lead to hazardous air 8. Water: Depletion of groundwater
quality. resources, increasing droughts and
water scarcity, leading to agricultural
B. Environmental Disasters and economic challenges.
1. Air Pollutants
2. Chemical Spills Protecting Ourselves and the
3. Land, Waste, and Brownfields Environment: Understanding these
4. Mold threats is crucial for proactive action.
5. Oil Spills Here are some ways you can contribute:
6. Pesticides • Reduce your environmental
7. Radiation Release footprint: Minimize waste, conserve
8. Water water and energy, and choose
sustainable products.
• Stay informed: Follow
Environmental Disasters: These are environmental news and reports to
large-scale, long-term disruptions to stay updated on potential risks in
ecosystems with far-reaching your area.
consequences. Some key types include: • Report potential issues: Notify
1. Air Pollution: Chronic exposure to authorities about environmental
pollutants like particulate matter, violations or suspected
ozone, and greenhouse gases lead to contamination.
respiratory problems, cardiovascular • Support environmental
issues, and climate change. organizations: Volunteer your time
2. Chemical Spills: Long-term or donate to organizations working to
contamination of soil and water protect our planet.
sources by heavy metals, pesticides, • Advocate for change: Encourage
and industrial waste damages policymakers to implement stricter
ecosystems and threatens human environmental regulations and
health. support sustainable practices.
3. Land, Waste, and Brownfields: By working together, we can mitigate
Improper waste disposal, the impact of environmental
deforestation, and unsustainable land emergencies and disasters, building a
use practices deplete soil fertility, healthier planet for generations to come.
disrupt biodiversity, and contaminate Remember, a healthy environment is
water sources. crucial for our own well-being. Let's take
4. Mold: Growth of toxic mold in homes action today to protect it.
and buildings due to moisture Additional Resources:
exposure can cause respiratory • Environmental Protection Agency
problems and serious health issues. (EPA): https://www.epa.gov/:
5. Oil Spills: Long-term impact on https://www.epa.gov/
marine ecosystems, affecting food • World Health Organization (WHO):
chains and causing economic losses https://www.who.int/:
for coastal communities. https://www.who.int/
6. Pesticides: Excessive use of • United Nations Environment
pesticides disrupts natural pest Programme
control mechanisms, contaminates (UNEP): https://www.unep.org/:
food sources, and harms biodiversity. https://www.unep.org/
7. Radiation Release: Long-term
effects of radiation exposure on 1. Biological and Chemical Threats
human health and the environment, 1. Terrorism
2. Chemical Terrorism b. Tissue (Blood) Agents: These
3. Delivery of Chemical Agents damage tissues and organs,
a. Nerve Agents including the circulatory system.
b. Tissue (Blood) Agents Examples include mustard gas and
c. Lung Irritants cyanide.
d. Vesicants c. Lung Irritants: These cause
4. Bioterrorism inflammation and irritation of the
5. Sabotage (Food and Water lungs, making breathing difficult.
Contamination) Examples include chlorine and
phosgene.
Biological and Chemical Threats: d. Vesicants: These cause blistering
Understanding the Dangers and and burns on the skin and eyes.
Protecting Yourself: The intentional use Examples include mustard gas and
of biological and chemical agents to lewisite.
harm humans, animals, or the 4. Bioterrorism: This involves the
environment poses a significant threat in intentional release of biological
today's world. agents, such as bacteria, viruses, or
1. Terrorism: involves the use of toxins, to cause illness or death.
violence or intimidation to achieve Bioterrorism agents can be highly
political, religious, or ideological contagious and spread quickly
goals. Terrorists can use chemical through airborne, waterborne, or
and biological agents to cause foodborne transmission.
widespread fear, chaos, and 5. Sabotage (Food and Water
casualties. Contamination): Intentional
2. Chemical Terrorism: This involves poisoning of food and water supplies
the intentional release of toxic pose a serious threat to public health
chemicals to harm humans, animals, and safety. This can be done through
or the environment. Chemical agents chemical or biological contamination,
can be colorless, odorless, and making it vital to be vigilant about
tasteless, making them difficult to food and water sources in times of
detect and increasing the danger potential threats.
they pose.
3. Delivery of Chemical Agents: Protecting Yourself:
Terrorists can utilize various methods • Stay informed: Monitor news and
to deliver chemical agents, including: official alerts for potential threats in
• Aerosols: Sprays or mists that your area.
release the agent into the air, making • Know the signs and symptoms:
it easily inhaled by victims. Familiarize yourself with the common
• Liquids: Spilled or sprayed liquids symptoms of exposure to different
can contaminate surfaces and be chemical or biological agents.
absorbed through skin contact. • Have an emergency plan: Develop a
• Solids: Powders or pellets can be plan with your family or community
dispersed into the air or mixed with for responding to potential threats.
food or water. • Practice good hygiene: Wash your
Understanding the different types of hands frequently and avoid contact
chemical agents and their effects is with potentially contaminated
crucial for early detection and response: surfaces.
a. Nerve Agents: These rapidly attack • Report suspicious activity: If you
the nervous system, leading to notice anything unusual or
paralysis, respiratory failure, and suspicious, report it to the authorities
death. Examples include sarin, VX, immediately.
and tabun.
Remember, knowledge is power. By categorizes biological agents based on
understanding the risks and taking their severity, ease of dissemination, and
precautions, we can better protect potential for disruption. This system
ourselves and our communities from helps guide public health and safety
biological and chemical threats. measures.
A. Category A Agents:
Additional Resources: • Pose the highest risk: They are easily
• Centers for Disease Control and disseminated, causing severe illness
Prevention or death in humans, animals, or
(CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/: plants, and require significant public
https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/ health intervention.
• World Health Organization (WHO): • Examples: Anthrax, Botulinum toxin,
https://www.who.int/: Plague, Tularemia, Smallpox, Viral
https://www.who.int/ Hemorrhagic Fevers (e.g., Ebola,
• Federal Emergency Management Marburg), Nipah virus.
Agency B. Category B Agents:
(FEMA): https://www.fema.gov/: • Pose a moderate risk: They are
https://www.fema.gov/ moderately easy to disseminate and
• Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/: cause disease in humans, animals, or
https://www.ready.gov/ plants. May require specific public
health interventions.
Biological Agents of Concern • Examples: Brucellosis, Epsilon toxin,
Classification of Biological Agents of Ricin, Salmonella typhi, Shigella
Concern dysenteriae type 1, Staphylococcal
A. Category A Agents enterotoxin B.
B. Category B Agents C. Category C Agents:
C. Category C Agents • Pose a low risk: They have largely
emerged from nature, require
Biosafety Laboratory Classifications: specific modes of transmission, and
1. Anthrax do not cause extensive community
2. Botulism illness.
3. Plague • Examples: Burkholderia pseudomallei
4. Tularemia (Melioidosis), SARS coronavirus,
5. Smallpox Toxoplasma gondii.
6. Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
7. COVID-19 Biosafety Laboratory Classifications:
Biosafety laboratories are designed to
Biological Agents of Concern: contain and control biological agents,
Understanding the Threat and Protecting protecting personnel and the
Ourselves: Biological agents, including environment. The level of biosafety
bacteria, viruses, and toxins, can pose a required depends on the agent's risk
significant threat to public health and level:
security. While the vast majority of • Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1):
organisms are harmless, certain Equivalent to working with non-
biological agents raise concerns due to pathogenic organisms, requiring
their potential for rapid and widespread basic precautions like handwashing.
transmission, high mortality rates, and • Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2): For
ease of dissemination. moderate-risk agents, requiring
additional precautions like personal
Classification of Biological Agents of protective equipment and controlled
Concern: The Centers for Disease access.
Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3): For Remember, knowledge is power. By
high-risk agents, requiring advanced understanding the risks associated with
safety measures like airlocks, biological agents and taking proper
dedicated ventilation systems, and precautions, we can contribute to a safer
specialized training. and healthier environment for everyone.
• Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4): For the
most dangerous agents, requiring Additional Resources:
stringent measures like positive • Centers for Disease Control and
pressure suits and separate air Prevention
supply for personnel. (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/:
https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/
Understanding the specific agents • World Health Organization (WHO):
included in each category and their https://www.who.int/:
characteristics is crucial for effective risk https://www.who.int/
assessment and preparedness: • Federal Emergency Management
1. Anthrax: Spore-forming bacteria Agency
causing severe respiratory, (FEMA): https://www.fema.gov/:
gastrointestinal, or cutaneous illness. https://www.fema.gov/
2. Botulism: Toxin produced by • Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/:
bacteria causing muscle paralysis https://www.ready.gov/
and respiratory failure.
3. Plague: Bacteria carried by rodents
and fleas, causing pneumonic,
bubonic, or septicemic plague.
4. Tularemia: Bacteria transmitted by
infected animals, causing fever,
swollen lymph nodes, and ulceration.
5. Smallpox: Eradicated virus, but
stockpiles remain, causing pustular
rash and high mortality.
6. Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers: Diverse
group of viruses causing fever,
bleeding, and organ failure.
7. COVID-19: Highly contagious
respiratory virus causing fever,
cough, and shortness of breath.

Protecting Yourself:
• Practice good hygiene: Wash your
hands frequently and avoid contact
with potentially infected individuals
or animals.
• Stay informed: Follow news and
official alerts for outbreaks or
potential threats.
• Get vaccinated: Vaccines are
available for some biological agents,
like smallpox and anthrax.
• Report suspicious activity: If you
notice something unusual or
suspicious, report it to the authorities
immediately.