Boston Molasses Disaster

1. Introduction This memo is a failure analysis report on the Boston Molasses Disaster. On January 15, 1919, an industrial storage tank ruptured, causing 9 million litres of molasses to spill out onto the streets of Boston. The following sections of this report document the events leading up to and during the disaster, the causes that led to the failure, and the lessons that can be learned as a result. 2. Description The tank in question was owned by United States Industrial Alcohol Company (USIA) and located at 529 Commercial Street in Boston’s densely populated North End (see Figure 1) (Dyrud, 2009, para. 12). Only two days after the completion of the tank, 700 000 gallons of molasses were deposited into the tank. Loud rumblings sounds and leaks were immediately observed. Many complaints were made to the company, but they were categorically ignored. In 1918, however, they had the previously…

1. Figure 1 represents the disaster management cycle as it is generally conceived. Describe the preparedness and emergency response portions of the cycle and explaining important concern of yours and how it could be addressed in different phases of the disaster cycle. The Disaster Management Cycle is generally understood to be comprised of four cyclical components. These four deeply interrelated and symbiotic components include Preparation, Response, Reconstruction or Recovery, and Prevention…

The occurrence of a negative impact through human or natural efforts that leads to human suffering is known as a disaster. In the profession of nursing, a disaster is dealt with in a holistic manner. There is no one single approach to helping an individual that has just faced a natural disaster. It can be a very devastating time for a person who is faced with this situation. The interdisciplinary approach amongst health care workers is known as disaster management. Disaster management allows…

When a traumatic event occurs in society, the effect is vast on individuals that live in that society and can even affect those not directly involved. Catastrophes cause enormous changes in the way an individual thinks, behaves, and the environment the individual lives in. Every person deals with catastrophe in his or her own way; however, following the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack, studies have shown that patterns occur. People can be affected directly or indirectly when…

Planning for casualties versus fatalities in a disaster Perry B Keaton Mass Casualty Management Planning - 1 Instructor: Jamie Onion October 13, 2015 Planning for casualties versus fatalities in a disaster-1 Whenever a disaster occurs we are quick to think about the number of fatalities and not the casualties why? Before I answer this statement I am going to give you a brief meaning for both of the words. Causality has several definitions for instance: a person or thing…

beyond to plan for a secure future in the event of disaster. When most people think of survivalists, or preppers, they automatically associate the group with the negative stigma that accompanies the history. “You can bet Ted Nugent’s crossbow that, for most people, the term “survivalists”—or the more polite “preppers”—conjures images of tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy theorists holed up in Montana hoarding canned pinto beans and assault weapons” (O’ Conner). We have all seen or heard of…

Description of the Ethical Issue We live in a world where we not only need to be prepared for natural disasters but also those that are created by man, including terriost attacks and mass shootings. The World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine defines a disaster as: A serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of affected society to cope using only its own resources; the result of a vast…

Communication and Pediatric Emergency Preparedness Preparing for a disaster requires strategic planning; however, in recent years there have been several challenges, causing unnecessary deaths and illnesses. A critical component of emergency preparedness is communication at multiple levels. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presented grand rounds on preparedness challenges for children in public health emergencies with discussions on strengths, challenges, and opportunities…

effected individuals. Discussing the disasters experiences and preparedness as a main topic with relevant articles and theories will help discover the importance of applied social psychology. Disaster Preparedness is the way…

Identifying needed capabilities allow military planners to collaborate with state and local planners and further refines the burden placed on DOD. An example of prior catastrophe collaboration is exploring the use of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). Prior understanding of the RPA capabilities and the requirements for a Proper Use Memorandum (PUM) with each state would reduce the time needed to have the RPA assisting state and local authorities. A military planners understanding of the limits…