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is a disaster which affects a society in huge terms, on all faces. For example, the Earthquake in Haiti on the 12th of January had catastrophic affects and was the result of a catastrophic strength, 7.0 on the Richter scale, impact. The death toll and homeless rate as a direct result is well into the hundreds of thousands, and the emergency service and resources of the community were completely exhausted and the aid of the United Nations and some 20 international communities have been sought, offering food, aid, resources and military security (Dreazen, 2010).

2.5 Calamity

A calamity refers to an event causing great and sudden damage or distress (Oxford, 2010).It has many of the same connotations as a disaster and a catastrophe.

2.6 Hazards

A hazard refers to the possibility that an event or physical condition could be in the short-term or long-term, the source of harm to people, property, infrastructure and so forth (FEMA, 1997). There are two broad groups which hazards can be broken into; they are, man-made and natural. A man made hazard is an emergency or disaster which has been caused by a man-man hazard, such as the environmental disaster caused by the ocean liner the Pacific Adventurer which caused widespread damage to Moreton Island in 2009. A dormant volcano however would be an example of a natural hazard, one which must be monitored and recorded.

2.7 Risk

The likelihood and harshness of harmful and unfavourable effects that are a direct consequence of exposure to a hazard is known as a risk. The susceptibility and resilience of a community is also an important feature of risk. Susceptibility refers to the probability or likelihood of an emergency situation arising in a particular setting, while resilience refers to that settings ability to fight the emergency and recover effectively. For Instance, an area such as Marysville in Victoria is a highly dense area of bush and scrub and therefore is more susceptible to the risk of bushfire, however its resilience due to new PPRR and emergency planning joint strategies since the Black Saturday fires, make it an area which should have a high level of resilience.

3.0 The Effects of Emergencies and Why Emergency Management

3.1 Effects on people

The most obvious effects of emergencies to people are those that are physical. This includes things such as injury and death. While these are the most serious of the effects on people they are not the most common, as many people are left to pick up the pieces and deal with post-emergency events, often manifesting themselves in behavioural issues which can stay with a person forever. Behavioural effects can be attributed to a person losing a friend or family member or anyone who is close to them and plays a part in their life. Relocation due to homelessness and unemployment can also result from an emergency, where their livelihood is destroyed or damaged, leaving them to wondering how they will support themselves, a family, pay bills and so forth, often resulting in depression and other behavioural side effects. The loss of household and personal possessions is common and in many cases can be irreplaceable. The stress and trauma related to having things taken away from you and/or damaged, person or possession, can cause post traumatic stress which m