Lucas Skiba

3/30/16

GEOG 030

Lesson #8

Vulnerability Reduction

            I am from Boalsburg; Pennsylvania it is right outside State College. The town is pretty safe up here in the northeast according to the Nathan World Map of Natural Disasters. The only thing that can effect us majorly is increasing heavy rain or hail storms. I have lived here all my life and, from what I’ve experienced the natural disasters I’ve stated are probably the most damage causing environmental problems around here. We are not close enough to the shore/east coast to feel the effects of a hurricane or rising sea levels. If sea level rises or a major hurricane hits the east coast people/population will move inland. I think the Nathan World Map of Natural Disasters is accurate for countries and the big picture but it doesn’t seem to get the very fine details of each state and city.

A current disaster near Virginia caught my eye. Power Outages are probably the least death consuming natural disaster, but they still effect a large area of land. “Thousands of Dominion Power customers were without in Loudoun County overnight. Most of the affected customers were in the area between Purcellville and Leesburg. The outages were down to about 50 customers as of 5 a.m. Wednesday. More than 23,000 were originally without power around 10 p.m. Thursday. Dominion Power told WTOP they believed the problem was related to an “underground cable issue” (RSOE EDIS 2016). This small natural disaster could happen any where I believe and has actually happened in my home town. It usually is caused by storms, extreme winds, floods, heavy rain, etc. Depending on the grid of the power or the electricity plant this event could effect up to an entire city or town. The scale is important because it all depends on the size of the energy grid. I would say the elderly are the most vulnerable during power outages because they can’t move or see as well, and everyone needs light to see. I would say back up generators or excessive amounts of candles are a good way to reduce vulnerability and complete darkness.

I can say I have experienced flooding in State College and power outages as well and I think these are the most hazardous natural disasters that could happen to my home town. Here is a link to video that was taken from June 27, 2013 from downtown State College of an increase of heavy rain, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-JSt-FhqaA). Natural hazards such as heavy rain, flooding, and power outages are serious because it is much harder to obtain important substances such as food, water, shelter, light, dryness, etc. I believe such disaster is harder for elderly people because it is almost as if they are stuck in the location that they live in. This is why flooding and power outages are a natural disaster.

There are a few things that you can do to prepare for such natural disasters. One is build better drainage system for your town, second is to make sure you have back up power especially in places that have elderly, and to establish better facilities/homes that can withstand flooding. The best possible people to overcome these kinds of obstacles would be local authorities, community, FEMA, etc. Basically in any natural disaster all you can do is prepare for the worst. Be educated in any natural disasters that could happen near you and be ready for the worst outcome.

Bibliography/Citation List:

1. GEOG 030 Lesson #8 (2015). Retrieved March 30, 2016. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/375

2. Nathan World Map of Natural Hazards (2011). Retrieved March 30, 2016. https://www.munichre.com/site/corporate/get/documents/mr/assetpool.shared/Documents/0_Corporate%20Website/_Publications/302-05972_en.pdf

3. Emergency and Disaster Information Service, (RSOE EDIS), (2016). Retrieved March 31, 2016. http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php

4. Flash Flooding in State College, PA (YouTube), (6/27/13). Retrieved March 31, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-JSt-FhqaA