DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

DISASTER: - A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins.

TYPES OF DISASTERS: - Disasters can take many different forms, and the duration can range from an hourly disruption to days or weeks of ongoing destruction. Below is a list of the various types of disasters – both natural and man-made or technological in nature – that can impact a community.

Natural Types of Disasters:-

• Agricultural diseases & pests
• Damaging Winds
• Drought and water shortage
• Earthquakes
• Emergency diseases (pandemic influenza)
• Extreme heat
• Floods and flash floods
• Hail
• Hurricanes and tropical storms
• Landslides & debris flow
• Thunderstorms and lighting
• Tornadoes
• Tsunamis
• Wildfire
• Winter and ice storms
• Sinkholes

Man-Made and Technological Types of Disasters:-

• Hazardous materials
• Power service disruption & blackout
• Nuclear power plant and nuclear blast
• Radiological emergencies
• Chemical threat and biological weapons
• Cyber attacks
• Explosion
• Civil unrest 

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:- Disaster preparedness refers to measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters. That is, to predict and - where possible - prevent disasters, mitigate their impact on vulnerable populations, and respond to and effectively cope with their consequences, at local, national and international levels.

This work, key to development, essentially involves reducing the vulnerability of households and communities in disaster-prone areas and improving their ability to cope with the effects of disasters; strengthening the capacities of National & State level disaster response groups in disaster preparedness and post-disaster response; determining a National & State level disaster response groups role and mandate in national disaster plans; and establishing regional networks of National & State level disaster response groups that will strengthen the Federation’s collective impact in disaster preparedness and response at the international level.

Disaster Preparedness provides an opportunity to design effective, realistic and coordinated planning reduces duplication of efforts and increases the overall effectiveness of disaster preparedness activities by National & State level disaster response groups, households and community members. Disaster Preparedness efforts can help minimize the impact of disasters on communities and also result in saving more lives and safeguarding livelihoods during any disaster situation and enable the affected population to return to a normal lifestyle within a short time period. 

Preparedness for a Disaster:-

• Find out what could happen. Stay informed.
• Make a household disaster and emergency plan, considering everyone in your household.
• Reduce structural, non-structural and environmental risks in and around your home.
• Learn response skills and practice your plan.
• Prepared response provisions to survive for about a week. Prepare evacuation bags.
• Work together with your workplace, schools, neighbours and local community to assess your risks, plan to reduce them, and prepare to respond

Awareness for Disaster Preparedness:- Disaster preparedness is a continuous and integrated process resulting from a wide range of risk reduction activities and resources rather than from a distinct sectoral activity by itself. It requires the contributions of many different areas - ranging from training and logistics, to health care, recovery, livelihood to institutional development.

Increasing the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of disaster response mechanisms at the community, national and international level. This includes:

· Raising awareness of disaster hazards through public education, encouraging vulnerable people to take preventative and mitigating actions where possible before disaster strikes. Ensure that the Knowledge from prediction and early warning systems can be accessed, understood and acted upon by local communities.

·  The development and regular testing of warning systems (linked to forecasting systems) and plans for evacuation or other measures to be taken during a disaster alert period to minimise potential loss of life, livelihoods and physical damage.

·   The education and training of volunteers, staff and the population at risk

·   The training of first-aid and disaster response teams

·   The establishment of disaster response policies, standards, organizational arrangements and operational plans to be followed after a disaster.

·  Strengthening community-based disaster preparedness through National Society programmes for the community or through direct support of the community's own activity. This could include educating, preparing and supporting local populations and communities in their everyday efforts to reduce risks and prepare their own local response mechanisms to address disaster emergency situations.

A comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy would therefore include the following elements:

1. Hazard, risk and vulnerability assessments
2. Response mechanisms and strategies
3. Preparedness plans
4. Coordination
5. Information management
6. Early warning systems
7. Resource mobilization
8. Public education, training,& Drills and simulations
9. Community-Based disaster preparedness

Community-based disaster preparedness incorporates the concept of building on and using local knowledge and resources in order to improve a population’s capacity to withstand the impact of disasters. As first responders to a disaster (i.e., search and rescue teams and the provision of emergency treatment and relief), communities need to be equipped to manage with the consequences of small-, medium- and large-scale natural hazards when they strike.

Community preparedness activities should include an analysis of risks, vulnerability and capacities (VCA). Early warning systems should be accessible and understood by local communities, who can then act on warnings. Public awareness and public education campaigns, organization and training of community disaster response teams, and the development and testing of community response plans through simulations are all actions that empower communities in the face of disasters.