Disaster edutainment and emergency response training center

Abstract

Bangladesh has been exposed to many natural disasters, i.e., cyclones, floods, due to its geographical location. The people living in the riverbanks and the coastal area have always been coping with disasters. However, the rapid urbanization and the recent urban hazards indicate the extreme vulnerabilities of the cities of the country, especially the megacity, Dhaka. More than 8,800 people lost their lives in the recent Nepal earthquake in April, 2015. If the same situation happens in Dhaka, more than fifty percent of the structures will collapse. The casualties will rise manifold as our emergency response is not highly efficient. The scenario will be unimaginably devastating. The project aims to develop the emergency response of the city. The site, Fire Service and Civil Defense Training Complex, at Mirpur 10, provides a great opportunity to create the exposure the firemen in our country needs; during 9/11 the firemen were portrayed as heroes, the situation is not similar in our country. Furthermore the project aims to create aspiration among the citizens, especially the younger generations, of the country to consider a career in civil defense. To paint firefighters as heroes again, and deservingly so, because they are the first responders in any case of disaster, anywhere in the world. Nonetheless, the condition of the infrastructure of Dhaka city is quite complicated and it is not possible to improve the efficiency of emergency response teams. Therefore, an idea to use citizens as the first line of defense was envisioned. This project provides a guideline for the citizens to train themselves as emergency responders. Disaster Edutainment and Emergency Response Training Center- creates within the visitors a familiarity that inspires them to get more involved; it chisels their knowledge with hands on experience through simulators. Simulators that can replicate certain scenarios in different disasters, will add another dimension to education, which is entertainment.