[Ar.Jitendra Singh]

Architects make structures that house human being. Estimated life of a building is about 100 years. A building, if not designed and executed properly, may affect the welfare of the persons living in it or around the same. A structure that does not become a hazard to the residents in and around it can largely be avoided by design and taking other preventive exercises and measures.

It is true that ‘every coin has two faces’. The same is true for many of our technological inventions. Electricity for example is an accepted part of life and many developed countries cannot imagine that there would be no electricity because they have forgotten the days when there used to be the load shedding and the supply was not regular. This is also a fact that in such countries where major public activities take place underground, such as tube railways running in three layers under the surface of the ground, if electricity run ventilation system fails, majority of the passengers shall die of suffocation. There are many ‘fires’, within and outside of the buildings that are attributed to ‘electrical faults’, though the ‘fault’ may be in design, execution or misuse. As such electricity while has become an essential part of life may result into hazards leading to disaster. Similar is the case of many other inventions.

We need to take all the precautions in design, follow all the standards developed in recent past and execute the projects with due care and diligence so that the hazardous effects could be minimized. This needs constant reminder that every things of which we have become used to, should not be taken for granted. If it is done, it might result in disaster.

[sumit_kuntal]

Disaster preparedness
These activities are designed to minimise loss of life and damage – for example by removing people and property from a threatened location and by facilitating timely and effective rescue, relief and rehabilitation. Preparedness is the main way of reducing the impact of disasters. Community-based preparedness and management should be a high priority in physical therapy practice management.


Disaster relief
This is a coordinated multi-agency response to reduce the impact of a disaster and its long-term results. Relief activities include rescue, relocation, providing food and water, preventing disease and disability, repairing vital services such as telecommunications and transport, providing temporary shelter and emergency health care.


Disaster recovery
Once emergency needs have been met and the initial crisis is over, the people affected and the communities that support them are still vulnerable. Recovery activities include rebuilding infrastructure, health care and rehabilitation. These should blend with development activities, such as building human resources for health and developing policies and practices to avoid similar situations in future.