A text alert system will be implemented where citizens with mobile devices can receive guidance on seeking refuge, road closings, and more in extreme weather situations. This idea currently exists on a smaller scale on many college campuses, including MIT, advising the student body and greater Institute faculty of emergencies. This will be the most effective medium of communication considering 130 million out of the 160 million population of Bangladeshis have and use mobile devices.[1] Having messengers sent to individual towns would not disseminate information in a timely manner. Radio and television broadcast messages would also have a smaller reach, seeing as only 25% of the population owns a radio and 13% have TV.[2] The Emergency Response system will give direct instructions on how to stay safe during the weather crisis. In America, a similar system has been implemented which cost $40 million initially with an annual cost of $2.3 million to maintain the system.[3] Its goal is to prevent fatalities and injuries by alerting people of imminent threats, AMBER alerts (child abduction alerts), and presidential messages regarding the emergency.[3]
Increasing awareness within Bangladesh so citizens are more prepared to act in times of crisis is critical. Newly printed pamphlets will be available online and police will have paper copies on what to do in the event of storms and flooding. These pamphlets, which will be picture based rather than word based to reach the illiterate population as well, are an alternative way of educating those who do not have cellphones, and therefore would not receive the aforementioned alerts, on what they should do in case of an emergency. Each pamphlet costs approximately $0.13 to print, and one million copies will be printed, leading to a cost of $130,000.00.[4] Pamphlets would be distributed by the police to local community members and copies would also kept in mosques and community centers. Mosques are the most logical place to house the pamphlets because 89.5% of Bangladeshis identify as Muslim.[5]
Lastly, sirens will be installed throughout the country. Sirens were used in Joplin, Missouri during the 2011 tornado to warn people 30 minutes in advance to take shelter; providing residents these additional minutes to take shelter saved many lives.[6] Thus, paralleling this model on a larger scale would prove to be effective. 3,000 sirens will be installed across Bangladesh. These sirens are to warn people without access to cellphones. Research shows 70% of people in rural areas have access to at least one phone, meaning that these people will likely still have access to the message sent via text, and the sirens will serve as an extra precaution to make sure the other 30% of the rural population also has access to important alerts.[7] Each siren can be heard within a one square mile radius and will cost around $30,000, which also includes the cost of installation and solar panels for better operation.[8] Solar panels are a more environmentally friendly alternative to running on batteries. Local mechanical engineers would install and put these sirens into place to support regional economies and small businesses.
When combined, these three solutions will lead to more awareness on how to act in an an extreme weather situation, and ultimately more lives saved in Bangladesh from the potent effects of climate change.
By Jennah Haque, Asia Hypsher, and Anna Johnson
References
- Correspondent bdnews24.com, S. (2015, January 10). Mobile-phone users in Bangladesh cross 130 million mark. Retrieved November 27, 2017, from https://bdnews24.com/business/2015/10/01/mobile-phone-users-in-bangladesh-cross-130-million-mark
- Bangladesh Tornado. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2017, from http://bangladeshtornado.weebly.com/preparation.html
- Wheeler. (2016, August 29). Federal Communications Commission.
- Palencia. (2011, September 2). What is the average cost of a brochure? Retrieved November 27, 2017, from https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-average-cost-of-a-brochure
- Population of the world. (2017). Retrieved November 27, 2017, from https://www.livepopulation.com/country/bangladesh.html
- Sirens. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2017, from https://www.joplinmo.org/589/Sirens
- Islam, M. S., & Gronlund, Å. (2011). Bangladesh calling: farmers’ technology use practices as a driver for development. Information Technology For Development, 17(2), 95-111.
- Pricing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2017, from http://www.safetycom.com/pricing.html