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Disaster Awareness - a traveling exhibition
NIHERST has embarked on an initiative to promote and
improve public understanding of natural and man-made disasters and
measures to mitigate their impacts. This initiative has three (3)
components:
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the acquisition
of stationary interactive exhibits on natural disasters;
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the production
of a traveling exhibition on disasters; and
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the production
of a portable poster exhibit on natural disasters
1. Natural Disasters Stationary Exhibits
This component of the project resulted in the development
of the Raging Planet exhibition which is a major visitor attraction at the
National Science Centre. The exhibition features several attractive exhibits
on natural disasters including an earthquake simulator, a shake table, and
an exhibit on tectonic plates, which are all features of seismic activity. A
wind tunnel, a tornado exhibit and two contrasting hurricane house models
address the features of hurricanes and storms. Two multimedia kiosks provide
visually appealing, interactive information on hurricanes, storms, floods,
fires, volcanoes and earthquakes in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and
further afield.
2. Disaster Traveling Exhibition
This component entails the conceptualisation and
development ( both local and foreign) development of a set of interactive
portable exhibits for use in public outreach programmes on all the disasters
outlined in the multimedia kiosks, as well as, industrial disasters and
natural disasters caused by inter alia coastal erosion, landslides and
hazardous waste. These exhibits are intended not only to provide basic
knowledge of natural and man-made disastrous phenomena and their effects,
but also to educate the public on disaster preparedness and prevention.
Ongoing components of this disaster traveling exhibition
include:
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Production of
video documentaries on flood, forest fires and landslides.
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Development of
interactive geo-referenced disaster simulations on floods and coastal
erosion.
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Development of
computer games on industrial disaster and flood evacuations and hazardous
waste.
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Construction of
portable interactive exhibits on seismic activity such as continental
drift, submarine volcanoes, plate tectonics in the Caribbean and an
augmented reality volcano. Also underway is coastal erosion, hydrological
cycle and ground water contamination models.
The plan is to initiate the project in Trinidad and
Tobago and then to encourage its replication in other Caribbean countries.
The project is being guided by a committee spearheaded by NIHERST and
includes representatives of the various institutions that deal with these
matters. The target completion is 2008.
3. Natural Disaster Portable Poster Exhibit
Fourteen large informational posters were developed on
the topics of floods, forest fires, hurricanes, storms, earthquakes and
volcanoes. These posters are on display in the Raging Planet exhibition area
at the National Science Centre but are also used to educate the public on
disasters during community outreach and other mobile exhibitions staged by
NIHERST. The posters will form an integral part of the disaster traveling
exhibition once it is completed.
Written: June 2007
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