History of Building Construction Changes in the Context of Fire Safety and Prevention Free Essay Example, 1500 words

According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that several years ago, American cities were faced with the challenge of urban fires. Most cities were victims of fires and neighborhoods suffered the ignited fires that would take everything away including lives of people. This fire threat is still common with people in the society today. The American government has done its best to minimize risk and the severity of the losses that the fires cause. The government is trying its best to prevent the fires from spreading when they start. This is being done by states starting to enforce rules and standards that should be used when constructing houses so that the houses are able to control the fire from spreading in the case of a fire outbreak. The frequency and the severity of fires in the united states of America do not come as a result of the lack of know how about fire or the lack of knowledge about the means of preventing the fires or any types of suppression. The fire p roblem is as a result of the contractors and society in general failing to apply the methods and be able to fund the fire reduction strategies. We will write a custom essay sample on History of Building Construction Changes in the Context of Fire Safety and Prevention or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

The Effects of Wildfires - 1348 Words

Fire at any level can be devastating, yet the effects that wildfires have on every worldwide country really has left its mark on the land. As written by world renowned wild fire spokesperson Smokey the Bear, â€Å"Every year, wildfires sweeps through parts of the United States setting wilderness and homes ablaze. On average these raging infernos destroy about four to five million acres of land a year. But in 2012, wildfire burned more than 9.3 million acres, an area about the size of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined† (U.S. Wildfires). Destroying homes, crops, towns and of course forests. Yet the effects of these fires can be seen from a negative perspective as well as some positive. Plus there are natural causes as well as manmade that†¦show more content†¦The idea that if the wind changes or the fire begins to close in is constantly in the mind of a firefighter, and may change the outcome of these hero’s mission. The effects the fires have on the body are unbearable to trained experts along with every day evacuee, massive amounts of smoke inhalation and the extreme heat causes fatigue and extreme stress on the body which can cause fainting as well as loss of oxygen and possibly lead to death if not treated. Yet that is not even the most dangerous part of trying to evacuate or even fight wildfires. With the potential for the fires to travel at extreme speeds exceeding twenty miles per hour without wind, a running human can never get away from the wall of destruction chasing them, becoming completely engulfed in the flames, and ending up as a fire ball of death. If the instant effects forest fires have on the body aren’t enough the later aftermath effects on the body are seen as even more extreme. Contained in the smoke of these massive blazes is the deadly gas carbon monoxide, once inhaled the effects can be permanent with potential for instant death if inhaled to long. This along with inhaling the smoke alone is a major i ssue for the elderly as well as the extremely young, especially ones that already have current respiratory issues, including COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), or asthma. Along with the effects on the lungs once the smoke and carbon monoxide have entered the body the potential for it to spreadShow MoreRelatedWildfires And Its Effects On Our Environment977 Words   |  4 Pageswe segue into a fifth season. Wildfire Season. Wildfires can wreak havoc! Millions of dollars are spent annually, preparing for Wildfires. Money is allocated for education, training, and preparing to fight Wildfires. Money is spent fighting them and protecting structures that might be in the way. Wildfires can be costly, but they also impact us in other ways. Wildfires tax our resources. They impact our structures and influence where we build and how we build. Wildfires affect our health, especiallyRead MoreThe Effect Of Temperature And Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Associated With Wildfires1374 Words à ‚  |  6 Pagesamount of sediment entering watersheds, which can alter both temperature and dissolved oxygen levels throughout the system. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration associated with wildfire, how these changes can be controlled, how effective these controls are, and what more can be done. II. Temperature Fire can alter stream temperature in several different ways. First, and probably most short lived, is the immediate temperatureRead MoreA Brief Note On Wildfires And Its Effects On The Environment2061 Words   |  9 PagesEvery year, thousands of forest or wildfires are caused by humans, which affect thousands and thousands of acres of land and wildlife all over the United States. Many of these fires that are caused by human error or negligence, occur at many of the beautiful camp sites, that are located around the country. In these cases, these fires not only affect the land and the wildlife, it puts the lives of other camper s, in jeopardy as well. Especially since with wild or forest fires, there is no way ofRead MoreThe Effect Of Temperature And Dissolved Oxygen Concentration Associated With Wildfires1386 Words   |  6 Pagesamount of sediment entering watersheds, which can alter both temperature and dissolved oxygen levels throughout the system. The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration associated with wildfire, how these changes can be controlled, how effective these controls are, and what more can be done. II. Temperature Fire can alter stream temperature in several different ways. First, and probably most short lived, is the immediate temperatureRead MoreFighting Fire With Fire Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pagesand efficient ways to prevent and stop wild fires. Wildfires are naturally occurring events that will happen despite any effort to prevent them. The thing people can do is reduce the severity and amount of wildfires by many different tactics. There are organizations all over the world from federal to private with the goal to reduce wildfires. The most widely known organization uses the iconic bear, Smokey, who says â€Å"Only you can prevent Wildfires†(â€Å"About The Campaign†). Fires need three factors toRead MoreSan Diego Wildfires - Smoke And Ash Debris A Public Health Concern Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesSan Diego Wildfires: Smoke and Ash Debris a Public Health Concern San Diego Wildfires The county of San Diego is a unique haven to hundreds of state and federally recognized endangered, threatened, or rare plant and animal species (The Nature Conservancy, n.d.). San Diego is also a territory with a long history of environmentally catastrophic wildfires. The Cedar and Witch Creek Fires are two of the most recent and notorious wildfires in California history for their degree of damage in terms of acreageRead MoreFires Essay954 Words   |  4 Pagesgenerated a $100-million â€Å"relief fund† to support individuals that are affected by the fires. As well places like The Canadian Red Cross are helping collect donation in various ways to help wildfire evacuees. Official say that there were 97 fires that started on July 8th, 2017 on its own and there are currently 220 wildfires going on in BC, due to this over 9,500 people have been told to evacuate their homes since July 8th, 2017. As of July 7th 2017 BC has spent 46 million trying to fight forest fires sinceRead MoreWhy Wildfires Are An Threat Of Safety, Economy And Environment1567 Words   |  7 PagesWildfires are an increasing threat to safety, economy and environment. Remote sensing technologies offer a large diversity of environmental information to help fire risk prevention services. In this regard, the European Copernicus program integrates a suite of space-born and in-situ datasets to support a wide range of applications, including fire risk assessment. This chapter provides an overview of the Copernicus products and services that are currently used to evaluate fire risk conditions, andRead MoreHistory Of A Fire Regime And Where We Are Today1285 Words   |  6 PagesJillian Spies , Assignment #1, FRST 547- Forestry in British Columbia Wildfire in British Columbia: The History of a Fire Regime and Where We Are Today The extraordinary wildfires that burned in 2015 worried many British Columbians. That year, 304,460 hectares of land was burned by wildfires in the province (Lori Daniels, personal communication, Oct. 30, 2015). Compared to the 10 year average of 115,000 hectares per year (Lori Daniels, personal communication, Oct. 30, 2015), this is a staggeringlyRead MoreWildfires And How Do They Start Essay1491 Words   |  6 PagesWhat are wildfires and how do they start Forest wildfire burn in the U.S. is projected to increase by over 50% by 2050 Wildfires emit huge amounts of carbon dioxide, increasing the rate of global warming. That warming then increases the number and severity of wildfires. We may be underestimating how much carbon future fires will contribute to the atmosphere. The biggest concern I have is that it is possible that we are underestimating the positive feedback of fire to the climate system and

History of Education in the Uk free essay sample

When the 1870 Elementary Education Act was instated it was the first government legislative act that made elementary education available and, in successive years, compulsory for all children. Elementary education consisted of the three R’s ‘reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic’, Biblical knowledge and ‘morality’. (Haralambos 2004). Renowned author HG Wells argued that this was â€Å"an act to educate the lower class for employment on lower class lines. † (Cited in Taylor et al 1997). An evolutionary act, not revolutionary, that made no effort to break down the barriers of class based education as but instead provided appropriate schooling for labour class children whilst providing a much needed ‘babysitting’ service as the Factory Acts prohibited children under 10 from working. The development of Britain’s education system was antiquated and lagging behind rival competitors in industry. Broadly up until World War Two, the three types of schooling; public schools for the upper classes, grammar schools for the middle classes and elementary schools for the working class, remained largely unchanged until World War Two. Haralambos 2004) Towards the end of and especially after World War Two the idea of meritocracy arose and with it the desire to rebuild society on meritocratic foundations, starting with education. Rad Butler (conservative MP and president of the board of education education) piloted the 1944 Education Act, often referred to as the Butler act, through parliament. (Derek Gillard 2011). Stephen Moore (2001) proposes that the 1944 Education Act was a part of a large welfare state provision roll out that was put into effect in successive years in the post war period influenced by the 1942 Beveridge Report. Haralambos (2004) highlights the philosophical and ideological underpinning of the 1944 Act as an idea of educational meritocracy and a realisation that the nation wasn’t making use of the talents of its people. â€Å"The nature of a childs education should be based on his capacity and promise and not by the circumstances of his parent. † (Cited in Derek Gillard 2011). The state reorganised the structure of education into three stages; primary education up until the age of eleven, secondary from the age of eleven to fifteen (from 1973, 16) and further or higher education beyond this new leaving age. Taylor et al 1997). Derek Gillard 2011 states that Cyril Norwood publishing the Norwood Report in 1943 directly shaped the landscape of secondary education. Using the prevailing theories of psychologists and educationalists (namely Cyril Burt) of the 1920’s and 30’s understanding of intelligence that held the, now debunked, view of intelligence as fixed and her editary; there were different ‘types’ of pupils, differing in ‘aptitudes and abilities’ and a child’s ‘type’ of intelligence could be found using intelligence testing. Taylor et al 1997). A national intelligence test was introduced, called the 11 plus, and was used as a selection tool for allocating the right ‘type’ of school for the right ‘type’ of child. This method of selection was seen as a scientific way of making sure that each child was receiving an education based on his or her ability. The test was taken on a single day at the age of eleven and this moulded educational trajectory of that child. A tripartite secondary education structure was born; three types of school, for three types of children; grammar schools for the bright and academic, secondary technical schools for children with aptitudes in technical subjects and secondary moderns for the less academic and more practical children. (Haralambos 2004). Taylor et al (1997) puts forth that the tripartite system was designed to provide separate yet equal types of schooling that was geared towards a child’s ability and that each type of school should have a parity of esteem. Parity of esteem was an idea and wasn’t mirrored by the reality; 75% of children who failed the 11 plus were disproportionately working class and consigned to substandard secondary moderns and the ‘top’ 20% who passed were disproportionately middle class who had the opportunity to gain a high quality grammar school education. Very few secondary technical schools were ever built due to their expense and only 5% of children attended them. The 11 plus was perceived as a ‘pass or fail’ test, (failure caused low self-esteem for most schools and the children attending them) and not the selection aid for a merit-based flavour of secondary education it was advertised to be. Derek Gillard’s (2011) argument of classism in the classroom is brought to light by the Attlee government increasing the barrier to entry into grammar schools, declining secondary moderns from introducing C. S. E. exams and rejecting numerous proposals from local authorities to introduce comprehensive schooling. The initial notion of ‘equal chance and opportunity’ education was increasingly viewed as more of a bipartite system of selective schooling; reinforcing the social class division within society rather than flying the flag for educational meritocracy. Criticisms that the tripartite system was wasting talent and not providing the education and skills needed for economic growth, combined with a change of government (from Conservative to Labour) in 1965 led to the â€Å"reorganising of secondary education along comprehensive lines† (Haralambos 2004, p132). A comprehensive education system would bring the tripartite system under one roof, merging three schools into one; educating all children of all abilities regardless of class background. Pupils were all given the same opportunities; there was no ‘selection aid’ (11 plus) as each school had a catchment area that would enable children in the area to attend. Derek Gillard (2011) stated that the ideological driver was to promote social cohesion and abolish ‘classism in the classroom. The move to a comprehensive education system facilitated the pressure for primary schools to teach for the 11 plus was removed and they began to experiment with more liberal child centred teaching methods. (Derek Gillard 2011). According to Taylor et al (1997) the 1960’s and 70’s saw a period of regular governmental change; yo-yoing between Conservative and Labour. It would seem that the determining factor in the rate of change from selective to comprehensive education was th e government in power. The abolition of capital punishment in 1965 and decriminalisation of homosexuality 1967 (www. nationalarchives. gov. uk) was demonstrative of Labours strive for social justice and equality. Haralambos (2004) illustrates the labour party’s push for comprehensive education by highlighting that by the time the conservative party returned to power in 1970 a third of all young people in secondary education were attending comprehensives. Edward Heath’s newly elected conservative government wanted to run grammar schools alongside comprehensives effectively undermining to the very idea of a comprehensive education system. The governmental change back to Labour in 1974 saw that figure increase to 80% by the end of term in 1979. Critics of the comprehensive system of education feared that amalgamating three schools into one would hold back pupils of higher ability and dilute the high academic standards of grammar schools. These fears, however, were unfounded as standards were higher in 1983 (with 4% attending grammar schools) than in 1969 (when 21% were attending grammar schools). Taylor et al (1997). Although exam results improved, the hopes of breaking down class barriers didn’t meet expectations as setting and streaming by ability within comprehensives consigned a disproportional amount of working class pupils to lower streams and sets and the majority of middle class pupils to higher streams and sets. Haralambos 2004). The precursor to the 1976 Education Act that stated there was to be no selection process in education was Prime Minister James Callaghan’s Great Debate speech hinting that the purpose of education was for employment, â€Å"I do not join those who paint a lurid picture of educational decline because I do not believe it is generally true†¦ In todays world, higher standards are demanded than were required yesterday and there are simply fewer jobs for those without s kill. Therefore we demand more from our schools than did our grandparents†¦ The goals of our education†¦ are to equip children to the best of their ability for a lively, constructive, place in society, and also to fit them to do a job of work. Not one or the other but both†¦ (James Callaghan, Great Debate speech at Ruskin College, Oxford, October 18th 1976 courtesy of the Guardian). 1979 saw the re-election of a conservative ‘new right’ government that stayed in power for almost twenty years (until 1997). Led by Margaret Thatcher, the conservative party promoted free market values, privatisation and capitalism. The 1970’s was a time of high youth unemployment and schools and there was a backlash against the liberal teaching methods that were producing young people who lacked the skills required by industry. (Taylor et al 1997). The conservatives wanted an education system that would meet the needs of the market whilst raising standards of education; there was concern that the current system was run by liberal ‘loony left’ teachers and there was an overall lack of discipline. Stories like the William Tyndale Scandal highlighted the need for a return to traditional Victorian values whilst promoting competition. (Derek Gillard 2011). After the failed reinstatement of the selection process in schools (1979 Education Act), by underestimating the popularity of comprehensives, Thatcher’s government waged a war of attrition that spanned almost a decade and 10 legislative acts to weaken and undermine the areas of the current education system; the majority labour controlled LEA’s, the teachers and their unions, the curriculum. For example, the 1980 Education Act gave parents to have the ability to choose from schools from outside their catchment area, creating competition between schools and the ‘absolute freedom of choice by application. (Cited in Derek Gillard 2011). Industry and the free market values of capitalism were the major ideological drivers of the time and the result gave birth to New Vocationalism; the belief that education should serve the needs of the market. The government took the sole responsibility for providing training for work away from employers and in 1983 the creation of a nu mber of youth training schemes; vocational, work based courses for school leavers that would enable them to train and achieve qualifications. These youth training schemes (in 1986) graduated to the forming of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s) which were set to solve the problem of the skills shortage in industry. There was a converse argument that a lack of employment was the problem not the lack of skills or training and vocational qualifications could be seen as a way procuring cheap labour. (Haralambos 2004). The 1988 Education Reform Act, sometimes referred to as the Baker act (after Kenneth Baker), was the most important educational act since the 1944 Butler act and marked the end of the post war consensus and the imposition of free market values on education. Grant maintained schools and city technology colleges that were run like businesses and could specialise to further widen parent choice were created; they circumvented LEA control, were funded directly from central government and had limited selection powers at age 11. A National standardised curriculum and system of testing controlled by the government was introduced with key stages were set in place to make sure that certain education objectives and standards were achieved. The 1992 Education Act saw the creation of league tables, the introduction of Ofsted and colleges and sixth forms taken away from LEA control. The results of standardised tests (SAT’s, GCSE’s and A Levels) and Ofsted inspections would have to be published in the league tables to advertise a schools success or lack thereof and in conjunction with Formula Funding (funding per student) would enable well subscribed schools to expand with parental choice further increasing competition and driving up standards. This had an effect on the economy with higher prices (an increase of 20%) for houses in desirable catchment areas. Ball, Bowe and Gewirtz (cited in Haralambos 2002) argue that not all parents were able to take advantage of the free market model of educational choice. Middle class parents (skilled privileged choosers) understood how the system worked in order to best benefit from it. For example, they had the funds to relocate to a desirable catchment or commute to ‘good schools’. The working class (unskilled chooser) had neither the funds not the understanding of the system to truly reap the benefits. When the labour government came back in to power in 1997 there was a perception that education would revert back to a more egalitarian comprehensive system with no selection but the education policy of Labour was seemingly indistinguishable from the previous conservative government with a continuation of parental choice and competition between schools. (Derek Gillard 2011) Ken Browne (2002) sees the comprehensive equality to free market competition values in education as a shift in priorities from child centred to school centred; the ‘image’ of a schools league table results has become more important than the traditional pursuit of equality of educational opportunity. The question was not ‘what you the school do for the student’ but ‘what can the student do for the school’. Weaker students (working class) were more likely to not be entered into exams for fear of the effect on the league tables and strong students (middle class) were not pushed urther if they already filled the stats of the A* to C bracket as this would be a waste of resources. The academy and free school movement is set to completely break education from LEA control. Academies are described as publicly funded independent schools making education in these schools the sole responsibility of the government and sponsors. They have the power to choose their own curriculum as long as it is ‘broad and balanced’. Alongside academies free schools will do much the same but with less funding and will be run by central government and volunteer and charity groups. Not all schools will become academies and free schools but this migration could be the end of ‘big society’ and mean fragmentation of society that is a haunting reflection of bygone era where the tripartite system entrenched social class division. In conclusion we can see a cyclical pattern in the education system starting in the 19th century with social class division and elitism to the continuation this into the 20th masked by the theory of intelligence rather than social class. In the 1960’s and comprehensive, liberal child centred, education was propped up by the notion of education equality. The tipping point can be seen as the 1976 Great Debate speech by James Callaghan where the emphasis was shifted to education serving the needs of industry. In turn this paved the way for Margaret Thatcher to replace the public service model of education with market forces of competition and a ‘back to basics’ model. And more recently we have seen further privatisation with the academy and free school movement forming the circle and ushering an era of Division all over again. Reference list Browne, Ken. (2002) Introduction to sociology for AS level, London, Polity Press. Gillard D. (2011) Education in England: a brief history www. educationengland. org. uk/history Haralambos and Longley. (2004) Sociology in focus for AQA AS level, Ormskirk, Causway Press. Haralambos and Holborn. (2002) Themes and perspectives, London, Colins. Moore, Stephen. (2001) Sociology Alive, Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes LTD. Taylor et al. (1997) Sociology in focus, Ormskirk, Causeway Press.

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility

Question: Discuss about the Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility. Answer: Introduction: In recent times, the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has evolved as a critical and important organizational function (Mulyadi Anwar, 2012). However, the businesses are not sure if the focus on CSR activities can really increase the profitability of firms (Khojastehpour johns, 2014). The large organizations in Australia have found it difficult to obtain a balance between the core function of the organization (profitability) and the secondary function of the organization, Corporate Social Responsibility (Yang, 2013). It would be interesting to study if the focus on CSR activities can really improve the profitability of the large firms. Research Aim and Objectives The research would have the aim to establish the relationship between the corporate social responsibility and the profitability of the large, multinational organizations in Australia. The specific objectives of this research work can be discussed as: 1. To establish the relationship between the corporate social responsibility and the profitability of the large, multinational organizations in Australia 2. To research the ways large firms can use CSR function to improve the profitability of the multinational firms in Australia Research Methodology This research work would be based on mix methods of research. This research work would be a two-phased research work. The two phases of the research would be primary research and secondary research. The research would be an exploratory research that would explore the relationship between the corporate social responsibility and the profitability of the large, multinational organizations in Australia. The primary and secondary research methods that would be used in the research can be discussed as. Primary research methods The primary research methods would be based on the online questionnaire. An online survey would be created to collect data from respondents. A random sampling method would be used to collect data. The online survey would have little but useful collection. The survey would have maximum of 10 close ended questions so that the respondents can answer these questions easily (Blumberg Cooper, 2014). Secondary research methods The secondary research would be completed with a thorough literature review. There are various studies and researches in the literature about this topic. The literature review would be done to explore the existing literature to establish the relationship between the corporate social responsibility and the profitability of the large, multinational organizations in Australia (Harrison, 2013). The secondary methods of research, for this research, would be mainly qualitative in nature. For the literature review, the peer-reviewed journals would be used. A lot of information is available on Internet that would be used to do the literature review. The incredible websites like the personal opinions page and blogs would not be used as part of literature review. Data collection and analysis The data collection would be both quantitative and qualitative in nature. The quantitative data would be collected through online survey and the qualitative data would be collected through secondary research. The data collection would happen through the data collection tools like Microsoft Excel (Saunders Lewis, 2014). The tables and spreadsheets would be used to record and to collect the data. The data analysis would be the nest phase of the research. The data analysis would be done through the statistical tools like SPSS. The simpler tools like Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word could also be used for the purpose of data analysis. Once the data analysis is done, the next part would be to make the research report. References Blumberg, B. F., Cooper, D. R., Schindler, P. S. (2014).Business research methods. McGraw-hill education. Harrison, R. L. (2013). Using mixed methods designs in the Journal of Business Research, 19902010.Journal of Business Research,66(11), 2153-2162. Khojastehpour, M., Johns, R. (2014). The effect of environmental CSR issues on corporate/brand reputation and corporate profitability.European Business Review,26(4), 330-339. Mulyadi, M. S., Anwar, Y. (2012). Impact of corporate social responsibility toward firm value and profitability.The Business Review, Cambridge,19(2), 316-322. Saunders, M. N., Lewis, P. (2014).Doing research in business and management: An essential guide to planning your project. Pearson Higher Ed. Yang, Y. L. (2013). Efficiency Evaluation and its Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility Companies.