Comments on: Avoiding Future Disasters http://xrdarabia.org/2009/12/07/avoiding-future-disasters/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Fri, 25 May 2012 21:12:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: olivetheoil http://xrdarabia.org/2009/12/07/avoiding-future-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-25766 olivetheoil Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:29:16 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=9399#comment-25766 The author is sadly optimistic about flood-preparedness in India. Many a times have I slogged through water-logged streets prodding ahead with a stick to detect open drain covers..... Though, to be fair, a disaster of this magnitude would likely have resulted in the responsible state government being thrown out of power with a week. The author is sadly optimistic about flood-preparedness in India. Many a times have I slogged through water-logged streets prodding ahead with a stick to detect open drain covers…..

Though, to be fair, a disaster of this magnitude would likely have resulted in the responsible state government being thrown out of power with a week.

]]> By: Chiara http://xrdarabia.org/2009/12/07/avoiding-future-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-25759 Chiara Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:42:39 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=9399#comment-25759 PS: the story of an autistic 7 year old rescued from the woods north of Sydney Nova Scotia, after going missing with his dog, for 2 days, and being caught in a snow blizzard. Multiple search and rescue and relief teams were involved, including his dog's role in making his way back home, such that they could trace the dog's path back to the boy: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/12/07/ns-delorey-monday.html http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/autistic-boy-found-after-two-nights-in-ns-woods/article1391442/ It shows the value of having multiple levels of resources, municipal, regional and national, and highly trained ones, including those with cues on how to deal with an non-verbal autistic child, and how to predict the behaviour and distance travelled of a 7 year old boy. PS: the story of an autistic 7 year old rescued from the woods north of Sydney Nova Scotia, after going missing with his dog, for 2 days, and being caught in a snow blizzard. Multiple search and rescue and relief teams were involved, including his dog’s role in making his way back home, such that they could trace the dog’s path back to the boy:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/12/07/ns-delorey-monday.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/autistic-boy-found-after-two-nights-in-ns-woods/article1391442/

It shows the value of having multiple levels of resources, municipal, regional and national, and highly trained ones, including those with cues on how to deal with an non-verbal autistic child, and how to predict the behaviour and distance travelled of a 7 year old boy.

]]> By: Chiara http://xrdarabia.org/2009/12/07/avoiding-future-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-25757 Chiara Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:30:15 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=9399#comment-25757 Excellent article thanks. He closes with a rainbow of hope in the form of King Abdullah's orders, and the words transparency and accountability. In fact, Saudi is capable of being proactive as with H1N1 and the hajj, preventive strategies and treatment facilities were put in place to avoid disaster and deal with the potential victims should they fall ill. Similarly it would seem that Saudi has sufficient trained engineers, physicians, urban planners, etc to be able to put in place the type of disaster management programs and preventive infrastructures he is describing. The problem as he stated is the will to follow through on the plans in a transparent, responsible, and accountable fashion. Hopefully, King Abdullah is providing an infusion of this will. Not to mention, a certain amount of international shame over the events. One other point, it is not as if emergency trained personal are on autopilot, we are. Which is why the training has to be current and drilled so you can do it in your sleep to the highest standard possible, which is often exactly what happens. You are awakened from sleep to handle something and you have to start initiating the appropriate response before you are even fully awake. Excellent article thanks. He closes with a rainbow of hope in the form of King Abdullah’s orders, and the words transparency and accountability.

In fact, Saudi is capable of being proactive as with H1N1 and the hajj, preventive strategies and treatment facilities were put in place to avoid disaster and deal with the potential victims should they fall ill.

Similarly it would seem that Saudi has sufficient trained engineers, physicians, urban planners, etc to be able to put in place the type of disaster management programs and preventive infrastructures he is describing. The problem as he stated is the will to follow through on the plans in a transparent, responsible, and accountable fashion. Hopefully, King Abdullah is providing an infusion of this will. Not to mention, a certain amount of international shame over the events.

One other point, it is not as if emergency trained personal are on autopilot, we are. Which is why the training has to be current and drilled so you can do it in your sleep to the highest standard possible, which is often exactly what happens. You are awakened from sleep to handle something and you have to start initiating the appropriate response before you are even fully awake.

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