disaster


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Related to disaster: Disaster Recovery Plan

disaster

 [dĭ-zas´ter]
a situation that produces damage and varying amounts of destruction; there is a three-tiered classification for disasters, based on the number of casualties. See also emergency.

disaster

Etymology: L, dis, apart, astrum, a star
any mishap or misfortune that is ruinous, distressing, or calamitous.
Global village A cataclysmic event in which there is a loss of multiple lives and/or major property damage
Nuclear physics Decay disaster
Public health Any unanticipated event that requires urgent response to bring people and/or property out of harm’s way in order to minimise loss of life or destruction of property

disaster

Public health Any unanticipated event that requires urgent response, bringing people and/or property out of harm's way in order to minimize loss of life or destruction of property; disasters are described by certain parameters Vox populi A cataclysmic event in which there is a loss of multiple lives and/or major property damage. See Climatologic disaster, Geological disaster, Man-made disaster, Natural disaster, Tsunami.
Disaster classifications
Nature, ie either
1. Natural, geophysical–eg earthquakes, volcanoes or weather-related–eg floods, hurricanes.
2. Man-made–transportation-related, structural collapse, war, hazardous materials, explosions, fires
Location Single site–eg explosion or multiple sites–eg hurricanes
Predictability Regular–eg hurricane season or sporadic–eg toxic spill
Onset Gradual–eg armed conflict or abrupt–eg accident
Duration Brief–eg natural disaster or extended–eg armed conflict
Frequency Often–eg flood, or rare–eg fire
.

DISASTER

(di-zas'tĕr)
An acronymic paradigm developed by the American Medical Association to assist in organizing the reaction to a mass-casualty incident. The components of the acronym are D for disaster, I for incident command, S for scene security and safety, A for assess hazards, S for support, T for triage and treatment, E for evacuation, and R for recovery.
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As the travellers journeyed on their way, they were alarmed by repeated cries for assistance; and when they rode up to the place from whence they came, they were surprised to find a horse-litter placed upon the ground, beside which sat a young woman, richly dressed in the Jewish fashion, while an old man, whose yellow cap proclaimed him to belong to the same nation, walked up and down with gestures expressive of the deepest despair, and wrung his hands, as if affected by some strange disaster.
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Where the ball passed, not one of us precisely knew, but I fancy it must have been over our heads and that the wind of it may have contributed to our disaster.
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He had not undressed and the servant feared, at the sight of his face, that some disaster had occurred.
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He was so vexed with his own folly, and so taken aback at the disaster, that he did not attempt to explain his conduct, and things would have gone badly with him if his friends the fairies had not softened the hearts of his captors, so that they once more allowed him to leave quietly.
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Having provided everything necessary for our journey, such as Arabian habits, and red caps, calicoes, and other trifles to make presents of to the inhabitants, and taking leave of our friends, as men going to a speedy death, for we were not insensible of the dangers we were likely to encounter, amongst horrid deserts, impassable mountains, and barbarous nations, we left Goa on the 26th day of January in the year 1624, in a Portuguese galliot that was ordered to set us ashore at Pate, where we landed without any disaster in eleven days, together with a young Abyssin, whom we made use of as our interpreter.
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And so the news went from 'phone to 'phone, until by Monday morning all bankers and chief depositors were aware of the situation, and prepared for the team-play that prevented any general disaster.
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The whole town heard of this disaster the same evening.
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I say lucky for us he did not reach us, and I might almost say luckily for himself; for we had only a small breaker of water and some soddened ship's biscuits with us, so sudden had been the alarm, so unprepared the ship for any disaster.
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It is shocking without being tragic, for no disaster follows.
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Tis thus, O boy, that Autumn comes, the cold Pitiless autumn of the wrack and mist, Autumn, the season of the cloudless sky, Autumn, of biting blasts, the time of blight And desolation; following the chill Stir of disaster, with a shout it leaps Upon us.
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And if the first disaster to the Roman Empire[*] should be examined, it will be found to have commenced only with the enlisting of the Goths; because from that time the vigour of the Roman Empire began to decline, and all that valour which had raised it passed away to others.
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But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and you fail to defeat him, then, return being impossible, disaster will ensue.
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