NATIONAL MANAGEMENT COLLEGE LAHORE

Senior Management Wing

8th SMC

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PAPER

On

‘Effective SOPs for Disaster Relief Management –

Critical Analysis & Strategy’

By

NAZIR AHMAD SHORO

Inland Revenue Service

A Paper submitted to the Faculty of the National Management College, Lahore

in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the 8th Senior Management Course.

The contents of this paper are the end product of my own efforts and research
and reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed by the College.

Signature…………………
Date: 30th December, 2010
Paper supervised by:
Mr. Waqar Ali Khan,
Faculty Advisor
PREFACE

Research paper on Effective SOPs for Disaster Relief Management has been a
challenging task for me since this is a new topic and no work was probably done previously
on this particular subject in SMC or NMC. This is not the kind of topic on which plethora of
literature is available and one could immediately proceed with the research. The difficulty
that I have faced in completing this paper was mainly the lack of relevant literature. However
with focused guidance and directions of my faculty advisor Mr. Waqar Ali Khan I was able
to access some relevant literature and after the insightful discussions held with him the
research has been completed. Due to this constraint some gaps may have been left in the
research however this was just the beginning of research on this particular subject. I am
hopeful that research would be carried forward on this subject by participants in the coming
courses and remaining aspects of the subject would be covered.

I am extremely thankful to my faculty advisor Mr. Waqar Ali Khan, for his guidance
and constant support without which this work would not have been possible. I also wish to
express my gratitude to Mr. Amir Mohiuddin, Director Mitigation and Preparedness, NDMA,
Islamabad as well Mr. Saleh Ahmed Farooqui, Director General Sindh PDMA for the
valuable information furnished by them during their interviews. I am also thankful to fellow
participants for useful discussions during various stages of this study. Finally I am also
grateful to the management of Senior Management wing of NMC for the provision of support
services as typing and printing.

i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The disaster situations are generally complex and crucial time to respond is always
limited. Mistakes have greater repercussions and costs. There may be a communication gap
between emergency service providers in the field and the authorities managing affairs at a
higher level. Well-designed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) help fill this gap. SOPs
are a vital component of disaster management and emergency response operations. Disaster
management organisations cannot operate effectively in modern times without a
comprehensive set of SOPs. A look at disaster management systems followed by the
countries, which have managed to reduce disaster risks in recent years, would show that
SOPs are essential component of their disaster mitigation and relief strategy.

Institutionalized disaster management system in Pakistan is going through the initial

period of taking roots. Disaster management process is still largely inclined towards reactive
operations. Disaster management operations are carried out in the absence of specific
guidelines especially for the agencies directly engaged in rescue and relief work.
Unfortunately there are no SOPs available at this level due to which disaster work is carried
out without following any specific procedures.

NDMA has recently started the process of formulation of SOPs however NDMA itself
is a relatively nascent organization and its SOPs are at a rudimentary stage and not mature
enough to fully cater for the disaster situations. The NDMA SOPs are meant to be general
guidelines rather than specific course of action in disaster situations. Instead of laying down
requirements for the manner in which relief activities should be carried out on the ground,
these SOPs seek to constitute a link as well as a source of coordination among different layers
of disaster management authorities and agencies. However even if these SOPs are intended as
general guidelines they appear to have limited application and there is not much in them that
may serve as an impetus for development of SOPs at operational level. When viewed on the
standards of effective SOPs as followed in some other countries and regions there remains a
lot to be desired as far as the effectiveness of these SOPs is concerned. The NDMA needs to
move beyond its essentially administrative SOPs and help formulate and implement
comprehensive operational SOPs for coping with various dimensions of disasters.

ii
 ACRONYMS
ARDEX ASEAN Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (Code name)
ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations
CA Civil Defence
CDEMA Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
CDERA Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
COMDISPLAN Commonwealth Government Disaster Response Plan
CREED Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters
DCO District Coordination Officer
DDMA District Disaster Management Authority
DEOC District Emergency Operations Centre
DERP Drought Emergency Relief Programme
DHS Department of Homeland Security
DRR Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation
EDO Executive District Officer
EMA Emergency Management Australia
EM-DAT Emergency Events Database
EOC Emergency Operations Centre
ERRA Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FFC Federal Flood Commission
I/NGO International Non-Governmental Organization
MDMA Municipal Disaster Management Authority
NDMA National Disaster Management Authority
NDMC National Disaster Management Commission
NDMO National Disaster Management Ordinance
NDRF National Disaster Response Force
NEOC National Emergency Operations Centre
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NLC National Logistic Cell
PDMA Provincial Disaster Management Authority
PEOC Provincial Emergency Operation Center
PMDC Pakistan Medical and Dental Council
PTA Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
PTCL Pakistan Telecommunication Corporation Limited
SAARC South Asian Association for Cooperation
SITREP Situation Report
SOPs Standard Operating Procedures
SUPARCO Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
UC Union Council

iii
 CONTENTS
PREFACE ............................................................................................................................ i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. ii
ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... iii
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................... 1
Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 2
SECTION-I ......................................................................................................................... 3
SIGNIFICANCE OF SOPs IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT ......................................... 3
1.1 Defining Disaster .................................................................................................... 3
1.2 What is Disaster Management? ............................................................................... 3
1.3 What are SOPs? ...................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Why are SOPs Important in Disaster Management? ................................................ 5
1.5 The Role and Functions of SOPs ............................................................................. 5
1.6 The SOP Management Process................................................................................ 6
1.7 Implementing Standard Operating Procedures ......................................................... 7
1.8 Performance Monitoring ......................................................................................... 7
SECTION-II ........................................................................................................................ 9
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK RESPONSIBLE FOR SOPs DEVELOPMENT ..... 9
2.1 The Pakistan Disaster Scenario ............................................................................... 9
2.2 Shift from Conventional Approach .......................................................................... 9
2.3 National Disaster Management Authority.............................................................. 10
2.4 Provincial Disaster Management Authority ........................................................... 10
2.5 District and Municipal Disaster Management Authority ........................................ 11
SECTION-III .................................................................................................................... 12
SOPs IN INTERNATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ......................................... 12
3.1 USA...................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 India ..................................................................................................................... 13
3.3 The Caribbean....................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Australia ............................................................................................................... 15
3.5 The ASEAN Region ............................................................................................. 16
SECTION-IV ..................................................................................................................... 19
DISASTER MANAGEMENT SOPs IN PAKISTAN ...................................................... 19
4.1 Disaster Management before NDMO 2006............................................................ 19
4.2 SOPs for Major Routine Aspects of NDMA .......................................................... 19
4.3 Absence of Disaster Management SOPs ................................................................ 20
4.4 SOPs for Federal level Disaster Management ........................................................ 20
4.5 SOPs for Provincial Level Disaster Management .................................................. 23
4.6 SOPs for District and Municipal Level Disaster Management ............................... 25
SECTION-V ...................................................................................................................... 26
ANALYSIS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT SOPs IN PAKISTAN ........................ 26
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 28
RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................. 29
BIBLOGRAPY.................................................................................................................. 32

iv
 1

INTRODUCTION
People in Pakistan are affected by natural hazards at regular but unpredictable
intervals. Hazards become disasters when people's homes and livelihoods are destroyed.
Poverty, population pressures and environmental degradation mean that increasing numbers
of people are vulnerable to natural hazards. Increasing population and urbanisation is
increasing the country‘s exposure to natural hazards. While there is little that can be done to
stop the natural hazards, it is important how the people and governments behave while
reacting to disasters.

Disasters can only be effectively and efficiently handled through proper disaster
management processes. In fact disaster management is the discipline that involves preparing
for disaster before it occurs, immediate response and rebuilding after disaster. In general, any
disaster management is a continuous process by which governments, organisations, groups as
well as individuals manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate the impact of disasters.
Disaster management is a complex series of activities that include risk assessment, prevention
measures, preparedness to cope with future disasters, emergency response to a disaster,
recovery and reconstruction. Proper and effective disaster management depends on
institutionalised disaster mechanism which creates organised disaster management
procedures based on a certain set of written guidelines for disaster relief activities. These
guidelines are known as Standard Operating Processes (SOPs) and their role is critical in
achieving coherence and standardisation in disaster relief activities.

Statement of the Problem

Natural disasters are as old as the earth itself but human and economic losses
stemming from natural disasters have increased as a consequence of population growth.
Pakistan is located in a region that is prone to a number of natural disasters. Due to its diverse
range of terrain, the country is susceptible to wide ranging hazards from droughts to floods
and earthquakes to cyclones. Pakistan like many other countries has established a legal and
institutional framework to cope with the disasters. In order to organise and streamline the
disaster risk and relief measures a few Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been
devised by the National Disaster Management Authority.

This paper attempts to analyze the significance of standard operating procedures

(SOPs) in disaster relief management and critically evaluate the fact whether the disaster
 2

relief SOPs presently in the field are sufficient to cater for the recurring disaster situations in
Pakistan. The analysis will also focus on the best international practices in developing and
following disaster management SOPs and look into the question as to what Pakistan needs to
do to achieve the international standards and quality.

Methodology
The nature of the subject of this research, which is effectiveness of standard operating
procedures in disaster relief necessitate a descriptive pattern. This research paper is based on
literature available on the subject including newspapers and international journals. Internet
was extensively used as the main sources of research work. This research is now the outcome
of a process in which different pieces of information and the ideas from different sources
have been juxtaposed and put in the form of this paper.

Review of the Literature

Except for the SOPs themselves other published literature on this subject is very scant
in Pakistan. In order to carry out a meaningful research one has to mainly rely on material
available on the internet. There is a considerable amount of literature on SOP writing as well
as disaster management SOPs developed by various countries and regions. There are a
number of detailed disaster response plans of various countries which also contain SOPs.
These sources, as listed in the bibliography, were extensively utilised to complete this study.
 3

SECTION-I
SIGNIFICANCE OF SOPs IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1.1 Defining Disaster

Having a definition of disaster is extremely important for identifying which events to

include or exclude from the scope of an analysis. The term disaster owes its origin to the
French word ―Disaster‖ which is a combination of two words ‗des‘ meaning bad and ‗aster‘
meaning star. Thus the term refers to ‗Bad or Evil star‘. The United Nations defined Disaster
as ‗a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread
human, material, economic and environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected
community / society to cope using its own resources‘1. The Center for Research on the
Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) in Brussels, Belgium, uses the following definition:

―A disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a

request to a national or international level for external assistance‖.2

In view of various definitions available disaster may be described as a sudden adverse

or unfortunate extreme event which causes great damage to human beings as well as plants
and animals. Disasters occur rapidly, instantaneously and indiscriminately. These extreme
events exceed the tolerable magnitude within or beyond certain time limits, make adjustment
difficult, result in catastrophic losses of property and income and life is paralyzed. 3

1.2 What is Disaster Management?

The United Nations‘ International Strategy for disaster Reduction papers has defined
disaster management as ‗the systematic process of using administrative decisions,
organisations, operational skills and capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping
capacities of the society and communities to lessen the impacts of natural hazards and related
environmental and technological disasters. This comprises all forms of activities, including
structural and non-structural measures to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and
preparedness) adverse effects of hazards‘4.

1
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng%20home.htm
2
http://www.emdat.be/
3
Himayatullah Khan and Abuturab Khan ‘Natural Hazards and Disaster Management in Pakistan’ online at
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/11052/
4
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/library/lib-terminology-eng%20home.htm
 4

1.3 What are SOPs?

Standard Operating Procedures are written guidelines that explain what is expected
and required of disaster management personnel in performing their jobs. In other words, a
standard operating procedure is an organizational directive that establishes a standard course
of action. A comprehensive set of SOPs defines in significant detail how an organisation
intends to operate.

For efficient and effective performance it is essential for all organisations in general
and disaster management organisations in particular to operate under a set of standard
operating procedures. SOPs may be formulated for any function that disaster management
organisations perform, including administration such as equipment maintenance and building
inspections, rehabilitation, etc. and emergency response operations such as emergency
response, rescue and rehabilitation, medical services, etc. The procedures can be organised
and presented in many different ways, depending on the organisation‘s priorities and
requirements.

SOPs should not be confused with pre-incident plans or pre-plans, which describe
strategies for emergency response at a specific facility. Pre-plans allow the department to
gather information on designated locations, identify potential hazards, and assess site-specific
factors. SOPs, on the other hand, are more generic in nature. They address general functions
like equipment placement and tactical operations, and they are applicable to all emergency
incidents or at least to a specific category or type of emergency situation5.

SOPs do not contain job related technical knowledge. The knowledge and skills that
personnel need to perform specific job tasks— manage programs, conduct rescue operations,
provide medical care, etc.—are addressed in technical protocols and professional training.
SOPs, conversely, describe related considerations: safety, use of supplies, equipment
maintenance, duties and rights of personnel, command structures, coordination with other
organisations, reporting requirements, and so forth. SOPs are procedural guides and describe
the department‘s rules for doing the job. They are not intended to deal with technical aspects
of operations. 6

5
Developing Effective SOPs by FEMA online at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-197-508.pdf
6
Ibid
 5

1.4 Why are SOPs Important in Disaster Management?

The disaster situations are generally complex and crucial time to respond is always
limited. Mistakes have greater repercussions and costs. There may be a communication gap
between emergency service providers in the field and the authorities managing the affairs at
higher level. Well-designed standard operating procedures help fill this gap. For individual
workers, SOPs clarify job requirements and expectations in a format that can be readily
applied on the job. They explain in detail what the organisation wants them to do in the
situations they are most likely to encounter. The result is improved performance and morale.
For organisational managers, the advantages are equally great. SOPs provide a mechanism to
articulate strategies, identify shortcomings in implementation, and evaluate operational
performance. The result is improved operational efficiency, greater accountability, and
reduced risk7.

In short, SOPs are a vital component of disaster management administrative and

emergency response operations. Disaster management organisations cannot operate safely or
effectively in modern society without a comprehensive set of SOPs. Organisations that
choose to ignore this fact are increasingly vulnerable to failures, unnecessary costs, personnel
problems, and damage to their professional image 8.

1.5 The Role and Functions of SOPs

Standard Operating Procedures are a critical component of disaster management
operations. Every disaster management organisation needs to prepare a comprehensive set of
SOPs to provide structure to important administrative functions and emergency response
operations. They also need to set up the management systems and infrastructure necessary to
develop, maintain, and enforce them effectively. SOPs have many important functions in
disaster management organisations. In particular, a complete set of SOPs is the best method
for organisations to ―operationalise‖ other organisational documents - by-laws, plans,
policies, operational strategies, mutual aid agreements, etc. In simple terms, SOPs ―boil
down‖ the important concepts, techniques, and requirements contained in these documents
into a format that can be readily used by personnel in their operations on the ground. As such,
SOPs help to integrate departmental operations, linking the work of managers and planners

7
Ibid
8
Ibid
 6

with the activities of other workers. SOPs are also essential for addressing the diverse
legislative and regulatory requirements that affect disaster management operations. 9

An important application of SOPs is creating awareness regarding performance

expectations among the workers. SOPs describe and document what is expected of personnel
in the performance of their official duties. As such, they provide a benchmark for personnel,
an objective mechanism for evaluating operational performance, and a tool for promoting a
positive organisational culture10. SOPs are also a source of standardisation of relief activities.

SOPs identify planned and agreed-upon roles and actions. This information helps
standardise activities and promote coordination and communications among personnel. SOPs
also simplify decision-making requirements under potentially stressful conditions. Finally
SOPs clarify the department‘s operational philosophy and recommended practices. As such,
they may prove useful in communicating organisational intentions and requirements to
outside groups, or enhancing the public‘s understanding of the disaster management.

1.6 The SOP Management Process

SOPs serve many important functions in disaster management operations. ‗When
individuals carry out the department‘s SOPs in their work, they implement the laws, plans,
agreements, and policies incorporated in the procedures. Thus, SOPs constitute a key link
between organisational policy makers, planners, administration personnel, and emergency
service providers11.

In most of the developed world disaster management authorities and agencies consider
a wide variety of documents, plans, and agreements while developing or revising SOPs.
Ensuring compatibility and consistency among these important components of the
organisation‘s operational environment helps standardize behavior, avoid confusion, limit
risks, improve efficiency, and enhance safety. SOP documents also can be used to improve
external communications and public education. To simplify use, SOPs are organised in a
logical framework of functions and topic areas. Separate sets of SOPs are usually developed
for administrative functions and emergency response operations. The approach chosen for
structuring SOPs reflects the needs, management style, and culture of the organisation.

9
Ibid
10
Ibid
11
Ibid
 7

Organisations need to establish formal management systems to ensure that SOPs are
adequately developed, maintained, and enforced.

1.7 Implementing Standard Operating Procedures

The act of developing a standard operating procedure is not the end of the road. SOPs
must be effectively implemented within the organisation to have the desired impact—
improved safety and enhanced performance on the job. Implementation includes all the steps
that departments take to introduce the SOP to potential users and make it an integral and
accepted part of normal operations. The implementation process is designed to ensure that
everyone is informed about the SOP and understands its significance. Copies of the SOP are
distributed as needed and readily accessible to all potential users. Personnel know their roles
and have the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the SOP safely and effectively
including an understanding of consequences for failing to comply. A mechanism exists to
monitor performance, identify potential problems, and provide support in the implementation
process.

1.8 Performance Monitoring

As part of the implementation process, departments are expected to ensure that a
mechanism is established to monitor job performance and ensure that personnel carry out the
new SOPs correctly. The process should be designed to firstly compare worker performance
with expectations established by the new SOP, secondly identify potential problems, and
finally specify ways to improve implementation or provide additional support to personnel.

Like all aspects of the implementation process, performance monitoring is planned in

advance. Planning identifies such factors as the methods to be used, the role of supervisors
and other personnel, record keeping and reporting requirements, and processes for correcting
deficiencies. The approach selected can be formal or informal, simple or complex, as dictated
by the nature of the SOP and the potential consequences of unsatisfactory job performance.

Whenever possible, the methods chosen for performance monitoring should

incorporate objective measures of job performance, i.e., ways to compare actual performance
with pre-established criteria that reflect current expectations under the new SOP. Ideally,
these indicators were identified during the SOP needs assessment; in effect, they are the
 8

measurable objectives of the SOP development process. This approach ties together SOP
development and implementation, and promotes objectivity in the analysis.
 9

SECTION-II
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK RESPONSIBLE FOR SOPs
DEVELOPMENT

2.1 The Pakistan Disaster Scenario

Pakistan is located in a region that is prone to a number of natural disasters. Due to its
diverse range of terrain, the country is susceptible to wide-ranging hazards from droughts to
floods to earthquakes to cyclones. Pakistan has suffered regularly from floods as monsoon
rains cause rivers to overflow their banks. Almost all of Pakistan regularly experiences
earthquakes ranging from moderate to severe in intensity. In addition, the coastal areas of the
country are prone to cyclones. Main causes of vulnerability to hazards in Pakistan include
poor quality of construction of housing stock, buildings and infrastructure, fragile natural
environment, poor livestock and agriculture management practices, weak early warning
systems, and lack of awareness and poverty. Population growth, urbanization,
industrialization, the resultant environmental degradation and climate change/variability and
gender power imbalances are working as major pressures behind the increasing vulnerability
of Pakistani society and economy to disasters. From these scenarios it could be concluded
that disasters in future would be more frequent and their social, economic and environmental
impacts higher than before.

2.2 Shift from Conventional Approach

Legal and institutional framework arrangements play pivotal role in planning,
implementation and monitoring the processes of disaster risk management. Pakistan till
recently had been following the conventional relief and response oriented model for coping
and managing the risk of disasters. Since inception the record of managing disasters in
Pakistan can best be described as casual and incoherent, largely focusing on reactive strategy
of relief and response. The consecutive governments failed to formulate a more cohesive
strategy for managing disasters. Flood being the most frequently occurring phenomenon,
managed to take attention of policy makers. Till 2005 one can only trace fragmented and
isolated efforts for developing national level disaster risk management. The year 2005 proved
to be the watershed in the context of disasters. Pakistan faced the devastating earthquake in
October 2005 which exposed the vulnerability of the existing emergency and disaster
response apparatus. The earthquake 2005 changed Pakistan‘s perceptions about how to
manage disasters. Besides this horrific event, Pakistan also became a signatory of the
 10

international disaster risk reduction protocol, Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-15. Both
these developments worked as catalyst leading to the promulgation of National Disaster
Management Ordinance in 2006. The introduction of NDMO was a significant shift from the
conventional model towards a more proactive pattern of governance based on Disaster Risk
Reduction. The National Disaster Management Ordinance as well as the authorities created
under it are largely reproduction of the Indian National Disaster Management Act 2005 and
the authorities created under the said act like the NDMC, NDMA, NDRF etc.

2.3 National Disaster Management Authority

On December 21, 2006 the National Disaster Management Ordinance was
promulgated which led to the formation of National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA). NDMA has been established to serve as the focal point and coordinating body to
facilitate implementation of disaster risk management strategies. Its framework envisages
―sustainable, social, economic and environmental development in Pakistan through reducing
risks and vulnerabilities, particularly those of the poor and marginalized groups by effectively
responding to and recovering from disaster impact.‖12 The policy places special emphasis on
―materializing a paradigm shift in Pakistan through moving away from response and relief
oriented approaches and adopting a risk reduction perspective.‖13

NDMA is divided into tiers that commence at national and conclude at

tehsil/municipal level. It‘s major functions are identification of national hazards and
vulnerabilities, institutional and legal and community capacity building, mainstreaming DRR
into development and coordinating the efforts of all national and international institutions
working in any sphere of disaster risk reduction. All national agencies such as Earthquake
Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), Federal Flood Commission (FFC),
Civil Defence (CA), Fire Services, Drought Emergency Relief Programme, all government
departments, ministries, media, NGO‘s and donors must make their resources available to
NDMA and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) in case of disasters.

2.4 Provincial Disaster Management Authority

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is replication of NDMA at
the provincial level. It is headed by a Provincial Director General who is appointed by the
Provincial government. The Authority serves as secretariat of the Provincial Commission. It

12
http://www.ndma.gov.pk
13
Ibid
 11

is entrusted to work upon development, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of

disaster risk management activities in vulnerable areas and sectors in the province.
Responsibilities of PDMAs include formulation of provincial disaster risk management plan,
monitoring of hazards, risks and vulnerable conditions within the province/region, developing
guidelines and standards for provincial and local stakeholders regarding their role in disaster
risk management. The PDMAs are also required to ensure preparation of disaster risk
management plans by all districts, Coordinate implementation of provincial disaster risk
management plan in accordance with the National Framework.

2.5 District and Municipal Disaster Management Authority

District Disaster Management Authorities have been established by the provincial
governments in hazard prone areas on a priority basis. The District Authorities comprise of
the Nazim, District Coordination Officer (DCO), Police Officer, ex-officio, EDO health and
Tehsil Nazims. The local government can nominate other officers as members of the DDMA
or MDMA. They may include EDOs for education and agriculture, Red Crescent, NGOs,
media, private sector, fire services, or any other local stakeholders. Municipal Disaster
Management Authorities (MDMA) have been established in urban areas and cities on similar
lines. Responsibilities of the DDMA and MDMA include formulation of district disaster risk
management plan, based upon local risk assessment, and coordinate its implementation,
reviewing of development plans of government departments and providing guidance on
mainstreaming disaster risk reduction measures in these plans, monitoring hazards, risks and
vulnerable conditions within the district, municipality, or cantonment areas, undertaking
appropriate preparedness measures at district level; e.g. maintain an early warning system,
identify buildings to be used as evacuation sites, stockpile relief and rescue materials and
identify alternative means for emergency communications. In the event of a disaster,
DDMAs are required to organise emergency response through the District Emergency
Operations Centre (DEOC), maintain linkages with the Provincial Disaster Management
Authority and the Relief Department, and perform such other functions as the Provincial
Authority may assign to it.
 12

SECTION-III
SOPs IN INTERNATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT

There is not a single country that can be considered free from various types of
disasters. However vulnerability of the people in some countries is more than those of
others. Major reason for less vulnerability is strong disaster management system in place as
well as the effective procedures of disaster mitigation and recovery. A look at disaster
management systems followed by the countries which have managed to reduce disaster risks
in recent years would show that SOPs are essential component of their disaster mitigation and
relief strategy.

3.1 USA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United
States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary purpose of FEMA is to
coordinate the federal government‘s response to a disaster that overwhelms the resources of
local and state authorities. The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare
a state of emergency and formally request from the president that FEMA and the federal
government respond to the disaster14.

FEMA has formulated a number of SOPs but these relate mostly to its organisational
functions. The job of formulation of actual disaster management SOPs have been left to the
departments and agencies engaged in disaster response like Fire Department, National
Guards, Coast Guards, cities, towns and counties etc. Disaster management is quite effective
at local level and therefore towns and counties are entrusted with disaster mitigation and
relief. The case of the city of Livermore, California may be taken as an example for disaster
management at the city level. The city, inhabited by 84,000 people 15, possesses a
‗Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan‘16. The said plan includes ‗Emergency
Standard Operating Procedures‘ for disaster management which is a step by step set of
guides for responses to various disasters such as earthquakes, hazardous material incidents,
floods & storms, fire and transport accidents etc. The SOP is clearly written and is
comprehensive enough to cover all possible disaster situations. Similar ‗Comprehensive

14
www.en.wikipedia.org/
15
http://www.ci.livermore.ca.us/about_livermore.html
16
www.ci.livermore.ca.us/Livermore...Plan/ANNEX-I-Livermore.pdf
 13

Emergency Management Plan‘ and ‗Emergency Standard Operating Procedures‟ have been
adopted by the neighbouring city of Pleasanton, California.

The whole US disaster relief management structure however came under severe
criticism in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Inability to cope with this big
natural disaster exposed institutional failure due to poor communication and coordination, as
well as the uneven distribution of goods and services which hampered relief efforts. The
FEMA was severely criticized for its slow response and inability to coordinate its efforts with
other agencies and relief organisations. The disaster also exposed the fact that some of the
SOPs were deficient in the face of large scale devastation like Katrina.

A major cause of delay in rescue operations during Katrina was the inability of
disaster responders to gain timely and efficient access to hurricane affected areas. The State
of Louisiana has therefore developed a ‗Standard Operating Procedure – All Hazard Access‟.
This document outlines a model SOP for emergency response and management at the State
and local level. This SOP seeks to clarify the roles, responsibilities, and processes that will be
followed to ensure that disaster responders and critical infrastructure providers are given
timely and efficient access to disaster affected areas for the purpose of relief activities and
repairing the infrastructure17. The FEMA has embarked upon a plan to strengthen its capacity
and update and revise the SOPs in view of lessons learnt in the wake of Katrina.

3.2 India
India has a relatively recent legal and institutional framework for disaster
management but it is one of the most comprehensive and detailed framework in the region
which has also been replicated in Pakistan. National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) is the apex body for disaster management in India. The setting up of NDMA and
the creation of an enabling environment for institutional mechanism at the state and district
levels is mandated by the National Disaster Management Act 2005. The most prominent
feature of the Act is constitution of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a special
response force for the purpose of specialized response to disasters. This is a multi-
disciplinary, multi-skilled and high tech force for all types of disaster capable of insertion by
air, sea and land 18. The Disaster Management Division of Indian Ministry of Home Affairs

17
http://www.gohsep.la.gov/plans/lscap.pdf
18
www.en.wikipedia.org/
 14

has formulated a SOP which stands updated till 2010. Known as ‗Standard Operating
Procedure for Responding to Natural Disasters‘19 and spread over 84 pages this is one on the
most comprehensive SOPs issued at central level. It contains detailed guidelines and
instructions for each kind of disaster separately as well as their different levels/categories.
The SOP aims at providing a list of major actions involved in responding to natural disasters
and necessary measures for preparedness, response and relief required to be taken. It also
ensures that all concerned ministries, departments and local administrations know the precise
measures required of them at each stage of the process. The SOP makes well-coordinated and
effective response to disasters easier and also provides broad guidelines to various ministries
and departments as well as local disaster management agencies to formulate specific SOPs at
their respective levels. India already has a large number of departments having their own
disaster response SOPs.

3.3 The Caribbean

Each year, Caribbean countries are threatened by significant loss of life, catastrophic
property damage and total social disruption as a result of natural disasters. Tropical storms,
hurricanes, tidal waves, heavy rains, droughts, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have been
especially frequent and intense since the early 1970s. Most countries are small and resources
are scarce or non-existent for each to carry out tasks of disaster risk management on an
individual basis. Therefore these countries moved to establish ‗the Caribbean Disaster
Emergency Response Agency‘ (CDERA) in 1991. It was renamed as ‗Caribbean Disaster
Emergency Management Agency‘ (CDEMA) on September 1, 2009. The CDEMA is
essentially an inter-regional supportive network of independent emergency units throughout
the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean region has come into prominence for formulating and implementing
effective SOPs which have greatly contributed towards disaster risk reduction. Protocols and
SOPs are the foundation on which Caribbean countries have built their preparedness
mechanism. 20 This has been achieved through publicizing, exercising and information sharing
to ensure that the general public is aware and can make decisions to ensure their safety in the
event of a hazard. Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with CDERA formulated ‗National

19
http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/SOP-NDM-2010.pdf
20
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/KHII-7UU39P?OpenDocument
 15

Disaster/Emergency Standard Operating Procedures and Contingency Plans‘21 in September

2000 which is an exhaustive SOP spared over 250 pages. It aims to guide stakeholders and
promote integration with other disaster response plans regionally.

Similarly Saint Lucia issued ‗The National Urban Search and Rescue Plan‟ in 2009
which was adapted from the CDERA Model Plan of 2003 22. Saint Lucia also issued ‗National
Emergency Management Plan‟ in 200923. CDEMA urges all countries to continue to regularly
test these plans towards the effective disaster management in the Caribbean region. The four
countries namely Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada and Antigua are among the first CDEMA
participating states to complete protocols and SOPs that will enable emergency responders to
receive, interpret and issue messages to warn at risk populations about tsunamis. Regional
experts have been meeting since April 2009, though broad in country stakeholder
consultations to modify model protocols and SOPs for their local environments 24. A guide
that will assist disaster managers in other participating states to do their own tsunami
protocols has also been produced.

3.4 Australia
Australia has a localised disaster management system. Australian states have a
constitutional responsibility for coordinating and planning for the response to disasters within
their boundaries. When the total resources of an affected state cannot cope with the needs of
the situation, the state government can seek assistance from the Australian Government. On
request, the Australian Government will provide and coordinate physical assistance to the
States in the event of a major disaster25. Emergency Management Australia (EMA) is the
Australian Federal Government Agency which is tasked with coordinating governmental
responses to emergency incidents. Such physical assistance is provided when State resources
are inappropriate or exhausted.

EMA has primary responsibility for maintaining and arranging activation of the
Australian Government‘s overall disaster response Plan. Australian Government Disaster
Response Plan known as COMDISPLAN provides the basic guidelines according to which

21
http://www.odpm.gov.tt/files/cms/SOP_FullDocument.pdf
22
http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/nemp/plans/USAR.pdf
23
http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/nemp/NEMPExecutiveSummary.pdf
24
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/KHII-7UU39P?OpenDocument
25
http:// www.en.wikipedia.org/
 16

counter disaster activities are carried out 26. In accordance with the said plan EMA has formulated
44 manuals containing SOPs for various kinds of disaster risk reduction. Following are some of
the manuals formulated by EMA27:

1. Disaster Loss Assessment Guidelines 2. Emergency Catering

3. Evacuation Planning 4. Flood Rescue Boat Operations
5. Flood Response 6. General and Disaster Rescue
7. Land Search Operations 8. Operation Centre
9. Reducing the Impact of Landslides 10. Road Rescue
11. Storm and Water damage Operations 12. Urban Search & Rescue
13. Guidelines for Emergency Management in
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities

Australian emergency management system has received high ratings among the
disaster management systems largely by virtue of the large number of SOPs covering very
possible eventuality. The hazards risk management methodology developed by the national
emergency management agencies of Australia and New Zealand are the most comprehensive
in the world. They were one of the primary resources used in the development of FEMA‘s
approach of the same topic when guidance was developed for use by towns and cities
throughout the United States.28

3.5 The ASEAN Region

Natural disasters, in particular floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones and volcanic
eruptions, are endemic in South East Asia and occurring with increased frequency and
severity. The ASEAN member countries Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,
Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia and Laos are all vulnerable to recurring
natural disasters with varying degrees. Indonesia and Philippines have particularly borne the
brunt of natural calamities with more frequency. However awareness has grown in the region
for coordinated efforts and collaboration to address the potential threats and manage the risks
posed by such disasters.

26
www.adrc.asia/management/AUS/dis.pdf?Frame=yes%3FFrame
27
http://www.ema.gov.au/www/emaweb/emaweb.nsf/Page/Publications
28
http://www.training.fema.gov/
 17

South East Asia like the Caribbean has focused on regional cooperation to effectively
mitigate natural disasters in view of the realization that countries in the region face similar
hazards and can share lessons learned, sharing of real-time information can reduce the
impacts and provide early warning and sharing of resources and technical knowledge can
reduce costs to individual countries. 29 ASEAN Member States signed the ASEAN Agreement
on Disaster Management and Emergency on 26 July 2005. The Agreement seeks to provide
effective mechanisms to achieve substantial reduction of disaster losses and to jointly respond
to disaster emergencies through regional cooperation. The agreement also requires the
preparation of a Standard Operating Procedure that shall guide the actions of the member
states on disaster management in implementing the regional standby arrangements for
disaster relief and emergency response and the co-ordination of joint disaster relief and
emergency response operations 30. In pursuance of the agreement „Standard Operating
Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and
Emergency Response Operations‟ was adopted in March 2008. Spread over 88 pages it is a
comprehensive SOP which covers almost all eventualities and all aspects of crisis mitigation.
This SOP provides:

(i) The guides and templates to initiate the establishment of the ASEAN Standby
Arrangements for Disaster Relief and Emergency Response.
(ii) The procedures for joint disaster relief and emergency response operations.
(iii) The procedures for the facilitation and utilisation of military and civilian assets and
capacities.
(iv) The methodology for the periodic conduct of the ASEAN regional disaster
emergency response simulation exercises (ARDEX) which shall test the effectiveness
of this procedure31.

Among the individual ASEAN countries Indonesia has led the region in development
and implementation of disaster management SOPs. By virtue of the autonomy regulations,
regional and local governments in Indonesia are responsible for all local issues and disaster
management is covered under these regulations. Local issues such as landslides, drought,
typhoons, volcanic eruptions and others are addressed through localised planning and action.
At the same time, the central government also plays a guiding role by sharing good practices
29
www.unisdr.org/asiapacific/ap.../docs/adpc-dm-southeastasia.pdf
30
www.aseansec.org/publications/SASOP.pdf
31
Ibid
 18

and guidelines and by providing the needed support. There are central, provincial and district
level disaster management agencies who work in close coordination. After the Presidential
Decree 2001, central and provincial disaster management bodies developed their own SOPs.
Out of 33 provinces, 27 have already developed some SOPs. 32 Western Sumatra formulated
the SOPs at provincial level as early as 2002 with downstream linkages to the city SOPs.
They have already completed tsunami simulation trainings and exercises. Every year there is
a meeting to review the SOP and to disseminate its provisions. The SOP provides for
assistance from neighboring provinces and districts to an affected district 33.

Malaysia has also followed the Indonesian disaster management model. Although
Malaysia has faced small scale disasters as compared to Indonesia and the Philippines yet it
has put in place an efficient and sound disaster management mechanism. A number of SOPs
on preparation, prevention, response and recovery have been developed and implemented in
Malaysia. Major SOPs include SOP for Earthquake and Tsunami Disasters, SOP for Flood,
SOP for Industrial Disasters, SOP for Forest Fire/Open Burning and Haze and SOP on
Pandemic/ Endemic Preparedness Plans34.

32
http://www.nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/.../IndonesiaPolicyandInstitutionalCapacityReview.pdf
33
Ibid
34
http://www.adrc.asia/acdr/2006seoul/documents/006b.../MALAYSIA.pdf
 19

SECTION-IV
DISASTER MANAGEMENT SOPs IN PAKISTAN

4.1 Disaster Management before NDMO 2006

Institutionalized disaster management in Pakistan is a recent development. As
mentioned earlier Pakistan till recently had been following the conventional reactive strategy
for coping and managing the risk of disasters. No serious effort can be seen in the direction of
formulation of a cohesive strategy for managing disasters. The National Calamities
(Prevention and Relief) Act 1958, can be cited as the first major instrument in the local
disaster management set up yet its focus was also limited to relief and compensation. Other
major instruments of Pakistan‘s Disaster Management system including The Federal
Emergency Relief Cell, a central disaster management structure working under the Federal
Cabinet Division and Civil Defence Department working under Civil Defence Act 1952. The
drafting of National Disaster Plan in 1974 by Federal Emergency Relief Cell can be identified
as the first serious effort which addressed different aspects of disaster management. The plan
envisaged procedures, organisational structures, identifying primary responsibilities,
responder agencies, and procedures of monitoring relief operations. But the Plan was not
finalized and never implemented. As a result of reactive disaster relief strategy and absence
of institutionalized disaster management system in Pakistan neither any standard operating
procedures could be developed nor tested. We therefore do not find any formal documented
standard operating procedures for disaster management in Pakistan before promulgation of
National Disaster Management Ordinance 2006.

4.2 SOPs for Major Routine Aspects of NDMA

The NDMA has issued 15 SOPs on August 09, 2008 first of which relates to setting
up of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in case of onset of Emergency Operations. The
procedure to be followed in such situations requires setting up of EOCs at national, provincial
and district levels. The SOP spells out functions and responsibilities of the EOCs at
preparatory and follows up stages. The main functions at preparatory stage have been
specified as coordination with civil and armed forces, different govt departments as well as
NGOs. The other main function assigned to EOCs is to issue warning to communities at risk..
Later the EOC in its expanded form is required to continue to operate as long as the need for
emergency relief operations continue till the long term plans for rehabilitation are finalized.
Rests of the 14 SOPs issued along with this SOP do not concern the disaster relief activity of
 20

NDMA. These relate NDMA‘s office procedures such as use of mechanical transport,
mailing system, nomination for training/workshops, handing/taking, leave, medical facilities,
office security and overtime/DA claims etc.

4.3 Absence of Disaster Management SOPs

The fact that Pakistan did not have any effective disaster management SOPs even
after almost two years of putting in place legal and institutional disaster management
framework was highlighted by the audit report submitted to the Public Accounts Committee
of the National Assembly in December 2008. The audit brief for the PAC on the Cabinet
Division, under which the NDMA operates, pointed out that ‗contrary to the best
international practices the country lacked a consolidated disaster management plan and there
were no standard operating procedures (SOPs) at any level of the government‘35.
The PAC in its meeting on December 22, 2008 considered the said report and observed that
though ‗the country has suffered natural and man-made calamities one after the other but the
government has yet to come up with Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for effective
disaster management‘36. The cabinet division was therefore asked to come up with plan
which could effectively meet the challenges. Nevertheless it took NDMA more than a year
before coming up with a National Disaster Response Plan which contained a few disaster
relief management SOPs.

4.4 SOPs for Federal level Disaster Management

The National disaster Management Authority has devised Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for federal, provincial and district levels. These SOPs are contained in the
National Disaster Response Plan –March 2010 issued by the NDMA. In the given SOPs at
the federal level NDMA is one of the many federal government ministries, departments as
well as NGOs and UN agencies to which the said SOPs apply. The SOPs are divided into
two parts – the first part relates to ‗ Emergency Preparedness‘ and the later part relates to
‗emergency response‘. The SOP relating to NDMA is reproduced as under:

“1. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)37

a. Emergency Preparedness

(1) Prepare emergency preparedness plan.

35
Daily Dawn Karachi 23 December 2008.
36
Ibid
37
National Disaster Response Plan March 2010 - NDMA
 21

(2) Prepare multi hazards and disaster specific contingency plan.

(3) Establish communication mechanisms for early warning system with P/R/S/DMA,
DDMA and concerned ministries and departments.
(4) Share contingency plan with NDMC, relevant federal ministries, authorities,
departments, commissions, P/R/SDMAs, DDMAs, I/NGOs, armed forces, media,
voluntary and charity organisations.
(5) Provide technical assistance for preparing disaster preparedness and response plans
for each province including AJK, Northern Area & FATA.
(6) Develop hazard specific maps and provide to P/R/SDMA, DDMA and also make it
available to NDMA/P/R/SDMA website.
(7) Set up national emergency operation centre and maintain state of readiness with all
equipments in working order. Orient and train personnel of EOC.
(8) Develop a national search and rescue, emergency response and early recovery
operations teams.
(9) Set up national level I/NGOs UN coordination committee for sharing of resources and
coordination for preparedness and emergency response.
(10) Prepare and update inventory of personnel, suppliers, material and equipments.
(11) Prepare communication and transportation plan for potential disaster response.
(12) Develop a communication strategy which clearly indicates the communication
mechanisms with relevant federal ministries, departments, provincial departments,
P/R/S/DMAs, DDMAs and district level administration and departments, I/NGOs, Civil
Society organisations, media and communities.
(13) Prepare security guidelines for humanitarian organisations working in the disaster
affected areas (in case of insecure areas where conflict and kidnapping are common).

b. Emergency Response
a) Activate NEOC
b) Organise initial and subsequent assessment of disaster affected areas and
determine the extent of loss damage and volume and relief required.
c) Coordinate and inform all concerned departments to get prepare for emergency
response. Keep inform print and electronic media on regular basis.
d) Coordinate with Armed Forces through JS HQ and Service HQ.
e) Prepare detailed plan for the resources require for full relief operation.
 22

f) Coordinate with I/NGOs, UN bodies and philanthropists organisations for

resource mobilizations.
g) Mobilize and deploy resources e.g. search and rescue medical teams in the
affected areas.
h) Supply of food, drinking water, medical supplies and non food items to the
affected population.
i) Organise details assessment for the early recovery programme and prepare
proposal and circulate it to the NMDC, Multi and bilateral donors, UN, I/NGOs
and philanthropists.
j) Prepare a transition plan from relief to recovery programme.
(i) Organise regular media and public information briefings.
k) Prepare situation Report (SITREP) on daily and weekly basis and circulate to the
Prime Minister, NDMC members, PMDC members, P/R/SDMAs, Armed Forces
etc.”

The above SOP has been replicated in respect of other federal ministries/departments
and NGOs as listed below:
1. Ministry of Health
3. Ministry of Food & Agriculture
5. Ministry of Local Govt &
Rural Development
7. Ministry of Interior
9. Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting
11. Ministry of Youth Affairs
13. Ministry of Defence
15. Federal Flood Commission
17. Coast Guards
19. Fire Services
21. SUPARCO
23. Capital Development Authority
25. Civil Aviation Authority
27. Edhi Foundation
29. Pakistan Red Crescent Society
2. Ministry of Education
4. Ministry of Housing & Works
6. Ministry of Social Welfare & Special
Education
8. Ministry of Information Technology
10. Ministry of Railways.
12. Ministry of Water & Power
14. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
16. Civil Defence
18. Emergency Relief Cell
20. National Logistic Cell (NLC)
22. Pakistan Meteorological Department
24. Media
26. Rescue 1122 Services
28. Pakistan Humanitarian Foundation
30. United nations Agencies
 23

4.5 SOPs for Provincial Level Disaster Management

The federal level Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as contained in the National
Disaster Response Plan –March 2010 are followed by provincial level SOPs. These SOPs
similarly consist of two parts - ‗Emergency Preparedness‘ and ‗Emergency Response‘. The
SOPs relating to Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) are reproduced as
under:
“1. Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA)38

a. Emergency Preparedness

(1) Prepare emergency preparedness and hazard specific contingency plan.

(2) Lay down communication mechanisms for early warning system with DDMA and
concerned departments.
(3) Assist and provide information to the NDMA to develop hazard specific maps.
(4) Set up provincial emergency operations centre and maintain state of readiness with all
equipment in working order. Orient and train personnel of EOC and its operations.
(5) Develop a provincial search and rescue, emergency response and early recovery
operation teams.
(6) Establish provincial/equivalent level I/NGOs, UN coordination committee for sharing
of resources and coordination for preparedness and emergency response.
(7) Identify high risk areas, population and prepare vulnerability profiles and contingency
plans accordingly.
(8) Ensure that each district has prepared multi hazard and disaster/agency specific
contingency plan to deal with the potential disaster.
(9) Provide technical, financial and human resources support to districts for disaster
preparedness and emergency response activities.
(10) Carry out survey of public buildings for using as shelter and relief centres during
disaster times; make sure that these buildings have basic facilities e.g. water/ sanitation
etc.
(11) Set up provincial level EOC and maintain state of readiness with all equipment in
working order. Orient and train personnel of EOC and its operations.
(12) Organise trainings for DDMA teams, volunteers, civil defence to cover first aid,
dissemination of warnings, search and rescue, relief and recovery.

38
National Disaster Response Plan March 2010 - NDMA
 24

(13) Conduct trainings on disaster preparedness and emergency response for the district,
taluka/tehsil level government officials, elected councillors, etc.
(14) Develop a communication strategy which clearly indicates the interaction mechanism
with key provincial departments, district level administration, NDMA, concerned
departments at federal level, I/NGOs, Civil Society organisations, media and
communities.
(15) Prepare security guidelines for humanitarian organisations working in affected areas
(in case of insecure areas where conflict and kidnappings are common.

a. Emergency Response
1) Activate PEOC.
2) Disseminate early warning information to all stakeholders.
3) Conduct rapid assessment and launch quick response.
4) Prepare detail plan for the resource requirement for relief operation and send to
the PDMC for approval.
5) Provide food, drinking water, medical supplies, non food items to the affected
population.
6) Keep NEOC abreast of latest situation.
7) Warn all concerned departments to prepare for emergency response.
8) Coordinate with NDMA, Armed Forces and keep them informed about the
situation and resource mobilization.
9) Keep print and electronic media updated on regular basis.
10) Liaise with I/NGOs, UN bodies and philanthropists organisations for resource
mobilizations for emergency response.
11) Organise regular media and public information briefings.
12) Forward Situation Report (SITREP) on daily and weekly basis to Chief Minister,
Governor, PDMC/Equivalent Members, NDMA, Armed Forces etc.
13) Organise initial and subsequent assessment of disaster affected areas and
determine the extent of loss damage and volume and relief required.
14) Organise detailed assessment for the early recovery programme and prepare
proposal and circulate it to the PMDC, NDMA, UN and I/NGOs.”
The above SOP has been replicated in respect of other provincial
ministries/departments and NGOs as listed below:
1. Health Department 2. Public Health Engineering Department
 25

3. Education Department 4. Agriculture Department

5. Livestock Department 6. Irrigation Department
7. Works & Services Department 8. Local Government, Rural
Development & Katchi Abadies
9. Culture, Social welfare & 10. Home Department.
Tourism Department
11. Forest, Wild Life & Fisheries Dept. 12. Information Technology Department
13. Industries Commerce, Transport & 14. Information & Archives & Labour
Labour Department Department
15. Mines and Minerals Department

4.6 SOPs for District and Municipal Level Disaster Management

National Disaster Response Plan –March 2010 also gives District level SOPs for
District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). Like federal and provincial SOPs the
district level are also consist of emergency preparedness and emergency response. This SOP
is for the most part is reproduction of the provincial SOP with some modifications
necessitated by the district structure and ambit.
As in case of provincial SOP, the district SOP also has been replicated in respect of
other departments as listed below:
1. Tehsil Municipal Administration 2. Health Department
3. Public Health Engineering Dept 4. Education Department
5. Livestock Department 6. Irrigation Department
7. Works & Services Department 8. Culture, Social Welfare & Tourism
Department
9. Police Department 10. Forest, Wild Life & Fisheries Dept.
11. Food department 12. Mines and Minerals Department
13. PTCL / PTA 14. Industries Department
 26

SECTION-V

ANALYSIS OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT SOPs IN PAKISTAN

Standard Operating Procedures are set of procedures which are devised to save time
required in decision making. These are the pre-decided steps that remove confusions and
ambiguities regarding a particular course of action. In a disaster situation the SOPs provide
specific guidelines for proceeding with relief work without wasting the crucial time in
seeking instructions and guidance. When viewed on these standards the SOPs devised by the
NDMA do not sufficiently meet the required objectives. Except for the SOP for ‗Emergency
Operations Centres‘ issued on August 09, 2008, rest of the NDMA SOPs essentially define
functions and duties of NDMA, PDMA, DDMA and other government departments in a
disaster relief work. These are more in the nature of job descriptions than Standard Operating
Procedures. Although duties and functions do constitute an important component of SOPs yet
mere list of duties and functions cannot be termed as a SOP. According to Mr. Amir
Mohiuddin, Director Mitigation and Preparedness NDMA, formulation of operational SOPs
is responsibility of federal ministries and provincial departments. The SOPs issued by
NDMA provide only broad outlines which are to be followed by the concerned
ministries/departments while formulating their SOPs. 39 However a careful study of the
NDMA SOPs as contained in its National Disaster Response Plan 2010 reveals that apart
from job descriptions there is little in them that can be termed as general guidelines for
devising effective SOPs at operational level.

While the NDMA has devised SOPs for federal, provincial, district and local
governments, it has gone on to devise SOPs for NGOs like Edhi Foundation and UN agencies
as well. In fact the SOPs are internal guidelines that an organisation makes for itself and they
cannot be imposed from outside. The specific procedures under which an organisation
operates is a matter for the concerned organisation to decide. Though as statutory authority
NDMA enjoys powers under the law to coordinate and regulate relief activities by integrating
NGOs and UN agencies into over all relief operations but such act of regulation/coordination
and resultant directives can hardly be extended to formulation of SOPs for NGOs and UN
agencies by the NDMA. The role of army which has always been crucial in disaster relief
management has however not been subjected to any SOP, and rightly so as the role of army

39
Interview with Mr. Amir Mohiuddin, Director Mitigation and Preparedness, NDMA.
 27

as well as NGOs and the UN agencies is required to be coordinated and integrated into
overall relief activities under NDMA instead of subjecting them to SOPs.

It is however important to take into account the fact that institutionalized disaster
management system in Pakistan is going through the initial period of taking roots. Disaster
management process is still largely inclined towards reactive operations. Role of the National
Disaster Management Authority in disaster situation is basically mobilization, coordination
and regulation of disaster relief activities. Although NDMO 2006 authorizes the setting up of
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a special response force for the purpose of
specialized response to disasters on the Indian model but the said force has not been
constituted as yet. Consequently NDMA does not have the resources of its own to conduct
relief activities. As seen during the recent floods of July-August 2010 the major rescue and
relief operations were undertaken by the army followed by the local civil administrations.
Though army operates under its own SOPs and standing orders, disaster management
operations by rest of the agencies are carried out in the absence of specific guidelines
especially the agencies directly engaged in rescue and relief work. This is the operational
level where specific SOPs play a critical role in disaster relief activities but unfortunately
there are no SOPs available at this level due to which disaster work is carried out without
following any specific procedures. There is also a serious issue of coordination between
different agencies which needs to be resolved with a set of comprehensive SOPs.
 28

CONCLUSION
Standard Operating Procedures are considered essential for effectively carrying out
the designated functions in any organisation and especially the disaster management
organisations. Therefore in modern management practices every operation is based on some
standardised procedures. Unfortunately the practice has not adopted in Pakistan and public
organisations tend to look for instructions to be issued from higher management even when
urgency to act is great. This trend however is now giving way to the growing realization for
the need of SOPs for prompt, organised and coordinated action to face the disasters.

NDMA has started the process of formulation of SOPs however NDMA itself is a
relatively nascent organisation and its SOPs are at a rudimentary stage and not mature enough
to cater for the disaster situations. The NDMA SOPs are meant to be general guidelines rather
than specific course of action in disaster situations. Instead laying down requirements for the
manner in which relief activities should be carried out on the ground, they seek to constitute a
link as well as a source of coordination among different layers of disaster management
authorities and agencies. However even if these SOPs are intended as general guidelines they
appear to have limited application and there is not much in them that may serve as an impetus
for development of SOPs at operational level.

A prerequisite for the SOPs to attain maturity is the process of testing in a disaster
situation. The devastating floods of 2010 offered an opportunity of testing NDMA SOPs at
least for coordination and regulation of rescue and relief activities. However the lack of
coordination among various relief agencies exposed the ineffectiveness and deficiencies of
these SOPs. When viewed on the standards of effective SOPs, as followed in some other
countries and regions, there remains a lot to be desired as far as the effectiveness of SOPs
issued by NDMA is concerned. None of these SOPs explains NDMA‘s operational
philosophy or organisational culture. The SOPs do not appear capable of creating standard
course of action and thereby leading towards standardization of relief activities.
 29

RECOMMENDATIONS

The fact that disaster management agencies in Pakistan are deficient in effective SOPs
is not in dispute. It is therefore essential that all agencies operate under some well designed
SOPs. The NDMA needs to move beyond its essentially administrative SOPs and help
formulate and implement comprehensive operational SOPs for coping with various
dimensions of disasters.

1) Irrespective of the fact whether SOPs contained in the National Disaster Response
Plan –March 2010 can strictly be described as SOPs or not, it is important that
NDMA through these SOPs has managed to complete the task of job descriptions of
various departments, organisations and agencies that have any role in disaster
management. It is now easier for the concerned departments, organisations and
agencies to focus on their respective roles. The NDMA should encourage and
facilitate them to devise SOPs which should be specific to their already defined roles
and functions in a disaster situation.

2) It should be realized that development of SOPs requires specialized knowledge and

skills of SOP formulation as well as in-depth knowledge of the dynamics of the
functions for which the SOPs are developed. It is therefore essential that services of
experts are acquired for development of SOPs for disaster risk reduction. It is equally
important that all stakeholders like responder organisations and persons responsible
for implementation of SOPs as well as local communities are taken on board and their
feedback is taken into account while formulating the SOPs.

3) Generalizations always result into weakness of SOPs. Making general SOPs for all
kinds of disasters such as floods, cyclones and earthquakes may take away a great
deal of their effectiveness. Requirements of equipments and communication in each
category of disaster are always different. The use of boats and hovercrafts absolutely
essential in flood relief operations would be totally irrelevant in case of an earthquake
where use of heavy machinery would be the urgent requirement. In addition to
disaster specific SOPs there is a need to formulate area specific SOPs as well. This is
important in view of the fact that a disaster such as an earthquake in a mountainous
area of Azad Kashmir and plains of Punjab may pose different problems to relief
 30

operations. Hence to make the disaster relief SOPs more effective generalization of
rescue and relief should be avoided and disaster as well as area specific SOPs may be
formulated. Nevertheless some of the post disaster activities like immediate provision
of temporary shelter, food and medical aid are common in every disaster and thus
common SOPs for such activities would serve the purpose of disaster risk reduction.

4) While developing disaster and area specific SOPs for disaster risk reduction and
relief, best international practices can serve as a useful guide. There are a number of
SOPs available in the international disaster management which have been
meticulously designed and sufficiently tried and tested in disaster situations. These
SOPs can be adopted after necessary modifications according to our local
environment and peculiar conditions. A large number of disaster specific SOPs
developed by Emergency Management Australia (EMA) can be a useful source of
developing our own SOPs for identical risks.

5) The SOPs should not be allowed to be stagnant documents. SOPs no matter how
carefully and meticulously prepared would lose their effectiveness without regular
updation and revision. Updation and revision are generally necessitated by the lessons
learned in the wake of disaster situations where a number of provisions of SOPs do
not work or do not produce the desired results. It is therefore essential that all SOPs in
the field are put to test of actual disaster by the concerned organisations and agencies
and are re-evaluated for revision or modification if warranted by the experience.

6) Development and implementation of disaster management SOPs in isolation may not

offer the desired results. There should be interlinkages and integration of SOPs at
different levels. It is essential that SOPs of different agencies should complement
each other rather than creating clash of objectives. NDMA in its supervisory role
should ensure harmonization, interlinkages and integration of different SOPs into an
overall course of action.

7) For the effective implementation of SOPs it is of vital importance that awareness is

created regarding objectives and requirements of the SOPs among the people
entrusted with their implementation particularly the field workers regarding their roles
as specified therein.
 31

8) Case studies in international disaster management reveal that efforts of individual

countries to cope with hazards in disaster prone regions have little chance of success.
Realization of this fact has led to regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction in the
Caribbean and South East Asia. The regional cooperation has resulted into
development of highly effective region specific SOPs in the Caribbean as well as
South East Asia. These SOPs have made disaster preparedness and mitigation much
easier for the regional countries. South Asia is also a region that is highly vulnerable
to the natural disasters but no mechanism for regional cooperation is in place in this
region. NDMA should approach the National Disaster Management Commission
(NDMC) which is headed by the Prime Minister to launch an initiative in this regard
at the SAARC forum for similar regional cooperation in South Asia.
 32

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