DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE PORT-HARCOURT
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
THE NEED FOR A DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE
Disaster means a progressive or sudden, widespread or localised, natural or human caused occurrence which causes or threatens to
cause; Death, injury or disease, Damage to property, infrastructure or the environment, Disruption of the life of a community; and is of the
magnitude that exceeds the ability of those affected by the disaster to cope with its effect using only their own resources. A disaster
management centre is needed to:
- Toimplementan integrated and coordinate disaster management policy that focuses on preventing or reducing the risk disasters,
mitigating the severity of disasters, emergency preparedness, rapid and effective response to disasters and post disaster recovery.
- Topreparethe document that will identify risks, assess risks, risk response development and risk response control.
- Thepurposeof centre is to outline policy and procedures for both proactive disaster prevention and the re-active disaster response and
mitigation phases.
The disaster management centre functions are as follows:
- Mustspecialise in issues concerning disasters within Rivers State.
- Actas a repository and conduit for information concerning disasters.
- Mustperformit functions and exercise powers as stipulated section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002.
- Mustliaise and co-ordinate its activities with those of National, State Management centres.
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1.2 STATEMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL PROBLEMS
Architecture is an abstraction from nature and intuition with possibilities of aesthetic accompaniments for overall ambient satisfaction
(Fashuyi, 2004). Nevertheless, this ideological perception must graft with sensitive issues bordering on culture, economy before Architecture
can become acceptable in its right values. However, Architectural Education in Nigeria as presently structured is not responsive to her socio-
economic environment. In fact, it is more suited to problems of urban environment of prosperous economies having nothing in common with
the cultural and economic features of the country (Adesina, 1987). Architectural Education in Nigeria was inherited from the Beaux-Art
concept of Western educational philosophy through the colonial mentors. This tendency is to provide aesthetically satisfying buildings,
irrespective of function.
The design of the Disaster Management Centre will take into cognisance proper functional relationship between each section of the
building to another; the site is located at an area that can be easily accessible from various parts of the state, helicopters are also available to
ease rescue in parts of the states that cannot be easily assessable by land, the structure is responsive to the socio-economic environment in the
state, the structure is aesthetically satisfying, the structure conforms to the building codes and zoning.
Therefore architectural problems of the Disaster Management Centre Are as follows:
- Theintegration of architectural purpose, site, suitable spaces, technical systems and materials.
- Inadequateventilation and natural lightening
- Primaryand secondary circulation in and around the site.
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1.3 MOTIVATION
Disaster Management is an enormous task. Disasters are not confined to any particular location; neither do they disappear as quickly as
they appear. Therefore, it is imperative that there is proper management to optimize efficiency of planning and response. Due to limited
resources, collaborative efforts at the governmental, private and community levels are necessary. This level of collaboration requires a
coordinated and organized effort to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and their effects in the shortest
possible time.
The motivation of this project steams from:
- Theabsolute necessity for such a project: Over the years, lives have been lost in natural and man-made disaster primarily due to absence of
a disaster management centre or slow response of rescue team.
- Thewealth of knowledge, which the project adds to existing information on architectural building types.
- Thesenseof comfort and security inspired by the project, being from the riverine area in the Niger Delta region where the terrain is
difficult and inter-city transport is mostly done by boat, the potential for boat mishaps is rather high.
- Toreduce subsequent insurance claims and compensation on government and insurance companies.
- Thepassion to create an avenue that will aid for relief to all disaster victims.
- Tocreate awareness for the need of disaster management.
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1.4AIMS
- Toprovidea facility that will improve response to disasters for an initial period after which other sources would assist.
- Toreduce confusion on the part of all personnel concern in disasters.
- Toenhance the role of rapid deployment of its personnel in response to emergency
- Preventingor reducing the risk of disasters and mitigating the severity or consequences of disasters
- Arapid and effective response to disasters and post- disaster recovery and rehabilitation.
- Toensurethe survival of the maximum possible number of victims, keeping them in the best possible health in the circumstances.
- Tore-establish self-sufficiency and essential services as quickly as possible for all population groups, with special attention to those whose
needs are greatest: the most vulnerable and underprivileged.
- Torepairor replace damaged infrastructure and regenerate viable economic activities. To do this in a manner that contributes to long-term
development goals and reduces vulnerability to any future recurrence of potentially damaging hazards.
- Incasesinvolving population displacements (due to any type of disaster) the aim is to find durable solutions as quickly as possible, while
ensuring protection and assistance as necessary in the meantime.
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1.5OBJECTIVES
- Tocreatea building for imparting training in disaster management centre port-harcourt
prevention, mitigation, preparedness, relief and rehabilitation and also to undertake research studies, documentation and development of database.