Public Health Well Being and Pollution Hazards

Question: Discuss about the Public Health for Well Being and Pollution Hazards. Answer: Introduction Natural calamities pose severe threats to the residents and their belongings in the Lake Macquarie city and these disasters are held responsible for more than three hundred million dollar damage per years in this city. The present-day assessment of total climaticjeopardies, together with health, well-being and pollution hazards,encounteredby Lake Macquarie over the period 2010 - 2019is projectedto be1,829 million dollars. Lake Macquarie region has suffered a number of major natural tragedies including storms, bushfires, and floods. Maximum environment models demonstration an expected intensification of the occurrence and extent of extreme events such as heavy precipitations, floods, and droughts. Lake Macquarie will likewise be affected by proposed sea level upsurge. The major long weekend storm in June 2007 give rise to in extensive inundating and wind damages. The infrastructure clean-up and destruction cost for Lake Macquariewas estimatedto benineteen million dollars. This amount does not take in private insurance claims. There are almost 18,570 properties in Lake Macquarie at the danger from a severe flood (4,947 low hazard notation and 213,626 high hazard notation). It is prime duty of a public health consultant toreviewcommunity ofthe vulnerable regionsand this hazard analysis report will discuss those vulnerabilities that are likely to occur due to flood, air pollution, and vector-borne diseases. Governmental acts and legislations for natural disasters There are several acts and legislations for the management of natural calamities. When it comes to natural calamity resilience, the vision is to decrease the vulnerability of the communities to natural hazards by encouraging stakeholders to form community resilience. Current legislation acts disaster management act (2003), public safety preservation act (1986), sustainable planning act (2009),QLDwater act (2000), environmental protection act (1994), fire and emergency services act (1990),QLDpublic health act (2005), work health and safety act (2011), regulation of the water supply (safety and reliability) act (2008) and electrical safety act (2002)(Unisdr.org 2016). Community profile The Lake Macquarie Cityis a native governmental region in the Hunterarea of New South Wales, Australia. This regionis locatednearby tothe conurbation ofNewcastleandwas announcedas an urban area from September 7, 1984. Lake Macquarie is almost 150kilometers (93miles) north of Sydney.The Mayor of Lake Macquarie Council is Cr. Jodie Harrison is a follower of the Labor Party.Theshireof Lake Macquariewas announcedon March 6, 1906. It converted into a municipality on March 1, 1977, and a city on September 7, 1984(Lakemac.com.au 2016). Population The Lake Macquarie cityhas a populationof 204,156 people, making it the 3rdlargest regional city of New South Wales by the populace. Population scattered around the lake area in ninety-five communities.At the 2011 census, there were 189,006 inhabitants in the Lake Macquarie native governmental region, of these 48.8 percent people were men and 51.2 percent people were women. Three percent of the population was made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, which was greater than the state and national percentages.Trade hubs include Cardiff, Belmont, Charlestown, Toronto, Glendale,Morisset, and Swansea with its huge region and rapidly growing progress(Lakemac.com.au 2016). Geography Lake Macquarieis biggest coastal brackish lagoon in Australia. It issituated inthe Hunter province of New South Wales and covers an area of 42.5 square miles (110 square kilometers). This lakeis linkedto the Tasman Sea by a tiny canal. Maximum of the inhabitants of this city of Lake Macquarie live adjacent the shorelines of thewaterbody. Lake Macquarie is home to a number of conspicuous coastlinegreenbeltssuch as Caves Beach, Catherine Hill Bay, Redhead, and Blacksmiths Beach (Ebach2012). Climate and weather In summer the average temperature remains within20Cto25C. The highest temperature record is42C. Average winter temperature befalls within8Cto19C. Lowest record of winter temperature is 1.8C. March is the wettest month ofLake Macquarie and November is the driest month.Highest recorded precipitation in a day ofLake Macquarie area is 283.7mm(NSW National Parks 2016). Tourism One of its chief traveler pulls is its lake, also called Lake Macquarie. Caves beach, Murrays beach,MorissetPark,Watagansnational park, Catherine hill bay beach, mount sugarloaf and Lake Macquarie state conservation area are some other tourist spots. Spring is a lovely time to visit Lake Macquarie(Gibson2014). Community facilities and essential services The city ofLake Macquariehas a number of community facilities and services such as child cares, nursing homes, sporting settings, shopping centers, study centers, andhostels. Some facilities present in the cityare consideredimportant to the local community before during and after a disaster event. These are emergency and police services, ambulances, fire controls, medicalamnesties, pharmacies, fuel supply etc. for life-threatening emergencieshelplinenumber is 000, major bushfire event updateshelplineof the New South Wales rural fire services (NSW RFS) is 1800679737 and for flood and storm emergencieshelplinenumber of the State Emergency Services is 132500(Lakemac.com.au 2016). Disasters most likely to impact on community ofLake Macquarie Flooding The regional communities of Lake Macquarie have been affected by weather associated natural calamities such as floods and bushfires which became a lot more frequent over the past decades. Flooding within the City of Lake Macquarie happens in and around the main and minor watercourses that passage into the waterway of Lake Macquarie. Flooding also arises on lower plains nearby to the portions of Lake Macquarie watercourse (Lakemac.com.au 2016). In June 2016, almost 18,613 probable flood prone zone properties were potentially affected by inundating. As the climate of the Earth changes with the increase of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, floods due to heavy precipitations and sea level rising will occur morefrequentlyand will become more devastating(Unisdr.org 2016). Mitigation measures The aim of the local council is to mitigate the effects of flood and flood liabilities on property holders, businesses, and dwellers of flood-prone properties, and to decrease public and private damages consequent from floods. Council has implemented a strategic managing approaches to flood-plains, aided by the principles and guidelines defined in the NSW flood-plain development guidebook, (April 2005).Council has an active floodplain managing commission (established in 1981), that matures and implements studies related to flood and hazard controlling strategies to support andreducethe threat of inundating in the city (Council, L.M.C. 2012). Construction of dams, improved drainage system, prevention of structures in high-risk zones, raising awareness to the community, warning system, evacuation plans are some essential mitigation strategies (Howeet al. 2014). Bushfires Some of Australias worst fires hadhigh temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds; this wasevidentin the month of October 2013.AtLake Macquarie, the heat peaked at 96.1Fahrenheit (35.6Celsius) on 10th October; with highest wind speed measured at twenty-twokilometers per hour (fourteenmph) from the northwest on 13 October(Bom.gov.au, 2016). On 23rd October an emergency noticewas distributed, for a fire near Oakdale Road atGatesheadin theLake Macquarienative government region, in theDudley-Redheadzone. Late in that evening, the fire was scorchingin the direction oftheAwabakalNature Reserve and by 25th October the fire had scorched more than 600 acres.According to the recent climate report of Australia is experiencing more extreme warm days and severe fire seasons(Csiro.au 2016). Mitigation measures Three-quarters of Lake Macquarie citywas documentedas bush fire susceptible zones (Lakemac.com.au 2016). For the residents of these zones being emergencypreparedand well-organized in advance is the utmost protection measure. Having a strategy when bush fire intimidates life or belongings and knowing whom to communication is extremely vital in a disastrous condition.Theofficialwebsite Rural Fire Serviceprovides significant information on constructing individual survival plan for a bush fire. Thefact sheetofliving with bush fire delivers supplementary information on how a person can cope with bushfire events(Rfs.nsw.gov.au 2016). If any inhabitant lives within 100 meters of bushland which is beyond 1 hectare in dimension and the bush-land is wider than 20 meter, that resident needs to be alert of what one should do and where to go during the time of bushfire incidents (Douglas 2016). There is Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSP) within the Lake Macquarie community that can offer a greater level of shelter from the immediate life threatening impact of bush fires(Rfs.nsw.gov.au 2016).Mitigation measures also include public awareness, warning systems, evacuation strategies, effective communication system and review of current acts and regulations(Lakemac.com.au 2016). Air pollution The leading causes of air particle discharges in the Lake Macquarie area are from energy generating plants at Eraring, Lake Munmorah, and Vales Point. Further sources are motor automobiles, coal mining, excavating, recreational ships and domestic firewood burning. The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) conducted an analysis of air quality in the Lake Macquarie region, in response to the community demand. The analysis measured data from September 2013 to June 2016, collected by the NSW Government and industries. A comprehensive assessment of the years 2014 and 2015 established that quality of air was very good for fair (ninety-nine percent) of the period during 2014 and 2015, compared to the Air Quality Index of NSW (Epa.nsw.gov.au 2016). Air quality is measured by the intensity of the identified air contaminants. Air pollutants in the city of Lake Macquarie area mainly contain nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers in diameter or fewer pollutants with the diameter of ten micrometers or less, and aggregated volatile organic compounds measured as atmospheric ozone (lakemac.com.au 2016). Particulate matters with the diameter of ten micrometers or less, and particulate matter with the diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less are the most prevalent contaminants in the Hunter Valley area (Epa.nsw.gov.au 2016). Particulate matters with the diameter of ten micrometers usually consist of pollen grains, mold spores, and materials that have been physically crumpled into dust particles. Particulate Matters of 2.5 micrometers mostly consist of elements from ignition procedures, for instance, frequently from fire and power stations (Lakemac.com.au 2016). Mitigation measures The overall air quality is good in the Lake Macquarie city. Maintenance is required to keep the air quality in the present condition and efforts are needed to enhance the air quality. Emission control devices are required to control air pollution (McManus et al. 2014). Public awareness is also necessary. Servicing and maintenance vehicles on a regular basis, and other petrol and diesel-driven equipment, selecting substitutes to vehicles transport such as walking, cycling or taking public transports whenever conceivable are some mitigation measures (Xia et al. 2015). City council of Lake Macquarie region efforts in association with the NSW government and industries to diminish exposures to air contamination. Several initiatives for decreasing the habit of private transports in the city by improving cycle passages, encouraging cycling and walking, enhancing unconventional types of conveyance in developmental planning, stimulating the accurate usage of domestic wood-fired furnaces via leaflets, web-site contents, and targeted awareness activities, mapping of air quality to categorize zones in the city with air affluence that is projected to be beyond the standard thresholds and the Air Quality Reference Group for industries in the Lake Macquarie city, which is a bi-annual conference of representatives from industries in the area that radiate substantial quantities of air contaminants, to arrange for a conversation environment on air contamination mitigation strategies (Lakemac.com.au 2016). Vector-borne diseases Vector-borne diseases are triggered by infection producing microbes that are transmitted by fly, mosquitoes and ticks known as vectors. When vectors bite animals or human beings, it can transfer pathogenic microbes that may source severe complaint and even death (Csiro.au 2016). As identified by (Wyong.nsw.gov.au 2016 and Ng et al. 2014), Ross river virus (RRV), Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) or Kunjin virus (KUNV) and Barmah forest virus (BFV) are the most common vector-borne diseases. Mitigation measures One of important strategy is the integrated vector management which reinforces linkages between health and environment, optimizing benefits to both. Biological control of vectors is a sustainable process that kills vectors without any harmful ecological impacts. Chemical vector control methods such as space sprays, indoor residual spraying, and the usage of chemical larvicides diminish disease progression by restriction or disturbing the lifecycle of the vectors (Van den Berg et al. 2012). Ailing planned irrigation and drainage system, deprived waste management, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, may contribute to the most prevalent vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and leishmaniasis (Who.int 2016). Conclusion Lake Macquarie is a beautiful place for living. Lake Macquarie city council work hard to keep the city free from pollution and mitigation of environmental disasters. Many regions of the city are flood prone region, thus a special emphasis on flood management is required. Due to climate change the frequency of flood and storms are becoming higher. Lake Macquarie will likewise be affected by proposed sea level upsurge. Climate change is another cause of temperature increase in Australia. Warm and dry temperature is the prime cause of bush fire events. Therefore, more alert is needed for bushfire management. Air quality is quite good in this region but proper strategies are required to maintain the air quality. Vector-borne diseases are great problem after a flood or other natural calamities. This report discusses the main natural disasters of Lake Macquarie region, existing as well as the possible mitigation measures to overcome the traumatic situations. These mitigation measures requi re the involvement of the city council, government bodies and the residents of the city. References Bom.gov.au. 2016. Australia's official weather forecasts weather radar - Bureau of Meteorology. Council, L.M.C., 2012. Lake Macquarie Waterway Flood Risk Management and Study, June 2012, Lake Macquarie NSW, Australia: Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC). Douglas, G., 2016. Bushfire management for private land.Nature New South Wales,60(3), p.22. Ebach, M.C., 2012. A history of bioregionalisation in Australia.Zootaxa,3392. Epa.nsw.gov.au. 2016. NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Gibson, C., 2014. 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