Natural Disaster Early Warning System Project

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Natural Disaster Early Warning System Project
For early warning system projects to be effective, they must incorporate all stakeholders including the community members who are most affected by natural hazards (Taubenböck et al. 1515). The objective of this project is to empower people and societies threatened by natural disasters such as Japan to act in adequate time, as well as, in a proper manner in order to minimize the probability of damage of property, personal injury, and most of all to reduce loss of life. This project consists of four interlinked components, covering knowledge of vulnerabilities and hazards through the capacity and preparedness to respond to such attacks. Effective systems have powerful interconnections and efficient channels of communication between all the four components. The project focuses on the use of technology to detect the possibility of natural attacks such as tsunamis like the one that attacked the coastline of Japan that caused thousands of people to suffer. Detecting vulnerabilities also involves the ability to respond to the attacks if they are unpreventable.
Risk Knowledge: Threats and risks arise from the combination of vulnerabilities and hazards at a certain site. A risk assessment necessitates the application of technological systems for methodical collection of data and analysis. This should take into consideration the dynamic nature of vulnerabilities and hazards that are a result of processes such as change in rural land-use, urbanization, climate change, and environmental degradation. It requires the application of maps to assist in motivating individuals, prioritizing the need for early warning system, and direct arrangements for prevention of disasters and responses to such (Troy et al. 150).
Monitoring and warning service: Services of warning are at the centre of the system. This implies that there should be an effective systematic basis for forecasting and predicting disasters. The system should be reliable and operate for 24 hours per day. Periodic follow-up of disaster precursors and parameters is crucial to produce precise warnings on time (Golnaraghi 126). There should be coordination of warning services for varied disasters to achieve the advantage of shared networks of communication, procedures, and institutions.
Dissemination and communication: Individuals at risk must receive warnings. The messages should be clear and simple to ensure appropriate responses that are useful for safeguarding livelihoods and lives. Communications systems should be at regional, community, and national levels and should be properly identified and established (Golnaraghi 127). The application of multiple channels of communication is essential as it ensures that as many individuals as possible are warned in order to avoid any channel’s failure and strengthen the warning message.
Response capability: It is vital that societies comprehend their risks and threats, have respect for the warning service, and understand how to respond. Preparedness and education programmes play a significant role in this (Golnaraghi 128). Additionally, it is crucial that plans of disaster management are put in place, appropriately practiced and effectively tested. The society should be sufficiently educated on alternatives for safe behavior, escape routes that are available, and how effectively to avoid loss and damage of property.
The above project depends on a number of factors. Three of the most essential factors include government involvement, availability of sufficient resources, and national involvement of key stakeholders in the project (Johnson 133). The project might not be successful if there are no sufficient resources especially to acquire the systems. The government participation is essential as all policies and programs must be approved by the government. Involvement of key stakeholders such as community members, policy makers, and government officials is necessary if the project is to be accomplished.
There are some reasons that may lead to failure of the project. These have to do with the factors described above. For instance, if there are insufficient resources to aid the project, the project cannot succeed. In addition, if the government does not endorse the proposed project, definitely the project will not go through. Lastly, lack of involvement of all key stakeholders implies failure of the project.

Works Cited
Golnaraghi, Maryam. Institutional Partnerships in Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems: A Compilation of Seven National Good Practices and Guiding Principles. Berlin: Springer, 2012. Internet resource.
Johnson, May. Tsunami Early Warning Systems in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia: Report on Regional Unmet Needs. Bangkok: UN. Economic and social commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP, 2009. Print.
Taubenböck, H., A. Gress, H. Klüpfel, M. Oczipka, F. Moder, G. Lämmel, N. Setiadi, N. Goseberg, R. Klein, S. Dech, F. Lehmann, F. Siegert, K. Nagel, J. Birkmann, G. Strunz, T. Schlurmann, and R. Wahl. “”Last-Mile” Preparation For A Potential Disaster – Interdisciplinary Approach Towards Tsunami Early Warning And An Evacuation Information System For The Coastal City Of Padang, Indonesia.” Natural Hazards and Earth System Science 9.4 (2009): 1509-1528. Print.
Troy, Douglas A., Anne Carson, Jean Vanderbeek, and Anne Hutton. “Enhancing Community-based Disaster Preparedness With Information Technology.” Disasters 32.1 (2008): 149-165. Print.