Disaster Management

Goals of Disaster
Disaster management aims to reduce, or avoid, the potential losses
Management:
from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of

disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. The Disaster

(1) Reduce, or avoid,
management cycle illustrates the ongoing process by which
losses from hazards;
governments, businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the
(2) Assure prompt
impact of disasters, react during and immediately following a disaster,
assistance to victims;
and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred. Appropriate
(3) Achieve rapid and
actions at all points in the cycle lead to greater preparedness, better
effective recovery.
warnings, reduced vulnerability or the prevention of disasters during

the next iteration of the cycle. The complete disaster management cycle includes the shaping of

public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on

people, property, and infrastructure.

The mitigation and preparedness phases occur as disaster management improvements are made

in anticipation of a disaster event. Developmental considerations play a key role in contributing

to the mitigation and preparation of a community to effectively confront a disaster. As a disaster

occurs, disaster management actors, in particular humanitarian organizations, become involved

in the immediate response and long-term recovery phases. The four disaster management phases

illustrated here do not always, or even generally, occur in isolation or in this precise order. Often

phases of the cycle overlap and the length of each phase greatly depends on the severity of the

disaster.
 o Mitigation - Minimizing the effects of disaster.

Examples: building codes and zoning; vulnerability analyses; public education.

o Preparedness - Planning how to respond.

Examples: preparedness plans; emergency exercises/training; warning systems.

o Response - Efforts to minimize the hazards created by a disaster.

Examples: search and rescue; emergency relief .

o Recovery - Returning the community to normal.

Examples: temporary housing; grants; medical care.

Sustainable Development

Developmental considerations contribute to all aspects of the disaster management cycle.

One of the main goals of disaster management, and one of its strongest links with

development, is the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and their protection and

recovery during disasters and emergencies. Where this goal is achieved, people have a

greater capacity to deal with disasters and their recovery is more rapid and long lasting.

In a development oriented disaster management approach, the objectives are to reduce

hazards, prevent disasters, and prepare for emergencies. Therefore, developmental

considerations are strongly represented in the mitigation and preparedness phases of the

disaster management cycle. Inappropriate development processes can lead to increased

vulnerability to disasters and loss of preparedness for emergency situations.

Mitigation
Mitigation activities actually eliminate or reduce the probability of disaster occurrence, or

reduce the effects of unavoidable disasters. Mitigation measures include building codes;

vulnerability analyses updates; zoning and land use management; building use

regulations and safety codes; preventive health care; and public education.

Mitigation will depend on the incorporation of appropriate measures in national and

regional development planning. Its effectiveness will also depend on the availability of

information on hazards, emergency risks, and the countermeasures to be taken. The

mitigation phase, and indeed the whole disaster management cycle, includes the shaping

of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their

effects on people, property, and infrastructure.

Preparedness

The goal of emergency preparedness programs is to achieve a satisfactory level of

readiness to respond to any emergency situation through programs that strengthen the

technical and managerial capacity of governments, organizations, and communities.

These measures can be described as logistical readiness to deal with disasters and can be

enhanced by having response mechanisms and procedures, rehearsals, developing long-

term and short-term strategies, public education and building early warning systems.

Preparedness can also take the form of ensuring that strategic reserves of food,

equipment, water, medicines and other essentials are maintained in cases of national or

local catastrophes.
During the preparedness phase, governments, organizations, and individuals develop

plans to save lives, minimize disaster damage, and enhance disaster response operations.

Preparedness measures include preparedness plans; emergency exercises/training;

warning systems; emergency communications systems; evacuations plans and training;

resource inventories; emergency personnel/contact lists; mutual aid agreements; and

public information/education. As with mitigations efforts, preparedness actions depend

on the incorporation of appropriate measures in national and regional development plans.

In addition, their effectiveness depends on the availability of information on hazards,

emergency risks and the countermeasures to be taken, and on the degree to which

government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the general public are able to

make use of this information.

Humanitarian Action

During a disaster, humanitarian agencies are often called upon to deal with immediate

response and recovery. To be able to respond effectively, these agencies must have

experienced leaders, trained personnel, adequate transport and logistic support,

appropriate communications, and guidelines for working in emergencies. If the necessary

preparations have not been made, the humanitarian agencies will not be able to meet the

immediate needs of the people.

Response

The aim of emergency response is to provide immediate assistance to maintain life,

improve health and support the morale of the affected population. Such assistance may
range from providing specific but limited aid, such as assisting refugees with transport,

temporary shelter, and food, to establishing semi-permanent settlement in camps and

other locations. It also may involve initial repairs to damaged infrastructure. The focus in

the response phase is on meeting the basic needs of the people until more permanent and

sustainable solutions can be found. Humanitarian organizations are often strongly present

in this phase of the disaster management cycle.

Recovery

As the emergency is brought under control, the affected population is capable of

undertaking a growing number of activities aimed at restoring their lives and the

infrastructure that supports them. There is no distinct point at which immediate relief

changes into recovery and then into long-term sustainable development. There will be

many opportunities during the recovery period to enhance prevention and increase

preparedness, thus reducing vulnerability. Ideally, there should be a smooth transition

from recovery to on-going development.

Recovery activities continue until all systems return to normal or better. Recovery

measures, both short and long term, include returning vital life-support systems to

minimum operating standards; temporary housing; public information; health and safety

education; reconstruction; counseling programs; and economic impact studies.

Information resources and services include data collection related to rebuilding, and

documentation of lessons learned.

Defining Disaster Management

Disasters take many shapes. Human-made disasters result from human errors and include

industrial explosions or structure failures. Natural disasters result from physical phenomena and

include earthquakes and droughts. Disasters classified as complex can include epidemics or

armed conflicts.

In whatever form, disasters disrupt communities and can take a serious toll on people, property,

economies, and the environment. They often stretch a community’s capacity to cope.

Disaster management is a process of effectively preparing for and responding to disasters. It

involves strategically organizing resources to lessen the harm that disasters cause. It also

involves a systematic approach to managing the responsibilities of disaster prevention,

preparedness, response, and recovery.

Disaster management involves examining and managing causal factors. It requires assessing the

extent to which a community can withstand a disaster. Some communities are more vulnerable

than others. For example, poorer communities have fewer resources to prepare themselves for a

storm or bounce back from flood damage.

Disaster management also involves analyzing exposure to loss. For example, homes built below

sea level may face greater exposure to flooding if a hurricane hits them.

Prevention
Mitigation and prevention efforts aim to reduce the potential damage and suffering that disasters

can cause. While disaster management cannot prevent disasters, it can prevent them from

becoming compounded as a result of neglecting causal factors and manageable risks. Mitigation

specifically refers to actions taken that can lessen the severity of a disaster’s impact. Investing in

measures that limit hazards can greatly reduce the burden of disasters.

Strategies that disaster management professionals implement to protect vulnerable communities

and limit hazards include the following:

 Raising awareness about potential hazards and how to address them

 Educating the public about how to properly prepare for different types of disaster

 Installing and strengthening prediction and warning systems

Managing hazards and risks means planning to minimize a community’s vulnerability to

disasters. This can involve:

 Encouraging community members to buy appropriate insurance to protect their properties

and belongings

 Educating families and businesses on how to create effective disaster plans

 Promoting the use of fire-retardant materials in construction

 Advocating for capital works initiatives, such as the construction and maintenance of

levees

 Building partnerships between sectors and agencies at the federal, state, and local levels

to collaborate on mitigation projects

Disaster management professionals working on mitigation efforts also focus on the following:
Land Use and Building Codes

Building schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods in flood-prone areas increases their exposure to

disasters. Disaster management spotlights these risks and presents ideas to use land in safer

ways.

For example, rather than constructing homes in floodplains, community planners can designate

those areas as places for outdoor recreation, wildlife attractions, or hiking trails. They can also

urge people to avoid these areas during flood season. These measures make residents and their

homes less vulnerable to harm.

Additionally, mitigation efforts can do the following:

 Address ways to engineer bridges to sustain earthquakes

 Enforce building codes that safeguard buildings during hurricanes

Critical Infrastructure

Protecting critical infrastructure during a disaster can mean the difference between life and death.

Critical infrastructure, which comprises the systems and assets vital to a community’s economy,

security, and public health, deserves special attention as regards disaster management mitigation.

Setting up protective measures that limit damage to water and wastewater systems or nuclear

plants, for example, can prevent serious repercussions.

As an example, Japan experienced devastating physical and psychological consequences after a

2011 earthquake triggered a tsunami. The inundation of water cut off the power supply to the

cooling system for Fukushima Daiichi reactors, leading to a massive nuclear accident.

Preparedness

Well-coordinated responses to disasters require prior planning. This helps ensure fast, effective

response efforts and limits duplicated efforts.

Disaster preparedness plans:

 Identify organizational resources

 Designate roles and responsibilities

 Create procedures and policies

 Organize activities that improve disaster readiness

Anticipating the needs of communities that disasters affect improves the quality of the response

efforts. Building the capacities of volunteers, personnel, and disaster management teams to

respond to disasters also makes the response efforts more effective.

Plans may include the following:

 Emergency shelter sites

 Evacuation routes

 Emergency energy and water sources

They may also address:

  Chains of command

 Training programs

 Communication procedures

 Emergency supply distribution

 Stockpile needs

Contingency Planning

Disaster readiness calls for contingency planning, advance decisions about managing human and

monetary resources, coordinating procedures between different agencies, and organizing

logistics.

Contingency plans answer three basic questions:

 What will happen?

 What will the response be?

 What will be done ahead of time to prepare?

Response and Recovery

During and immediately after an emergency, disaster management focuses on delivering help

and interventions that can save lives, safeguard health, and protect buildings, animals, and

community property. Following an initial response, efforts shift toward supporting communities

as they rebuild emotionally, economically, and physically.

Disaster Relief
Disaster relief addresses the immediate and short-term needs of disaster-affected communities. It

can include evacuations, search and rescue missions, and emergency medical assistance.

Examples of disaster relief are:

 Setting up temporary shelters that provide a safe place to sleep, food, and emotional

support from trained personnel

 Delivering meals and water

 Distributing emergency supplies and necessities, such as toiletries for hygiene and tarps,

shovels, trash bags for cleanup efforts

 Providing emergency health services, such as first aid for injuries and prescription

medication replacements

Rebuilding

Emergency management helps communities rebuild their lives after trauma. This involves

longer-term efforts to restore:

 Housing

 Economies

 Infrastructure systems

 Individual and community health

Federal agencies and supporting organizations help communities with problem-solving and

finding resources as they redevelop and revitalize.

Recovery assistance may include the following:

 Unemployment assistance

 Housing assistance

 Legal services

 Mental health counseling

 Disaster case management