Environmental Assessment Of Environmental And Preparedness Assessment

Pollution continues to pose an enormous threat to residents of urban cities worldwide. In the August 2008 Monthly Update, it is stated that approximately 800,000 deaths each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, making pollution the single most harmful environmental hazard to human health in urban areas (Kallman). The fact that pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people each year alone portrays just how dangerous living in these conditions can be. Kallman writes about a study which proves an increase in upper respiratory diseases, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and low birth weights when exposed to air pollutants (August 2008: Monthly Update). These can be very serious diseases and complications which, when contracted, can lead to death or very serious illnesses. There

Assess the potential environmental impact of a proposed construction project on the local natural environment.

This paper will conduct a community assessment of Marion County, Indiana. Marion County is located in the heart of Indianapolis, which is the capital of the state of Indiana. Marion County was created April 1, 1822 and was formed from Delaware New Purchase. It was named after General Frances Marion from South Carolina in the Revolutionary War period. This assessment will address the health needs and risks of Marion County through the use of the WGU assessment forms identifying the population’s economic status, neighborhood and community safety inventory, cultural assessment, and the disaster assessment and planning guide.

The third assessment piece is entitled neighborhood and community safety. This information was obtained from local agencies. I noted the Health Department and local hospitals are very involved in providing health services, education, and discussions for the community free of charge. The air quality for Kent County is considered poor. We have had at least 7 air pollution days per year due to fine particulate matter and ozone. The water quality in the last 5 years has been excellent. 0.09% of public water supplies exceeded contamination levels during this time frame (2011, Kent County Health Department). The wild life in the area can cause a potential for disease, and the many surrounding lakes, rivers and streams can cause a potential for drowning. Due to the location of Kent County we risk potential severe weather events. The violent crime rate in the area was 0.34% significantly lower than the national average. It was also

In Shreveport, LA, many residents suffer from respiratory issues that they believe are caused by the local refinery, Calumet (Moskowitz). Residents have suffered for generations losing family members to cancer that they believe is brought on by pollution that the refinery emits. Some residents suffer lesser but chronic health issues ranging from minor respiratory issues like asthma to blood clots in their lungs. “Calumet denies that its refinery is the cause of any of these health issues” (Moskowitz). Many chemicals that are released by refineries can cause respiratory problems, cancer, nerve damage, and in some cases even death. There is no absolute way to be sure that all health problems happening near Calumet are caused by the pollution that it emits, but it could be a contributing factor in worsening symptoms. A resident of Marrero, LA, a town south of Norco refining, stated that they could not leave their house due to excess levels of pollution triggering asthma attacks (Ludwig). Sulfur dioxide is a known chemical that can trigger asthma attacks, it is also one of the many harmful chemicals that can be released by refineries (Sturgis). Refineries will measure levels of emissions when there is a chemical spill, so they know almost exactly how much pollution they have emitted. Minor incidents are not always reported or are under reported, but they can have the same damaging effects on the environment and the overall health of the community (Sturgis). “LABB’s reports confirms what workers and residents have known for years-petrochemical companies to often skirt the laws for reporting serious incidents”

A major influence on health in a community is the availability of services and opportunities within the neighborhood. Public health can be further influenced by the social environments. Accessibility to health care along with education and employment opportunities are fundamental factors to be considered (Riegelman & Kirkwood, 2015). These elements create both advantages and disadvantages for those living within the neighborhood. If we want to improve public health outcomes, we must consider and evaluate these along with many other contributing factors.

If the community has lots of air and water pollution then the community is going to reflect that in its health like cancer, asthma, and other health problems. The opposite holds true as well with a robust health environment the community will be healthier. Apache Junction has good clean water and air. There was no evidence that showed Apache Junction has more pollution problems than any other city in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Nelson et al., 2006).

Editor’s Note: This Chapter is the continuation of an adaptation of a state plan for disaster preparation and response. In total, the original chapter comprises Chapters 1, 14, 16-18.

This paper is an assessment of the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. It will describe the city with a focus on the population, economic situation, culture, neighborhood and safety factors. It will also look at what the city has in place in case of a disaster. From this data, I will interpret the overall status of the community and formulate a logical community diagnosis.

Such as the people in Flint, people who experience shocks like this whether from natural or manmade disasters most often have higher rates of mental illnesses including post-traumatic stress disorders and anxiety and depression for several years (7). While mental illnesses may be triggered by events as environmental injustices, there is also a psychological distress that is experienced which is a natural reaction to such stressful events. Interpretations and levels of distress, can also vary by social position in the community. Those who feel unable to escape or do anything about it, are most likely to feel higher levels of distress (7). Community monitoring was performed for mental health and substance abuse issues in Genesee County on a

This research will contain a few limitations. The first will be that it will be impossible to survey the entire United States so just a selected area of places in the most 5 polluted areas in the U.S. will be surveyed. Second, there is a possibility that accurate answers will not be obtained because the participants will not be completely honest in answering the questions. To decrease this issue, we will inform each participant that the survey is confidential and no information will be released to anyone outside of the study. (Perfect!).

The Central Valley is one of the many sites of where air pollution is most greatly produced. This is due to the vast majority of electricity, fuels, and transportation that people in the Central Valley utilize along with the amount of agriculture that is produced here. Many people go through their daily activities without thinking about how they are harming not only the environment but also the health and well being of humans. The cause of air pollution is not only due to natural events like volcanoes and wildfires but is mostly contributed to human activities. These include use of gases, the burning of wood, power generation, driving, the use of household and farming chemicals, and more! (Lad, 2016) Air pollution is interconnected with many health effects like upper respiratory infections and chronic respiratory diseases like asthma. (cdc.gov, 2016) However, there are many mitigation strategies that are being implemented to help address the health effects of air pollution.

A resilient community is one that can withstand a sudden disaster, without taking significant losses, normal life interruption, or a substantial amount of outside help (1999). Let the local community be responsible for knowing which kinds of hazards they are most vulnerable to, and recognize which resources they need the most, all while keeping up a state of general preparedness for the hazards they don’t typically encounter (Mileti 2001). Naturally, measures will vary from place to place depending on the environment, economy and social factors that affect how a population would handle a disaster. Let mitigation practices be a part of everyday life, and not just needed or reviewed before, during or after a hazard has passed. It should incorporated into any big event, development plans, building codes and more. These places and businesses are essential to local economies, so they should be protected to preserve it. Overtime time, these sustainable economies will not only preserve the quality of living for the whole community, but would make sure the next generation of future stakeholders will have a sustainable economy to thrive in as well (1999). No one can predict the future and know what could be cost beneficial for an area now, and detrimental to it later. For example, nuclear power plants for a community may have seemed like a great idea in the present, but then decades later prove to be hazardous to thousands.

Starting in the year 2004, the air pollution has reached an alarming level in the city o Toronto. Dr Barbara Yaffe, the acting medical officer of health of Toronto Public health, has released a report in July 2004 saying that the “air pollution [in the city] has contributed to over 1700 premature deaths and 6000 hospitalization admission in Toronto each year” (Yaffe, 2004, p.i). According to this report, pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and carbon monoxide have increased within the air of the city; these pollutants are tiny particles that are 2.5 micron in diameter or less and can affect people’s respiratory system and cause cardiovascular and respiratory problems such as “asthma, bronchitis in children, adult chronic bronchitis, and heart problem” (TPH, 2007, figure 1). Although it

The Topsham community in Portland, Maine pertinent risks and hazards will be discussed. It 's current state of readiness is exceptional. The purpose of the Topsham community Hazard Mitigation Plan is to provide a comprehensive set of guidelines for hazard response and mitigation in the community. The plan identifies potential risks with appropriate mitigation responses to significantly reduce loss of life, injuries, economic costs, and destruction of natural and cultural resources. As the occurrences of the hazards identified in this plan are unpredictable, the plan itself will continue to evolve and be evaluated. With this, the mitigation strategies and maintenance process will be labeled as ongoing. The mitigation strategies and maintenance of the plan provide direction for the future of mitigation activities within the state and the process will continue until changed for any valid reason. The community has made progress on