Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / Recent events in the United States of America and Pakistan have exposed the shortcomings of existing planning in relief and humanitarian assistance in the face of large-scale natural disasters. This thesis develops a two-stage stochastic optimization model to provide guidance in the pre-positioning of relief units and assets, where budget, physical limitations and logistics are taken into account. Stochastic data include the numbers of survivors in each potential affected area (AA), the amount of commodities that needs to be delivered to each AA and the transportation time from each relief location (which reflects sceanrios where, for example, roads are blocked). As first-stage decisions, we consider the expansion of warehouses, medical facilities and their health care personnel, as well as ramp space to facilitate aircraft supply of commodities to the AAs. The second-stage is a logistic problem respresented as a network, where maximizing expected rescued survivors and delivery of required commodities are the driving goals. This is accomplished through land, air and sea transportation means (e.g., CH-53 helicopters configured for rescue missions), as well as relief workers. The model has been successfully assessed on notional scenarios and is expected to be tested on realistic cases by personnel who are involved in relief planning. / Outstanding Thesis

The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review has emphasized the role of humanitarian assistance missions in winning the Global War on Terror. U.S. Pacific Fleet operates in an area prone to both terrorist recruitment and sudden-onset natural disasters that require humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. The U.S. Navy has unique capabilities to deliver first-response humanitarian assistance. This thesis develops and suggests prepositions for humanitarian assistance pack-up kits that contain emergency relief material commonly used in these missions in order to expedite delivery to those impacted by a disaster.

Orientador: Anna Silvia Palcheco Peixoto / Co-orientadora: Ilza Machado Kaiser / Banca: Claudio José Ferreira / Banca: Gustavo Garcia Manzato / Resumo: O debate sobre o aquecimento global nas últimas décadas e também o aumento da frequência e intensidade de acontecimentos extremos causados por eventos hidro-meteorológicos e climatológicos levou a uma maior ênfase em estudos de desastres naturais. No Brasil as secas e as enxurradas são as tipologias mais recorrentes, sendo que a chuva é o evento desencadeador com maior incidência de danos. A análise cruzada de danos e seus fatores geradores relacionados a eventos hidrológicos indica que a chuva intensa é o evento mais preponderante para a ocorrência de desastres naturais relacionados à drenagem. O objetivo do trabalho foi a elaboração do mapa de risco à inundação urbana (alagamento, enchente e enxurrada) da cidade de Bauru e também a comparação entre dados obtidos de pluviômetros automáticos e dados de radar. Os dados de precipitação foram obtidos de pluviômetros automáticos instalados na cidade de Bauru. A probabilidade de ocorrência dos eventos hidrológicos foi estimada pelas equações IDF (intensidade, duração, frequência). Os resultados desta pesquisa foram espacializados e classificados em função de sua severidade verificando-se que eventos com baixo período de retorno geram danos significativos. Foi elaborado um mapa de perigo atribuindo pesos aos fatores ambientais e sociais com o auxílio de SIG (Sistema de Informação Geográfica). O estudo de caso desta pesquisa pode auxiliar os órgãos competentes na implementação de sistemas de alerta precoce e políticas de prevenção. / Abstract: The current debate about global warming in recent decades and also the increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events caused by hydro-meteorological and climatological events led to a greater emphasis on natural disasters studies. In Brazil, droughts and floods are the most recurrent typologies, with rain being the main event that causes the majority of the damages. Cross-analysis of damage triggering events related to rain indicates that heavy rain is the most significant event in the occurrence of natural disasters related to drainage. The objective of this research was the elaboration of an urban flooding risk map for Bauru and also the comparison between data of rain gauges and radar. Precipitation data was obtained from rain gauges installed in the city of Bauru. The probability of occurrence of hydrological events was estimated by the IDF (intensity, duration, frequency) equations. The results of this research were spatialized and classified according to its severity and they showed low return events cause significant damage. A map of hazard areas was developed with the help of GIS (Geographic Information System) software. The case study of this research can help the local governments with the implementation of early warning systems and prevention policies. / Mestre

Children are often overlooked in the aftermath of a natural disaster, and children’s use of coping strategies plays an important part in their post-disaster adaptation (Vernberg, La Greca, Silverman, & Prinstein, 1996). The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the coping strategies of children with adequate self-regulation skills and minimal behaviour problems, living in Christchurch following the major 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. This aim was achieved through the use of semi-structured interviews with five seven-year-old children, their parents, and their teachers. These interviews were analysed using Directed Content Analysis and results showed that children most often reported using active and adaptive coping strategies, followed by avoidant strategies. Results in the current literature regarding children’s coping suggest that children exposed to natural disasters are able to utilise strategies that involve some personal control over their environment and emotions, through the use of active and adaptive coping strategies. Findings from this study contribute to the current understanding of children’s use of coping strategies when faced with commonly occurring childhood upsets. Further research is required regarding the outcomes associated with the use of effective coping strategies following traumatic events.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: p. 104-117. Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-124).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Syracuse University, 2008. / "Publication number: AAT 3326429."

Thesis (M.A.)-- State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Geography, 2009.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Geography)) - Rhodes University, 2007.

This diploma thesis is entitled the Global Natural Disasters {--} Teacher{\crq}s Book for the 2 nd stage of PS. The principal part of thesis concentrates on the proposal of own package of didactic material {--} teaching text, workbook, and methodical teacher{\crq}s book aimed at the study of natural disasters and environmental hazards worldwide. This didactic material should serve as an additional teaching aid within the framework of the teaching of geography at the 2 nd stage of primary schools. An analysis of bibliography and determination of basic terminology related to theme concerned is the integral part of this thesis.

The summer of 2007 was the worst wildfire season ever recorded in Greek contemporary history with approximately 270,000 hectares of land burned throughout the country. The area most severely hit was the Peloponnesian state of Elia. Econometric analysis with the use of primary and secondary data was carried out in an attempt to disentangle the effects of a variety of factors in the spread of the fire. The findings identified villages in low altitudes and steep slopes as the ones most vulnerable to the risk of wildfire. Wind speed played a significant role in exacerbating the blazes. As far as human factors are concerned population density was negatively associated with wildfire spread. In addition, the more olive groves were found within the boundaries of a village the less damage the settlement was found to have sustained. Finally, participation of local people in fire abatement efforts was significant in reducing wildfire risk. We conclude that public policy should consider a more holistic approach to wildfire management; one that would incorporate the “human-fire” interactions more thoroughly and balance the importance of ecological variables and social parameters in both wildfire prevention and mitigation.