Unit-3

Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction

Disaster Cycle
Disaster Risk Management includes sum total of all activities, programs and measures
which can be taken up before, during and after a disaster with the purpose to avoid a
disaster, reduce its impact or recover from its losses. There are five stages/phases of
activities that are taken up within disaster risk management are:

Fig. Disaster Management Cycle

I. Evaluation Phase
II. Response phase
III. Recovery Phase/ Rehabilitation Phase
IV. Risk Reduction/ Mitigation Phase
V. Preparedness Phase
 I. Evaluation Phase

The Evaluation Phase of the disaster management continuum often receives the least amount of
attention. A timely and thoughtful evaluation process is essential in determining what worked
versus what did not, so that future revisions and Enhancements to the disaster plan and response
system can be made. Communities or health care systems that fail to implement an evaluation
phase in the context of their disaster management process find they are no better prepared the
next time disaster strikes.
As you can see, each phase presents unique opportunities for communities, hospitals, and
individuals to focus on ho w they will prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster before
the event actually happens

II. Response phase

Response addresses immediate threats presented by the disaster, including saving lives, meeting
humanitarian needs (food, shelter, clothing, public health and safety), cleanup, damage
assessment, and the start of resource distribution. As the response period progresses, focus shifts
from dealing with immediate emergency issues to conducting repairs, restoring utilities,
establishing operations for public services (including permitting), and finishing the cleanup
process.

III. Recovery Phase/ Rehabilitation Phase

The Recovery Phase focuses on the stabilization and return of the community and health care
system to its pre-impact status or what some describe as “getting back to normal.” Activities of
the Recovery Phase can range from rebuilding damaged buildings and repairing a community’s
infrastructure to relocating populations and instituting intermediate and long term mental health
interventions. The Recovery Phase can begin days, or in some case months after disaster strikes.
In the aftermath of catastrophic disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, the concept of returning a
community or healthcare system to its pre-impact status might seem unlikely or impossible. In
these cases, the recovery efforts focus on helping communities and systems adapt to a new sense
of ‘normal.’

IV. Risk Reduction/ Mitigation Phase

The Mitigation Phase, also known as the Prevention Phase, is characterized by the measures
taken to reduce the harmful effects of a disaster in order to limit its impact on human health,
community function, and economic infrastructure. During this phase, steps are taken to prepare a
community or house of worship for disaster, especially high-risk locations (e.g. hospitals in areas
that typically flood) and populations. There is supporting research that suggests individuals,
communities, and hospitals are more resilient following disaster when they have anticipated and
prepared for disaster outcomes. For example, having a personal or family disaster plan can be a
step towards mitigating the effects of disaster when it strikes a particular family. Ensuring that all
personnel understand their roles in disaster response and are educated on the appropriate
evacuation plan for a particular individual, family, agency, department, or organization, and
other response activities can achieve similar positive outcomes.

V. Preparedness Phase

The Planning and Preparedness Phase is designed to structure the disaster response prior to the
occurrence of a disaster. It is a state of readiness to respond to a disaster or other emergency
situation and involves evaluating the community’s potential disaster risks, vulnerabilities, and
the likelihood for a disaster to occur.

Pandemics

Pandemics are epidemics of disease that occur on a worldwide scale and are traditionally
caused by infectious diseases such as influenza. Although unpredictable in their timing, recent
history indicates that influenza pandemics can be expected to occur every 10 to 50 years and it
is almost certain they will continue to occur. It is this level of certainty, and the fact that almost
all humans will be vulnerable, that makes it paramount that planning is carried out at all levels
of government.

Complex Emergencies

Complex emergencies combine internal conflict with large-scale displacements of people, mass
famine or food shortage, and fragile or failing economic, political, and social institutions. Often,
complex emergencies are also exacerbated by natural disasters.

Disaster Mitigation at the Community Level

 Developing a Culture of Safety

1. Awareness of procedures & measures to follow in case of Hurricanes (key disaster threat)
2. Knowledge of stages of emergency warning, where to get information, how to secure
houses, where to go for shelter,
3. Basic Trust in government capacity and intention to protect them.
4. Political commitment to the protection of human lives.

 Education

1. Disaster Preparedness & Prevention are part of all school and University curricula.
2. Mass education & risk reduction.
3. Media broadcasts risk reduction, doctors teach health risk reduction in disasters.
4. Annual upation of contingency plans at various levels is mandatory.

 Community Organization & Social Capital

 1. There should be several types of social organizations, women organizations, youth
organizations, particularly local mitigation committees.
2. All the social organizations discuss disaster risk issues apart from other development
issues.
3. Disaster mitigation committees develop systematic human resource use and management
plans-regular orientation to doctors, teachers, engineers and other professionals.
4. Early warning & communication, Community risk mapping, local & national simulation
exercises, etc.

 Family Level Preparedness

1. Learning about public shelter

2. Familiarity with evacuation routes.
3. Keep a checklist of fire, police, ambulance, etc.

Awareness among all responsible members of the household how and when to turn off the water, gas,
and electricity at the main switches or valves.

4. Adequate Insurance Coverage

5. Complete inventory of home, garage, and surrounding property
6. Keeping the originals of important documents in a safe deposit box.

Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM)

A process in which risk communities (people) are actively engaged in the identification, analysis,
treatment, monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and
enhance capacities. This means the people are at the heart of decision making and implementation of
disaster risk management activities.

Objectives of CBDRM:

 Response Mechanism To Save Life, Livelihood, Livestock & Assets With Available
Resources Leads To Multi-pronged Development
 Interventions To Address The Root Cause Of Vulnerability
 To hasten post event recovery
 Leads To A Self Reliant Disaster Proof Community
 Fig. Community Based Disaster Risk Management

Advantages of CBDRM
 By building the capacity of the community, CBDRM automatically reduces their
vulnerability to any disaster and hence the overall disaster risk is significantly decreased.
 It increases resilience to disasters at community level, hence reducing the losses in case a
disaster strikes. Instead of hopelessness and defeated mentality, it infuses hope and
fighting spirit in the community which proves to be vital in the disaster situation.
 If masses are capable to take on and absorb the shocks of disaster and manage to avoid
major damages, it makes the individual economies disaster resilient which becomes a
valuable asset for the national economy also.
 Prevention, mitigation, risk reduction and risk management strategies and plans can be
put to test at community level, as a pilot project and their success or failure can lead to
treasured conclusions for provincial and federal level planning and strategy making.
 Although it is a fact universally acknowledged that CBDRM is the key to success in
Disaster Risk Management, yet it must be realized that owing to their inherent lack of
adequate resources, the capacity of community based disaster risk management system is
limited and it should be duly supported and augmented by governments at all levels
because it is vital to the success of national or provincial disaster management efforts.

CBDRM Process
Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) is generally divided into five stages
which are shown in the figure below. The process starts with sensitizing the community about
their capacity and duty towards DRM process and ends with raising a community which is
trained, has system in place and is capable to take on minor localized disasters at their own and
can also trigger and support the government system for prompt action in case of a major disaster.
 Fig.-CBRDM Process
Risk Assessment
The community based disaster management organization should start the planning process by
planning the risk assessment of the area. It includes hazard, vulnerability, exposure and capacity
assessment of the area. Through this process, the organization will not only come to know about
the type, gravity and extent of the risk involved but it will also have the knowledge of the
elements at risk, the historical data of the risk and they will also identify their resources which
can help them reduce the losses in a disaster situation. Moreover, they will also analyze the gaps
between their present capacity and the capacity that they should have to successfully avert the
possible damages.

Community Based Disaster Risk Planning

Initially with external help, the community should plan to structure the community based disaster
management organization, should build the capacity of the human resource available as per
requirements and should formulate a local disaster management plan as per the risk assessment
carried out.

Plan Simulation and Execution Dills

During this phase the chalked out plan is deliberated upon in detail looking into all its pros and
cons, requirements and obligations and socio-economic challenges and opportunities. Then the
organization identifies and takes all stakeholders on board identifying their respective roles and
responsibilities before the plan is put to test in a mock exercise to measure its accuracy and
adequacy in the real time situation and it is amended and refined if required and then finalized
for proper drills and practices

Mainstreaming DRR into Development Process

Fighting disaster and getting ready for it is not a one-time activity. It is not only a process to be
implemented but is also a culture to be adopted. Disaster
Risk Reduction should be made a part of the community life, should be infused in their culture,
should be blended with their values, customs and mores and should be mainstreaming in the
local level development planning process by developing requisite linkages with the government
system and processes.

Ensuring sustainability of CBDMOs and CBDRM Plan

Capacity Building and resource provision to the CBDMOs should be done with the purpose to
develop them into self-sustained units. These units should be formed keeping in mind the
geography, demography, religious sentiments and socio-political currents in the area. It should
make best use of human, as well as, other physical resources in a way that it is socially
acceptable, politically representative , officially endorsed and economically viable enough to
sustain itself.