Learning from Earthquakes and Hurricanes

Answer the following questions after you complete chapter 2, “Learning from Earthquakes and Hurricanes”.  Then respond to two classmate’s posts once I submit this discussion post. Will have 12 hours to respond to classmates.

Part 1: What is the difference between hazard mitigation and disaster response policies? Are both types of policies just as important or is one more crucial then the other?  Explain your response and your reasoning.

Part 2: What are the differences between hurricanes and earthquakes in terms of public involvement, interest group mobilization, governmental interest/agenda, and ultimately policy formation? How does Birkland use Congressional testimony  between 1990-2002 to support his argument about the latter?

POST

Thank Ryan, here’s the classmate’s post.  I have until 11pm pacific time today to respond. Maria Merino MartinezYesterdayNov 7 at 7:40pmManage Discussion EntryPart 1: Hazard mitigation is a form of prevention measures in order to reduce the consequences of a disaster as much as possible. The preference for policies “that employ land-use controls, improved building codes, or actuarially sound insurance programs” (Birkland ,p. 106). Long and short term solutions are thought out by government entities that support litigation dealing with natural disasters. As for disaster response policies, the government focuses on the aftermath of the event and how to reconstruct the affected area; little to no focus on the next disaster is spoken about. Both policies are important but the contradictions of the hazard mitigation policies dealing with funds opposes their core values. There has been no hazardous mitigation policymaking that has been made into law and many of its goals to financially assist potential targeted areas have been overshadowed by FEMA. The support for hazardous mitigation policy is limited because of the lack of “broad-based public interest groups”(Birkland, p.126). These interest groups would demand prevention strategies but no representative have spoken out about prevention matters. Part 2: First of all, the coverage of hurricanes is more prominent than the coverage of earthquakes. The public involvement is influenced by the media when it comes to covering earthquakes, they most likely all end up causing damages to the area but hurricanes might not. An earthquake can be measured by the magnitude scale and the media coverage would be greater and bring more viewers or readers would would be interesting in knowing about the damages it caused people. Also, when it comes to representatives to turn up in front of a committee, earthquake experts have a higher chance to promote their opinion if earthquake mitigation is on an agenda. As for the Congressional testimony used by Birkland to argue his position, he used a constructive coding scheme and how it selects those who will testify. Birkland also noted the appearance of those called to testify would rather speak about relief and recovery plans than talk about mitigation strategies. Yevangelina PoghosyanYesterdayNov 7 at 9:13pmManage Discussion EntryHi Everyone, Part 1: What is the difference between hazard mitigation and disaster response policies? Are both types of policies just as important or is one more crucial then the other?  Explain your response and your reasoning. Ultimately the difference between hazard/disaster mitigation and response policies is simply in timing. Hazard mitigation occurs before any given disaster and it is thus the attempt to not only prevent, if possible, and to “lessen the impact of a natural disaster”. Birkland lists mitigation methods such as building levees, dams, replenishing beach sand as short-term while others like earthquake predictions are longer-term solutions. Meanwhile, disaster responses include things like relief measures and are overall just attempts to address disasters that have already happened. This is not the goal of disaster policy according to Birkland who asserts that mitigation is crucial as it would, obviously, result in less damage and potentially less loss of life. I completely agree, if you can prevent or at least lessen the effects of a natural disaster, you, as a government have the responsibility to do so.Part 2: What are the differences between hurricanes and earthquakes in terms of public involvement, interest group mobilization, governmental interest/agenda, and ultimately policy formation? How does Birkland use Congressional testimony between 1990-2002 to support his argument about the latter? Birkland draws the difference between earthquakes and hurricanes in that hurricanes are only really covered by the media when there is one coming or has already happened, whereas in terms of earthquakes, discussion regarding prevention and prediction. He points out that there doesn’t seem to be a lot of science or government interference in hurricanes as opposed to earthquakes where mitigation is a key component that is highly researched. Birkland demonstrated in the Congressional testimony between 1990-2002 that disasters like hurricanes are a lot more event driven and dependent in compassion to earthquakes.