Degree course in tackling natural disasters

Ireland’s first degree course in tackling natural disasters will help the fight against flood, famine and global warming, it was claimed today.

Minister for the Environment John Gormley launched the new course in emergency management at DCU Business School and said it could help fight the effects of global warming at home and abroad.

The university today cited the threat of more frequent flooding, the dangers of the spread of disease, as well as the impact of natural disasters caused by a tsunami or hurricane as evidence of the need for the highly skilled management of emergencies.

DCU said its new diploma and degree course was the first of its kind in Ireland and would support those already in the emergency services or crisis planning, while also offering a career path to anyone wanting to help the planet’s response to natural and man-made disasters.

Mr Gormley said: “This programme is an innovative new development in Irish education. Effective emergency management is of crucial and ever-growing importance to the Irish economy and the Irish people.”

The organisers of the specialist course said it would deal with handling emergencies, planning and preparedness, problem solving and decision making, the human dimension, hazardous materials, risk assessment as well as crisis communications.

The government has argued that handling emergencies has moved significantly up its priority list.

In 2006 a Framework for Major Emergency Management document was developed by an inter-agency review group led by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

DCU said the programme has been endorsed by the National Steering Group for Major Emergency Management, the Emergency Planning Society and Pharmachemical Ireland as a suitable programme to improve the emergency management skills of individuals in the public and private sectors.