Analysis of Disaster Management by Focusing Mainly on Volcanic Hazard - Essay Example

REFLECTIVE ESSAY By Name Course Instructor Institution City/State Date Reflective Essay Introduction On the positive side, I have learnt that volcanoes are advantageous to humans staying near them since they offer valuable minerals as well as water reservoirs, produce fertile soil, scenic beauty, and offer geothermal resources (Rose, 2006, p.162). However, volcanoes are exceedingly dangerous. In the nearby school that I voluntarily teach part-time about volcanic hazard, students always ask me lots of questions ranging from where an individual can go so as to be secure in case a volcano erupts to various types of volcanic hazards that they may experience. Without a doubt such questions are not easy to answer for the reason that there are various forms of volcanic eruptions that generate various forms of volcanic hazards. As stated by Haslam (2001, p.1469), individuals acknowledged as leaders normally have personalities suggestive of the capability to command, and such personalities include desire to lead, intelligence, self-confidence, as well as exceptional abilities in technical areas. However, while teaching about volcanic hazard I realized that leadership as well needs being a good member of the team as well as sustaining others trust. In this case, the natural gifts of a person cannot single-handedly facilitate him/her become a leader, rather the capabilities of the person has to match certain needs of the organization and integrate perfectly with its culture and history. As indicated by Greenwald (2007, p.224), there are diverse types of leaders, a number of them carrying out routine organizational tasks while others are directing the organization through enormous changes. I noted that, the behavior as well as the outlook of followers assists in determining whether a leader is an effective performer. In this regard, students (followers) contributed through being neither supportive nor consistently critical of the teacher’s (leader) objectives, methods, and outlook. In this reflective essay, using a structured approach reflects upon my experiences of leadership and followership I analyze disaster management by focusing mainly on the volcanic hazard. Description To enable students clearly understand volcanic hazard, I first introduced them to the two forms of volcanoes, shield volcanoes as well as stratovolcanoes, which includes formation of the volcanoes and explaining their basic composition as well as structure (Papale, 2014, p.327). The main objective of the unit was to offer my students with an information basis concerning various types of volcanoes by concentrating on the explosive volcanoes, giving reasons why they are explosive, in addition to their properties. During the lessons, I always encouraged students to ask questions and engage in discussions during presentations so as to address existing fallacies. To make certain students have understood, I made them take part in experiments and hands-on activities all through the unit. Besides that, we always collectively identified the structural features of the volcanoes through the application of viscosity and composition. For instance, the students analyse the shield volcano through slide showing features and after that I ask them to describe the shape, size, rock colour, as well as how explosive that volcano seems to be. In this case, I expected them to hypothesize the igneous composition of the volcano) and if the magma was viscous enough to generate a magnitude of eruption/structure. This is enhanced by utilisation of various pictures and multimedia such as clips and videos of real-world volcanic occurrences and numerous analogue illustrations to teach and illustrate about processes of volcano. To create a real-world experience, I took the students on a field study to a nearby mountain, which I perceived would be a valuable constructive addition to the unit. Effective leadership was needed to make the field study effective bearing in mind that field study is most helpful when objectives of the education are clearly recognised and the activities are designed or constructed so as to achieve such objectives (Robertson et al., 2015, p.174). Feelings It has come to my attention that, even though volcanic eruptions are more foreseeable than earthquakes, very little can be done to alter or prevent the hazardous events from taking place. As mentioned by Prentice (2006), people can infrequently have control over the diversion of lake gas, lahars as well as lava flows, but man cannot stop fountaining, pyroclastic flows, ash fall, lahars, and lava eruptions from occurring. I understand that it is how the volcanic risk is reduced to persons living close to an active volcano that is the key volcanic hazard management strategy. But still, I believe that to address possible disaster operation management mitigation strategies and actions in volcanic areas that are prone to risk, a novel approach is required, beginning with the thought that the collective impacts offered by an intricate eruptive scenario generate exceedingly inconstant territorial impacts. For this reason, the decision-makers must assess the dynamic variations of the system status based on the volcanic crisis (Zuccaro & Leone, 2011). In my view, a risk assessment that is dependent on time is needed, together with the revising of the variation laws governing the status alongside the time history presumed for the numerous included systems, like social preparedness as well as the likelihood of ruthless responses of the people; of health system, treatment time, and capability; susceptibility of the systems of information and media management; vulnerability of roads network; efficiency of rescue system; and buildings’ vulnerability (Zuccaro & Leone, 2011). Evaluation As defined by Alcántara-Ayala and Goudie (2010, p.13), a volcanic hazard connotes any volcanic process such as pyroclastic flows, lava flows, or ash fall that is potentially dangerous. Moreover, a volcanic risk is described as possible damage or loss caused by volcanic hazard, which may be experienced by people or property, or that negatively affects the sustainability or ability of the population to produce. In my knowledge, risk involves not only the possible human or monetary losses, but as well entails vulnerability of the population. Basically, volcanic eruptions may be categorized into two: eruption that are explosive, like that at Mount St. Helens, as well as eruptions that are effusive, like in Hawaii (Ball, 2009). While teaching, I came to realize that Kilauea Volcano is the world’s most active volcano, and although it is a non-explosive volcano, numerous accounts of explosive eruption have been witnessed at the volcano. According to Michigan Technological University (2001), eruptions of Kilauea Volcano usually lead to lava flows, lava fountains, as well as spatter cones. Flood Basalts is another form of non-explosive volcanism, and lava flowing from this kind of eruption is extruded from fractures and an enormous area is covered by the lava flows. Even though the abovementioned non-explosive eruptions are not exceeding dangerous form of volcanic eruption, they are still hazardous because people are killed by them and also they have demoralizing consequences. Still, scores of volcanic eruptions are naturally explosive, and in consequence, they produce fragmental rocks from surrounding country rock as well as erupting lava (Michigan Technological University, 2001). A number of eruptions are extremely explosive, and as a result, generate a fine volcanic ash which rises lots of kilometers in huge eruption pillars into the atmosphere. Moreover, explosive activities as well result in debris avalanches, pyroclastic flows, ash fall, landslides, lahars, ad pyroclastic surges. While teaching I realised that the leadership roles in teaching involved perfuming requisite functions. The schools could handle routine matters frequently, but some events such as field study demanded leadership. Most schools have roles’ integrated systems, which are supported by culture, but in my case I determined how and when to use certain resources accessible under such systems. Leading the students in the field study necessitated me to assess how well the students as followers could cooperate and collaborate to realise the study objectives. In this case, I took the initiative of exercising oversight as well as creating policies that every student had to follow. As indicated by Greenwald (2007, p.225), leaders express the purpose of the organisation and frequently the aspirations as well as values of its members. The geography field study to a nearby mountain offered my students with a chance to become ‘individually’ engaged in their learning by means of such practical applications in the field as well as hand-on experiences. It is not easy to make students understand the magnitude of an issue devoid of including educational opportunities that facilitate them to apply principles, practice, as well as improve their skills. For this reason, the geography field study offered valuable experiences that enabled the student clearly understand volcanic hazard and the possible mitigation measures that they can implement in case a nearby mountain that is volcanic active or inactive erupts (Gerber & Chuan, 2000, p.143). Analysis Basically, leadership theory is crucial, but as mentioned by Bolden et al. (2003), for a leader to be successful, he/she must sometimes be a follower. In this regard, the concepts of leadership and followership must be integrated together since conflict management, decision-making, as well as resolving problems of interpersonal communication are all part of leadership and followership (Daft, 2007, p.57). Persons understanding their own styles of leadership and inborn strengths and weaknesses are more effective management teams members. While teaching, I realised that teachers in leadership roles have to work effectively with students. As mentioned by Campbell and Kinion (1993, p.138), one can succeed in organizational decision-making when they learn to work with persons having same styles of leadership as well as followership and with conflicting perspectives. I realised that field activities offer students a rare opportunity to view the world realities for themselves. Managing their activities require some leadership considering that they work collectively as a group. Rather than just simply seeing pictures or videos of active volcanoes, they individually experience the surroundings, relating to it directly, working with experts in that field, and getting firsthand information of the hazards posed by active volcanoes. In my understanding, seeing the world as well as life first-hand facilitates a stronger knowledge of world, its relationships as well as workings. So the geography field study, supported the past classroom lessons and brought an improved level of believing as well as realism. It is not simple to understand a problem without being directly exposed to the ideas and concepts manifestations. When I took the students in an environment of an active volcano the felt the significance of understanding its hazardous impacts as well as its dynamics and this was facilitated by their senses of sight and hearing. Creating understanding about volcano hazard to the students was not a simple task, and thanks to some of my leadership traits I managed to enlighten them progressively from both a theoretical and practical perspective. With eruptions in Mount Pinatubo as well as Mount St. Helens, scores of developments have been made to improve prediction of eruption. Volcanoes challenges appear to be the same between volcanoes, however as mentioned by Connor et al. (2009, p.50), all volcanoes behaves in a different way and with different set of hazards. That is why I saw it was imperative to teach the local students about the volcanoes as well as the possible mitigation measures, which may be utilized in case it occurs. Evidently, scores of active volcanoes close to areas that are populated have not been adequately studied in order to evaluate the risk. Scientists study volcanoes by mapping past deposits of the volcanoes and through satellites to investigate ash clouds, volcanic features, as well as gas emissions. They as well monitor ground deformation, seismic activity, as well as geoelectrical, thermal, gravimetric, and geomagnetic, changes at an active volcano. Furthermore, they examine and monitor the temperature, volcanic gases, sediment transport, and flow rate close to the volcano. In my view, by studying the deposits of the volcanic, scientists may generate hazard maps, which point out the types of hazards that should be anticipated in a particular area. As stated by Michigan Technological University (2001), dating of such volcanic deposits assists in determining how frequently an eruption can take place and the annual likelihood of an eruption. Volcano monitoring for a longer duration is helpful in indicating volcano changes prior to the eruptions, and such changes assist in forecasting when an eruption can take place and in formulating measures to overcome the hazards. Conclusion In conclusion, I have argued that volcanic eruption is the most predictable, but violent and dramatic hazardous agents of change. Eruptions results in deaths, and also force people residing close to volcanoes to leave their homes and land. I have realised that it is vital to teach people about volcanic hazards and possible mitigation options in case of an occurrence, and to make the students understand, field study is imperative. All this needed some traits of leadership. References Alcántara-Ayala, I. & Goudie, A.S., 2010. Geomorphological Hazards and Disaster Prevention. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. Ball, J., 2009. Types of Volcanic Eruptions. [Online] Available at: http://geology.com/volcanoes/types-of-volcanic-eruptions/ [Accessed 25 April 2015]. Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A. & Dennison, P., 2003. A Review Of Leadership Theory And Competency Frameworks White Paper. Exeter, UK: University of Exeter Centre for Le. Campbell, J. & Kinion, E., 1993. Teaching leadership/followership to RN-to-MSN students. Journal of Nursing Education, vol. 32, no. 3, pp.138-40. Connor, C.B., Chapman, N.A. & Connor, L.J., 2009. Volcanic and Tectonic Hazard Assessment for Nuclear Facilities. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. Daft, R., 2007. The Leadership Experience. New York: Cengage Learning. Gerber, R. & Chuan, G.K., 2000. Fieldwork in Geography: Reflections, Perspectives and Actions. New York: Springer Science & Business Media. Greenwald, H.P., 2007. Organizations: Management Without Control. London: SAGE Publications. Haslam, S.A., 2001. The Link between Leadership and Followership: How Affirming Social Identity Translates Vision into Action. Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 27, no. 11, pp.1469-1479. Michigan Technological University, 2001. Volcanic Hazards. [Online] Available at: http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/hazards/primer/ [Accessed 25 April 2015]. Papale, P., 2014. Volcanic Hazards, Risks and Disasters. New York: Academic Press. Prentice, L., 2006. Volcanic Hazard Management. [Online] Available at: http://www.explorevolcanoes.com/volcanic%20hazard%20management.html [Accessed 25 April 2015]. Robertson, M., Lawrence, R. & Heath, G., 2015. Experiencing the Outdoors: Enhancing Strategies for Wellbeing. New York: Springer. Rose, W.I., 2006. Volcanic Hazards in Central America. Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. Zuccaro, G. & Leone, M., 2011. Volcanic Crisis Management and Mitigation Strategies: A Multi-Risk Framework Case Study. [Online] Available at: http://earthzine.org/2011/03/21/volcanic-crisis-management-and-mitigation-strategies-a-multi-risk-framework-case-study/ [Accessed 25 April 2015]. Read More