There are different phases in a disaster. Each phase has its own characteristics and challenges.

Many
books and reports describe these phases as Mitigation, Preparation, Response, and Recovery.
Attention should be given particularly to the phases Response and Recovery, which may occur
simultaneously in the same entity. One such example is hospitals in which the emergency
department may be finished with its response and start recovery, while at operation theaters
response just starts and recovery may take a long time after the end of the disaster. The speed of
effect of disasters also differs. There are rapid effect and slow-effect disasters. Rapid effect disasters
are made up of the following phases, which are not necessarily applicable in all cases:

Damage-mitigation phase: Includes all procedures conducted before the occurrence of the disaster,
as well as preparations that aim to reduce the rate of threats.

Preparations phase: Includes steps taken to reduce the expected damage, mortality and organizing
transportation operations for individuals from threatened positions to otherpositions.

Relief phase: Comes directly after the occurrence of the disaster and includes rescue works, looking
for survivors and meeting victims’ basic needs.

Rehabilitation phase: Includes decisions that are made after the occurrence of the disaster and
intended to return the population to the pre-disaster state.

Reconstruction phase: Includes procedures that are implemented after the rehabilitation phase to
reintegrate affected persons from a disaster into a settlement or complete return for pre-disaster
phase.

Slow disasters include, in addition to the phases of rapid disasters, an early warning phase. Early
warning is an important strategy to save lives and reduce damage. However, the magnitude of the
task of designing, implementing, and sustaining early warning systems in communities is challenging.

There are numerous suggestions for the various phases of crisis management. One such
classification is;
- Pre-crisis - warning stage of an impending crisis, prevention, and preparation.
- Crisis response – responding to the acute crisis.
Post-crisis - recovery or clean-up, lessons learned etc.

Disaster management can simply be defined as taking immediate and proper measures to cope with
disasters and their components and consequences under time pressure and threat due to looming
danger and the lack of adequate and accurate information and other resources. Such actions need to
be planned. Lack of proper attention and failure to draft strategic plans for managing disasters in a
scientific way might lead to a crisis that can lead to the destruction of institutions and systems.

Disaster management and prevention differ according to the type and size of the disaster as well as
degree of its severity. Planning should include strategic planning, defining specific objectives,
strategic analysis of the environment, using prediction tools related to the type of crisis and hazard
analysis, coordination of efforts and effective design of organizational structures. Disaster risk can be
managed by taking steps that reduce the potential impacts of disasters, such as building dikes and
preventing the construction of housing and infrastructure in flood-prone areas.

There are many basic approaches for diagnosing disasters and crises which can be reviewed as
follows:
Descriptive and analytical approach: The phases of a disaster are studied to determine, describe and
analyze its features, general characteristics, and consequences.

Historical approach: Uses information about any disaster or crisis in a historic perspective to identify
the causal factors of the crisis or disaster.

Systems approach: Looks into the components of the disaster or crisis as a system and it is based on
a set of integrated systems each of which has a role in the occurrence of crisis or disaster.

Environmental approach: Considers the crisis or disaster as a result of its own environment where
there are factors that create the climate of crisis or disaster and studies its surrounding
environment.

Case study approach: Studies each crisis or disaster individually or as an independent case
considering that each case is unique in terms of time, place and the subject of the crisis.

Comparative studies approach: Compare various disasters and crises to determine the differences
among them in a form that allows progress and activity to manage them.

Integrated studies approach: Integrates all the above-mentioned approaches in studying crises and
disasters. This approach is based on three perspectives upon handling of crises which are either
within the crisis or at its margin or away from it even though the study area is affected by the crisis.
These are:
1) Deep vision that explores the root causes of the crisis, its reasons, and motives through the
phases of its development
2) Wide encompassing vision of the crisis and it’s extent and supporting and neutral elements and
forces
3) Forecasting vision that looks forward and is based on forecasting and expectation of what can
take place in terms of subsequent developments besides their risks, size of losses, costs, etc.

There are two types of methods for handling crises and disasters, traditional and nontraditional
methods.

Situation-based methods:

1. Ostrich style (the escape): Elimination of stress and confusion that is created due to the
intensity of the crisis or when the decision-maker feels unable to confront it. The style of
escape takes many forms such as direct escape, indirect escape, avoiding responsibility,
focusing on another dimension, and projection.
2. Jumping over the crisis style: Pretending that the crisis has been contained through
concentrating on the familiar parts in which there was previously experienced in handling. It
leads to leaving issues unaddressed until they emerge more severely and sometimes
violently.
3. Submissive style: The use of force to make an agency in charge retreat from its position and
not responding to demands whatever the extent of the threat.
4. Concessional style: Submission and surrender to the demands of an opposite party in order
to end the crisis.
5. Bargaining style: Negotiation with the opposite party in order to reach a settlement of the
crisis. It requires some concessions in return for mutual concessions from the opponent. The
bilateral demands should be equal and do not exceed the limit needed to provide a
concession.
Evidence-based methods:
These methods are based on the use of scientific and administrative systematics and use of
basic management functions:
1. . Planning: Planning is the general framework for dealing with the crisis or disaster. It
refers to the identification of what the problem is, what can be done, and how it should
be done. Then it can be related to the facts of the crisis, the changes, prediction of
future events, preparation for emergencies and drafting scenarios for effective
treatment. Planning as a scientific tool determines handling methods, time, efforts,
material and human resources needed for managing crises and disasters before their
occurrence. Strategic planning is based on internal and external analysis processes,
determination of mission, future vision and strategic policies.
2. 2. Organizing: Is needed for effective management of disasters and crisis; coordination
that lead to the unification of efforts and integration for handling crisis. It must have a
proper structure that defines individual activities and works tasks and responsibilities for
managing disasters. In addition, it spreads organizational culture and provides suitable
and efficient communication.
3. 3. Directing: Official orders (written instruction and approved) are needed to confront
the incident directly, rapidly and properly. This process needs knowledge of the available
internal capability of the systems including human and material resources. Proper
directing utilizes available scientific methods, charts, pictures and diagrams to define
tasks as well as explaining their nature, distribution, and interrelationships through
meeting involved stakeholders. Success is culture-dependent and not all participants
may be familiar with such procedures.
4. 4. Controlling: The process of following up directions to ensure the effective, prompt and
complete execution of work tasks. This requires prior control of available resources and
their effectiveness, tight control of the activity of crisis teams, determination of
limitations, and handling each aspect of deviation from the plan in prior- and post-
control.

Strategies for confronting disasters are:

Developing early warning, information and communication systems.

Developing confrontation plans according to priorities in the sources of threat.

Assembling and storing stocks of medical and food supplies, rescue tools, etc.

Preparing plans for mobilization of emergency forces, engineering equipment, logistic and
communication, volunteers, accommodation centers and disasters management teams.

Deciding the role of all governmental authorities and relevant ministries concerned with
disasters and related to their responsibilities and coordinating their efforts.

Deciding priorities of confronting disaster in case they are multiple in one area.

Handling phobic situations related to the disaster via enhancing morale, awareness and
proper management of the incident and preventing social unrest.

- Leading and control, and taking rapid and proper decisions without hesitation or
discrepancy in instructions for participating authorities.

The strategy of preventing and confronting disasters requires a step-by-step approach.

First: Studying and recognizing the nature, type, size, potential, and consequences of
anticipated disasters and the relevant authorities for confrontation.

Second: Determining the prerequisites of confrontation for all types of disasters e.g. skills,
facilities and needed resources, drafting relevant legislation, establishing regional and
international cooperation to control disasters.

Third: Defining the priorities for confronting various disasters and estimation of costs.

Fourth: Developing relevant programs for confronting disasters while taking their suitability
to the needs and capabilities of the local population into consideration.

Fifth: Execution of scheduled plans and program that are translated into estimated balances,
staff and specific organizations, and the follow-up, control and evaluating the roles of expert
teams in the activity.

Knowledge needed at different management levels For basic, advanced and master levels

Prevention and mitigation: To minimize the impact of a disaster with proper planning and
actions using:
1) Scientific hazards analysis (natural and man-made).
2) Vulnerability analysis (elderly, children, pregnant, etc).
3) Risk assessment and mapping.
4) Simulation and modeling.
5) Structural mitigation; buildings, stock assessment, etc.
6) Non-structural mitigation; awareness campaign, training, and capacity building.

Prediction and warning: This part can be included in the prevention and mitigation phase or
as a part of preparedness and planning. In this phase, we should use all our technological
know-how to predict/diagnose a disaster and obtain necessary measures to prevent and or
mitigate. These technologies include any one or all of:
1) Monitoring.
2) Forecasting.
3) Early warning.
4) Scenario identification.

Preparedness: Preparedness will minimize the negative impacts of structural and

nonstructural damages where prevention and mitigation fail. In order to be prepared, we
need to have good plans for every part of the society, based on a risk and vulnerability
analysis. The plans are:
1) Resource inventory planning.
2) Stockpiling planning.
3) Logistical planning.
4) Evacuation planning.
5) Communication planning.
6) Needs assessment planning.

Response: In this phase, we use all knowledge collected from earlier phases to cope with a
disaster. Available plans built upon risk and vulnerability analysis and resource assessment
etc. will now be brought into play. The immediate or delayed reaction which depends on the
type of event will start a chain of reaction in the society concerned and among all authorities
involved in disaster management. This phase may consist of activities that may blend into
one another:
1) Situation analysis.
2) Early damage assessment.
3) Crisis mapping.
4) Information, communication with stakeholders.
5) Evacuation and shelters.
6) Dispatching of resources.

Relief: This phase may start early or late due to the sustainability of the infrastructure and
logistics, but is basically about prioritizing actions to save lives, and thus may start during the
response stage. Special consideration should be made for vulnerable groups and those at
home with the high need for medical instruments. It includes:

1) Search and rescue.

2) Rubble and debris removal.
3) Logistics.
4) Delivery of relief supplies.
5) Prioritizing actions.

Recovery, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation: This is the most challenging phase of the
disaster cycle and covers a wide range of actions. Perhaps the most demanding element is to
review and evaluate the disaster management process to see whether it could have been
managed better in preparation for possible future disasters. This phase may include:
1) Spatial planning.
2) Infrastructure.
3) Communication.
4) Water, hygiene, sanitation.
5) Housing.
6) Livelihoods.
7) Social security.
8) Transport.
9) Agriculture.
10) Evaluation