COURSE MANUAL

E9: Disaster Management

Module 2
The management of disasters around the world

Open University of Mauritius

MAURITIUS
2014
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© Commonwealth of Learning 2012
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2014
Acknowledgements
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) wishes to thank those below for their contribution to the
development of this course:
Course coordinator Professor Wayne Greene
(original version) Director, Disaster Preparedness Resource Centre
Centre for Human Settlements
(School of Community and Regional Planning)
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada

Principal writer Taranjot Gadhok

Research Associate, DPRC
Centre for Human Settlements
Senior Fellow, Human settlement Management Institute, HUDCO
India

Topic consultant Dr. Laurie Pearce (PhD)

Research Associate, DPRC

Course designer Stephanie Dayes

Vancouver, Canada

Course authors Dave Hutton, PhD Modules 1,

(revised version) United Nations Relief and Works Agency 2, 6.
(UNRWA)
Jerusalem, West Bank Field

Susan Gilbert, MA, Disaster and Emergency Modules 1,

Management 2, 6.
Gilbert Consulting
Toronto, Canada

Wayne Dauphinee, MHA Modules 3,

Victoria, Canada 4, 5, 7.

Sue Olsen Module 7

Vancouver, Canada

Course editor Symbiont Ltd.

Otaki, New Zealand

COL would also like to thank the many other people who have contributed to the writing of this
course.
 E9: Disaster Management

Contents
Module 2 1
The management of disasters around the world ............................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1

Unit 3 2
The management of disasters around the world ............................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................. 2
Terminology...................................................................................................................... 2
Emergency management and disaster reduction: a bottom-up approach ......................... 3
Roles and responsibilities ................................................................................................. 5
The role of the individual ........................................................................................ 6
The local community or jurisdiction ....................................................................... 6
Regional governments ............................................................................................. 8
National governments.............................................................................................. 9
The military ........................................................................................................... 10
Non-governmental organisations .......................................................................... 12
Private sector ......................................................................................................... 12
The importance of legislation ......................................................................................... 14
Mutual aid agreements .................................................................................................... 15
Activity 2.1 ..................................................................................................................... 17
Unit summary ................................................................................................................. 18

Unit 4 19
Disaster reduction around the world ............................................................................... 19
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 19
International decade for natural disaster reduction ............................................... 19
Yokohama strategy and plan of action for a safer world ...................................... 20
Yokohama Strategy’s ten principles...................................................................... 21
The Hyogo framework for action 2005–2015 ....................................................... 22
United Nations strategy for disaster reduction (UNISDR) ................................... 23
UNISDR mission ................................................................................................... 24
UNISDR objectives ............................................................................................... 24
Activity 2.2 ..................................................................................................................... 25
Unit summary ................................................................................................................. 26

Unit 5 27
Responding to disasters: The role of the United Nations and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) ..................................................................................................... 27
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 27
The United Nations (UN) ...................................................................................... 27
How the UN operates in a disaster ........................................................................ 27
ii Contents

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)28
UN humanitarian agencies .............................................................................................. 30
Long-term – addressing economic development................................................... 39
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)............................................................. 40
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement .................................. 44
Code of conduct for NGOs in disaster relief ......................................................... 45
Activity 2.3 ..................................................................................................................... 46
Unit summary ................................................................................................................. 47

References 48

Further readings 49

Activity answers 51
Activity 2.1 ............................................................................................................ 51
Activity 2.2 ............................................................................................................ 51
Activity 2.3 ............................................................................................................ 52

Appendix A 53
American Red Cross Disaster Services – your evacuation plan ........................... 53

Appendix B 57
Selected countries and their national approach to emergency management ......... 57
 E9: Disaster Management

Module 2

The management of disasters

around the world
Introduction
Module 2 discusses the management of disasters around the world. It
outlines the responsibilities of governments, the role of the United
Nations as well as non-governmental organisations in preparing for and
responding to disasters and other humanitarian crises.
Upon completion of this module you will be able to:

 explain roles and responsibilities of governments in preparing for

and responding to emergencies and disasters
 describe policy and institutional frameworks for disaster
Outcomes management in developed and developing countries
 discuss the role of the community in preparing for and
responding to disasters
 describe the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
 describe the roles of the United Nations, non-governmental
organisations, as well as the military in responding to disasters
and humanitarian crises.

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Unit 3

Unit 3

The management of disasters

around the world
Introduction
This unit examines the management of disasters around the world.
Learners will consider the roles and responsibilities of individuals,
communities, regional governments, national governments, non-
governmental organisations, and the private sector. Finally, the
importance of legislation and mutual aid agreements are discussed.
Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:

 identify the roles and responsibilities of the individual,

community, regional governments, national governments, non-
governmental organisations and the private sector

Outcomes  explain how non-governmental organisations provide support in

all phases of disaster management
 provide reasons why the community is so important in effective
disaster reduction and emergency preparedness efforts
 discuss the private sector’s critical role in reducing the negative
impacts of disasters, and explain mitigation strategies the private
sector can use to enhance community resilience
 describe the role of legislation in effective emergency
management, and outline the common features it typically
includes
 identify the common elements of mutual aid agreements.

Terminology
Alerting system A communication system used by local, regional,
or national authorities to contact the public to warn
them of an impending emergency.

Terminology Business continuity A proactive planning process that ensures critical

planning services and/or products are delivered during a
disruption.

Hazard mapping A process whereby areas at risk due to particular

hazards, are located and mapped to increase

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 E9: Disaster Management

community disaster awareness and influence

preparedness efforts, for example, mapping areas
in a community where flooding is possible or
likely.

Mutual aid agreement An agreement drawn up between agencies and/or

jurisdictions to formalise an agreement to assist
one another upon request, by furnishing personnel
or equipment.

Non-governmental An organisation which is independent of the

Organisation (NGO) government and which has a non-commercial
mission to contribute to social, cultural,
environmental, educational and/or other issues.

Private sector That part of the economy run by individuals and

groups rather than by the government, such as
banks, hospitals and the media.

Emergency management and

disaster reduction: a bottom-up
approach
Television shows and movies often depict disasters as catastrophic events
where streets are filled with helpless victims and rescue and relief is
provided by the military and international agencies. In reality, it is usually
the people who have just experienced the disaster who are the first
responders and the impacted community takes charge of managing the
response.
This is not to say that communities and countries do not require outside
assistance. In some cases, a disaster may be so devastating that there may
be an immediate need for a government to intervene and/or request
outside assistance. Recent disasters that have required such interventions
include:
 the 2004 Asian tsunami
 the 2005 Pakistan earthquake
 Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
There are also cases in which the emergency or disaster is accompanied by
a breakdown of authority, resulting in a loss of political control and the
capacity to provide relief and assistance. In such instances (generally
referred to as complex humanitarian emergencies), there may be a need for
an organisation such as the United Nations to intervene.
It is essential, however, to recognise communities as a cornerstone to
effective disaster reduction and emergency preparedness. Emergencies

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Unit 3

and disasters can be best prepared for and responded to when efforts are
carried out at the local level. This is for a number of basic reasons:
 Hazards, exposure and vulnerability is local
Disaster risk arises from the combination of natural hazards (for
example, a fault zone), a population’s vulnerability to hazard
events (such as a building close to the fault zone), as well as
human activities that increase or decrease exposure to these (for
example, building earthquake-resistant structures). These are
likely to differ from one community to the next depending on
both the type of hazards but also the extent a community
undertakes mitigation and preparedness activities.
 The impacts of disasters are cross-cutting
Major disasters affect all segments of society: its physical
infrastructure, its businesses and economy, not to mention the
population and social fabric. To be effective, disaster risk
reduction plans must involve all segments of a community
including:
 local government
 business sector
 emergency responders
 non-governmental and community organisations
 community leaders and the population itself.
 Disaster risks are subject to change
Disaster risks may vary over time depending on such as factors
as:
 population changes
 urbanisation
 construction practices
 environmental degradation.
This is one of the reasons that many developing countries have
become more vulnerable to hazards; overcrowding, substandard
housing and inadequate infrastructure make these countries
especially vulnerable to the impacts of major hazards such as
earthquakes.
 Responses to disasters are shaped by social influences
A community’s priorities (including the extent to which it will
prepare for disasters) are defined by the perceptions of
government, opinion makers, media and community and the
values and beliefs of a society.
These can be expected to differ from one community to the next,
in part depending on the sense of public and private
responsibility for risk reduction activities. This will often reflect

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 E9: Disaster Management

whether a community has had experience with disasters in the

past, which in turn may raise awareness and motivation to be
better prepared in the future.
 Community resilience can enhance disaster response
Understanding how communities work is vital for strengthening
their capacity to prepare for (and respond to) hazards. The
organisations, affiliations and networks that provide support
during normal times also play a critical role in sustaining people
during crises and disasters.
By encouraging groups and organisations to work together to
assist people in need, emergency managers can strengthen the
social capital and response capacities of communities. (UNISDR,
2008)

Roles and responsibilities

People often think of emergency preparedness as the responsibility of the
government or military. In reality, effective emergency preparedness and
disaster reduction requires the participation of entire communities and all
levels of government. This extends from individuals and their families to
disaster management offices of national governments.
To understand comprehensive disaster management, one should consider
the roles and responsibilities of:
 individuals
 communities and local governments
 provincial governments
 national governments.
In most developed countries, the responsibility to deal with emergencies
is placed first on the individual and then on successive levels of
government, as the resources and expertise of each are needed.
This recognises that when an emergency occurs people normally see to
their own safety first and then seek assistance from local, provincial or
territorial governments if necessary. Those governments (in turn) seek
national support if an emergency moves beyond their capabilities.
This is illustrated in the example below.

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Unit 3

Figure 1: Levels of disaster response.

Source: REDLAC, 2006

The role of the individual

Emergencies (first and foremost) affect individuals and disrupt the
normal functioning of families and other small sub-units of a society.
However, individuals should not be seen only as victims. They also have
a responsibility to be prepared for emergencies. In many emergencies,
people may be left on their own for an extended period as emergency
services and resources are focused on limiting the loss of life and
casualties.
Individuals and families can help themselves and others by understanding
their area’s hazards, how they can protect themselves, possible
evacuation routes and what to bring when evacuating.
To achieve this goal, emergency managers must ensure there is targeted
and regular information for individuals and families. In developed
countries, this information usually concentrates on encouraging
individuals to have emergency kits which contain the necessities to
support survival during emergencies or disasters.
In regions where there are hazards that require evacuation (for example,
the coastal hurricane belt in the United States), a central theme in public
and household preparedness is having an evacuation plan. (See Appendix
A: Red Cross Disaster Services).
This type of preparedness is a reasonable expectation. There is a volume
of evidence that indicates that those who prepare for disasters have better
chances of survival during emergency disaster and recover more quickly
afterwards.

The local community or jurisdiction

Because disasters occur locally, the first response to these events is
almost always carried out by the impacted community. Of course,
communities can vary widely in their composition, ranging from a small

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 E9: Disaster Management

coastal fishing village to a large urban centre. In both cases, however,

there is a responsibility for the community to prepare for potential threats.
Considerable work has been undertaken in developing countries to
enhance the preparedness of small communities that are exposed to
hazards. Although many of these communities have limited resources,
preparedness activities can be taken to enhance the safety of their society.
These include:
 hazards mapping to identify hazards and risks to a community
 alert systems to warn people of emergencies
 evacuation planning to ensure people are able to escape from
events like a tsunami by going to higher ground
 identification of vulnerable people, such as the frail elderly,
people with disabilities and those who may require assistance
evacuating.

Case study: Radio reaches most vulnerable people

In many developing countries, traditional broadcast radio remains the
most widely used channel for disseminating disaster warnings. Warning
Case study messages broadcast on radio can quickly reach isolated rural communities
where no other form of communication is available.
However, in the poorest communities, even radio ownership is rare. A
radio may often be the first “luxury” good procured by a household, but
the need to purchase disposable batteries means regular radio use is
expensive.
Wind-up and solar-powered radios eliminate the need for batteries or
electricity and can provide the poorest households with reliable access to
disaster warnings and other lifesaving information.
The Mozambique Red Cross Society has integrated wind-up and solar-
powered radios into its cyclone and flood early warning activities and the
radios have been credited with dramatically improving the country’s
ability to prevent a repeat of the devastation caused by the 2000 flood and
cyclone disaster.
A disaster preparedness volunteer is charged with guarding the radio on
behalf of the community and listening to broadcasts. When a warning is
sounded, the volunteer alerts village leaders and a pre-planned response is
launched. This low-tech, readily available resource is an effective and
lifesaving solution at the community preparedness level.
Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent

A community may also be a large urban area where hundreds, thousands

or millions of people live. These communities can also vary considerably
in infrastructure and resources, as well as vulnerability.
Currently, almost a billion people live in slums or informal settlements in
high-risk areas, with poor infrastructure and often without access to basic
services such as clean water and sanitation.

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Unit 3

Towns and cities can often be regarded as local jurisdictions with their
own governance and legislative structures. In developed countries,
jurisdictions and cities generally have the responsibility to incorporate
disaster risk assessments into urban planning of human settlements,
particularly in highly populated areas.
Every community should have mechanisms in place to identify hazards
that affect their local area, and develop and maintain an emergency
communications plan and disaster supplies kit. Other preparedness
considerations include:
 evacuation
 emergency public shelters
 animals in disaster
 information specific to people with disabilities.
Urban centres should also have in place emergency services to respond to
emergencies of all types. These typically include first response agencies
such as:
 fire
 police and ambulance services
 search and rescue
 emergency medical care and hospital services
 traffic and crowd control.

Regional governments
In most developed countries, regional governments such as state,
provincial or territorial jurisdictions play a key role in emergency
preparedness.
Regional governments are usually responsible for the development and
oversight of legislative and regulatory frameworks that outline
preparedness requirements within their respective jurisdiction. For
example, urban centres might be mandated to have plans that:
 identify the hazards common to that area
 include an emergency preparedness element to ensure that the
community, as well as its citizens and businesses, are ready to
respond to the various hazards
 have in place standard operating procedures for the response to
relevant hazards
 include priorities for the recovery of critical infrastructure and
services to ensure economic recovery.
Regional governments also have a key role in building and maintaining
critical infrastructure, often with the support of federal governments.
Preventive action is the most effective way to ensure community safety.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Programmes to renew infrastructure may include hazard mitigation

measures such as dykes to prevent flooding and communications to warn
populations of pending emergencies.
Other public-sector investments may include hospitals, public schools,
and critical government buildings.
During an emergency, a regional government may be called upon to
provide assistance to the impacted community or jurisdiction. This may
take the form of providing emergency supplies, equipment or personnel –
whether directly through supplies accumulated by the community or by
co-ordinating assistance from neighbouring jurisdictions. It is important
to understand that the local jurisdiction requiring assistance remains in
charge, including direction of personnel and allocation of equipment and
other assistance.
Disasters that affect multiple local jurisdictions usually require the
regional government to co-ordinate and prioritise needs and assistance
during the immediate response and recovery periods. As various state and
federal agencies become involved, they co-operate to the fullest possible
extent.

National governments
When people imagine national government involvement in disasters,
many think of the activation of the National Guard or the deployment of
government troops.
However, most emergencies are successfully managed at the local
government level; some emergencies require regional government
support, and a small percentage of emergencies require national level
support.
Emergencies that require national level support typically are catastrophic
in scale and scope.
When a national government does become involved, it takes a supportive
rather than leadership role. The United States National Response
Framework (2008) for disaster recovery, for example, describes how the
federal government will support state and local authorities, as well as
others involved in providing emergency assistance. The fundamental
assumption in this framework is that recovery is a co-operative effort,
carried out by many participants. Federal agencies, therefore, support and
assist rather than supersede state and local programmes during a crisis.
Typically, the primary role of national governments is in the development
of enabling legislation and policy that transcends regional government
boundaries. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure consistency in
emergency preparedness across regional or provincial areas, ensuring a
degree of commonality in regulations, minimum standards of practice (as
well as) inter-operability of essential equipment. For example, a national
government might work with provinces and states in a disaster to agree
set protocols to be used to communicate, share information, plan and
make decisions.

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Unit 3

National governments also have a key role in mitigation activities.

Mitigation funding is essential to support local and regional governments
to implement expensive mitigation projects that may otherwise be
unaffordable at the local level.
An example of national mitigation funding is the U.S. Federal Emergency
Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program which
was designed to help New Orleans’ parishes prepare for future disasters
in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Mitigation funding through this programme has included the following
assistance:
 USD 9.5 million (of a total grant of USD 23 million) to elevate
and retrofit homes for 48 families in Orleans Parish.
 USD 1.2 million for a floodwall to reduce the risk of flooding for
Dozier Elementary School
 more than USD 2 million for the Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry to harden and retrofit buildings in Baton
Rouge and Hammond.
To enhance preparedness, federal governments often invest in equipment
and supplies that may be drawn upon in regional and provincial
government.
These supplies might include:
 stockpiles of medical equipment and medicines
 emergency food
 tents and other lifesaving and humanitarian supplies.
One example of a supplies’ stockpile is:
 the United States Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
This is a national repository of antibiotics, vaccines, chemical antidotes,
antitoxins and other critical medical equipment and supplies.
In the event of a national emergency involving bioterrorism or a natural
pandemic, the SNS has the capability to supplement and re-supply local
health authorities that may be overwhelmed by the crisis, with a response
time as little as 12 hours.
The SNS is jointly run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security.
For an overview of various national governments around the world and
their emergency management organisations see Appendix B at the end of
this module.

The military
In some large-scale emergencies, national governments may be called
upon to provide direct assistance. In many countries this is provided by
the military or national guard.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, more than 10,000 Army and Air
National Guardsmen and 7,200 active-duty troops assisted with hurricane
relief operations.
The military relief effort, known as Joint Task Force Katrina, included:
 supporting civil authorities
 removal of debris
 provision of shelter
 food
 medical and law-enforcement support.
The United States Air Force provided search and rescue, aeromedical
evacuation, relief supplies as well as medical care to the affected areas.
The Air Force evacuated more than 25,000 people in need of medical
care.
The Pakistani military played a similar role after the 2005 earthquake in
northern Pakistan and the disputed territory of Kashmir which killed
about 75,000 people and left an estimated 3.5 million people homeless.
The subsequent relief effort, led by the Pakistan Army, included the
deployment of 60,000 troops and their role was to:
 maintain order in affected areas
 clear landslide-affected roads
 replace bridges
 re-establish communications in the difficult mountainous
conditions
 help villagers search for those trapped in collapsed houses and
buildings.
The military also evacuated more than 80,000 people from the affected
areas.
In some international humanitarian cases, another country’s military may
also be called upon to provide assistance. For example, following the
January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the United States military was
deployed to assist with humanitarian aid and recovery projects.
At the peak of the response, there were 22,000 forces deployed and their
assigned work included:
 re-opening the airport
 providing medical assistance to more than 8,600 Haitians on a
navy hospital ship
 delivering water, food and medical supplies
 contributing to rebuilding efforts.

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Unit 3

Non-governmental organisations
A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is an organisation which is
independent of the government, and which has a non-commercial mission
to contribute to social, cultural, environmental, educational and/or other
issues.
The role of NGOs is also essential in building local communities’
resilience to disasters and supporting local-level implementation of
mitigation and preparedness activities. For example, NGOs may work
with communities and schools to increase knowledge of local hazards and
show families how they can best prepare and protect themselves should a
disaster strike. NGOs may also help communities develop preparedness
strategies including alerts, evacuation procedures, and planned support to
individuals at-risk in disasters such as the frail elderly, children and
people with disabilities.
During (and after) disasters, NGOs may:
 set up temporary shelters
 provide medical care
 distribute food, water and clothing
 provide emotional and psychosocial support to survivors.
Some organisations focus specifically on more vulnerable groups, for
example, Help the Aged International works with older people while
Handicapped International ensures that needs of people with disabilities
are adequately met.
NGOs generally focus their disaster assistance efforts where they have
specialised expertise, providing a high level of service in disaster
response and recovery. For example, Doctors without Borders (Medecins
sans Frontieres) provides teams of doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians
and other medical personnel, to provide assistance to people caught in
crises around the world.
An organisation such as Oxfam (on the other hand), most often provides
assistance such as food, water, shelter and education.
More detailed information on the contributions of non-governmental
organisations is provided in Unit 4, Disaster reduction around the world.

Private sector
The private sector includes banks, hospitals, hotels, the media,
corporations, insurance companies, transportation companies and utilities,
among other entities. The private sector is that part of the economy run
by individuals and groups rather than the government.
The private sector’s participation in a community’s emergency
preparedness efforts is essential to the well-being and resilience of
communities in a disaster. If businesses and critical infrastructure owners
are not able to withstand the impacts of a disaster, the entire community’s
recovery may be compromised.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Stronger partnerships between emergency management and the private

sector are needed to ensure safer and more disaster-resistant buildings
owned by the private sector, including acute care facilities, private
schools and residential buildings. Incentives for private investments in
these facilities, improvements to increase the hazard-resistance of
residential construction and risk-sharing mechanisms such as insurance,
and reconstruction financing are examples of emergency management-
private sector partnerships.
The impacts of disasters can also be significantly reduced by effective
business continuity planning (BCP).
BCP is a proactive planning process that ensures critical services and/or
products are delivered during a disruption. BCP generally involves
developing plans and procedures to identify essential emergency staff and
ensure that they can maintain their critical services during disruptions.
Recovery time and costs can be significantly reduced by preparing and
testing business continuity plans and training employees on their
emergency roles and responsibilities. This planning not only helps to
protect businesses from the negative impacts of disasters, but also
reinforces the community’s ability to bounce back after disasters.

Case study: 1995 Kobe Earthquake

In January 1995 an earthquake measuring 7.2 struck the port city of
Kobe, Japan. More than 6,000 people died, more than 30,000 were
Case study injured, and over 300,000 were made homeless. Damages to houses,
businesses, roads and infrastructure totalled over USD 200 billion.
The flow of world trade was disrupted near the port of Kobe, Japan’s
largest container port. Before the earthquake, Kobe was a hub for the
movement of goods to other parts of Asia.
Many businesses experienced significant losses because of the lack of
recovery and business continuity planning measures. Businesses’ reliance
on government to shield their assets did not reduce their losses as
expected since government priorities were to save lives and property, not
to help businesses resume their normal activities.
Other business – and infrastructure-related impacts resulting from the
Kobe earthquake included:
 business closures, including Mitsubishi which had to temporarily
close its plants due to the number of missing workers
 extensive damage to railway systems
 more than 845,000 households lost gas service for up to 2.5
months
 delayed restoration of water and wastewater systems to more than
1.25 million households for up to four months.
In the years following the disaster, Japan’s central government has been
working to develop new strategies that encourage businesses to
implement risk-reduction measures and undertake business continuity
planning.

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Unit 3

The importance of legislation

Legislation is crucial to ensure the speed and effectiveness of emergency
response, permitting governments to fulfill their constitutional
responsibility to provide for the safety and security of citizens during
emergencies.
Emergency legislation usually outlines how local authorities, emergency
management organisations and relevant government ministries have to
plan for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters.
For example, emergency legislation will usually identify which
organisation has the mandate for overseeing and co-ordinating emergency
preparedness in a jurisdiction, who has the authority to declare a state of
emergency in the event of a major disaster, as well as the actions which
can be taken to effectively manage the situation, including, compulsory
evacuation (if required).
This not only facilitates the co-ordination of disaster management
activities from central to local level but can remove potential operational
barriers so that critical relief and recovery measures may be implemented
in an emergency.
Although emergency legislation will vary from one country to the next,
effective legislation typically includes a number of common features:
 Defining the powers and duties of relevant organisations to
carry out emergency preparedness activities such as preparing
and maintaining disaster assistance policies and resources
required to effectively respond to an emergency or disaster.
 Defining the conditions and steps by which an authorised
official can declare a state of emergency in an affected area (local
jurisdiction, region or nation). A state of emergency is a
governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal
functions of government, alert citizens to alter their normal
behaviours, or order government agencies to implement
emergency preparedness plans.
 Defining emergency powers which may be enacted during a
declared emergency. These may include such actions as ordering
a mandatory evacuation, authorising the use of private property
to prevent or alleviate the effects of an emergency, distributing
essential supplies such as food, water and medical care, or
controlling or prohibiting travel to (or in) the affected locality.
 Defining the type and amount of financial and material
assistance which may be provided to an impacted locality.

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Examples of emergency legislation include:

Canada: Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act.
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/Statute/P/P-31.55.pdf
Reading
New Zealand: Civil Defence Emergency Management Act.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0033/latest/DLM149789.h
tml
England: Civil Contingencies Act.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ukresilience/preparedness/ccact.aspx
Jamaica: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Act.
http://www.odpem.org.jm/AboutUs/DisasterActof1993/tabid/88/Default.as
px

Mutual aid agreements

In addition to formal legislation, emergency managers also rely on
agreements that enable jurisdictions to support one another during major
emergencies or disasters. Mutual aid agreements are an integral part of
preparedness planning for all hazards at every level of government. These
can be broadly described as pre-incident plans and agreements to share
assistance between jurisdictions when local resources are overwhelmed
during a disaster or emergency.
Typically, these agreements address legal, technical and procedural issues
related to the sharing of personnel, equipment and other resources during
an emergency response.
The scope and application of mutual aid agreements may vary
considerably. Mutual aid agreements can be between:
 emergency management organisations
 public health authorities
 hospitals
 ambulance services
 other service providers.
Similarly, agreements can also be between neighbouring towns,
jurisdictions, regions and even countries.

Examples of mutual aid agreements include:

 Tribal Emergency Mutual Aid Compact. Available at:
http://www.usetinc.org/Programs/USET-
Reading MutualAid/AboutTEMAC.aspx.
 California Mutual Aid.
Available at: http://www.emsa.ca.gov/pubs/pdf/emsa218b.pdf

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Unit 3

Although mutual aid agreements may vary in detail, common elements

they share include:
 The type of assistance which can be shared and how it will be
used. This may include:
o equipment (for example, ambulances)
o supplies (such as, tents, medical supplies)
o personnel (emergency doctors, nurses).
 The designated official who can request the assistance and the
procedures followed for this request.
 Inter-jurisdictional procedures to transport (and receive)
assistance.
 Responsibility for managing the provided assistance and
personnel during its deployment to the jurisdiction.
 Coverage of maintenance requirements and reimbursement of
operating costs incurred during the deployment services and
resources.
 Liability insurance for actions by deployed personnel whose
actions may unintentionally result in damages or harm to citizens,
provided these actions are provided in good faith.
 Coverage of workers’ compensation and benefits should
deployed personnel suffer injury or illness.
 Emergency-related exercises, testing, or other training activities
used to prepare the parties for a possible deployment.
In some cases, entire regions may agree to co-operatively work together
to enhance their preparedness and response capacities. An example of this
is the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency
Response, which is an agreement between Southeast Asian countries to
strengthen their individual and collective emergency preparedness and
response capacities.
The objectives of the ASEAN agreement are to:
 Strengthen the technical and organisational capacities of member
states to lead, co-ordinate and manage the post-disaster recovery
process through proactive planning for early and long-term
recovery.
 Strengthen technical and institutional capacities of member states
through the provision of capacity development and training
programmes.
 Foster closer partnerships and more collaborative initiatives with
partner organisations, international organisations, civil society,
academia and the military (among others), to promote disaster
resilience in regional to local levels.
 Enhance disaster consciousness of the peoples in ASEAN to
instil a culture of safety and resilience.

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The International Health Regulations (IHR) is an example of countries

around the world agreeing to implement regulations designed to prevent
the international spread of disease and other public health emergencies
without causing unnecessary interference to international travel and trade.
Signed by 94 States, parties of the United Nations (and led by the World
Health Organization), IHR set out seven major areas for co-operative
action aimed at enhancing national, regional and global public health
security by 2012.
The seven areas for co-operative action are:
1. Foster global partnerships so that all countries and relevant
sectors collaborate to provide the best technical support available.
2. Strengthen national disease prevention, surveillance, control and
response systems so that all countries will develop national action
plans that allow the rapid detection and response to the risk of
international disease spread.
3. Strengthen public health security in travel and transport so that
the risk of international disease spread is minimised at airports,
ports and ground crossings in all countries.
4. Strengthen WHO global alert and response systems to ensure
timely and effective co-ordinated response to risks and global
public health emergencies.
5. Strengthen the management of specific risks so that international
management of known risks that threaten international health
security is systematically followed.
6. Sustain rights, obligations and procedures so that new regulations
are upheld and participating countries have a clear understanding
of their obligations to them.
7. Conduct studies and monitor progress to identify and collect
indicators to evaluate progress and improve implementation of
the regulations.

Activity 2.1
1. Investigate and summarise the preparedness efforts that your local
community has undertaken to increase its readiness for an
emergency.
2. Outline the steps you have personally taken to prepare yourself and
Activity
your family for an emergency or disaster.

17
Unit summary
In this unit you learned about the management of disasters around the
world.
We explored the roles and responsibilities of individuals, communities,
Summary regional governments, national governments, non-governmental
organisations, the private sector and the importance of legislation and
mutual aid agreements.

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Unit 4

Disaster reduction around the

world
Introduction
In order to reduce the devastating impact of disasters, countries cannot
afford simply to respond to natural disasters. Instead, a proactive attempt
is required to reduce the consequences of natural disasters before they
happen.
By focusing on disaster risk reduction, countries increase their resilience
to natural hazards, encourage a culture of prevention and ensure that
development efforts do not augment vulnerability.
Over the past two decades global disaster reduction policies and
programmes have been introduced to stem the tide of disaster losses and
advance a global commitment to risk reduction efforts.
This unit provides an overview of key programmes which have
contributed to a paradigm shift in international emergency management
which re-directs the emphasis on disaster response to a focus on disaster
prevention and mitigation.
Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:

 describe the Yokohama Strategy and Plan for Action

 outline the Yokohama Strategy’s 10 principles
 discuss the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015)
Outcomes
 explain the objectives for the UN Strategy for Disaster
Reduction.

International decade for natural disaster reduction

In 1987, the United Nations General Assembly declared the 1990s as the
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. This action was
taken in order to promote internationally co-ordinated efforts to reduce
human and material losses, as well as economic and social disruptions,
caused by disasters around the world but especially in developing
countries.
The specific objectives called upon United Nations agencies to:
 Improve each country’s capacity to mitigate natural disasters,
with a focus on helping developing countries to:
o complete vulnerability assessments

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Unit 4

o establish early warning systems, and

o build disaster-resistant structures.
 Create guidelines and strategies to apply scientific and technical
knowledge while considering nations’ cultural and economic
diversity.
 Encourage scientific and engineering initiatives which will serve
to close knowledge gaps and reduce loss of life and property.

 Distribute technical information (both new and existing), that will

support natural disaster assessment, prediction and mitigation.
 Develop measures to assess, predict, prevent and mitigate
disasters tailored to specific hazards and locations through
programmes that include:
o technical assistance
o technology transfer
o demonstration projects, and
o education and training.

Yokohama strategy and plan of action for a safer world

In 1995, the United Nations developed the Yokohama Strategy and Plan
of Action for a Safer World.
The strategy and plan of action set out seven key points:
1. The human and economic impact of natural disasters has risen in
recent years and the world has become more vulnerable to natural
disasters. Poor and socially disadvantaged groups (in developing
countries) are most affected by natural disasters because they are
least able to cope.
2. Nations need to incorporate disaster prevention, mitigation,
preparedness and relief, along with environmental protection and
sustainable development in to their development plans and ensure
efficient follow-up measures at the community, national, sub-
regional and international levels.
3. Disaster response alone is insufficient because it produces
temporary results at a very high cost. A comprehensive and
integrated approach which incorporates disaster prevention,
mitigation and preparedness should be followed.
4. Because the world is increasingly interdependent, all countries
shall work together to build a safer world. Regional and
international co-operation will enhance our ability to mitigate
disasters through the transfer of technology, sharing of
information and creating opportunities for joint prevention and
mitigation initiatives.

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5. The knowledge, information and technology needed to mitigate

natural disasters can often be made available at low cost and
should be shared with all freely, especially developing countries,
in a timely manner.
6. Active participation and community involvement must be
encouraged to gain greater insight into efficient, culturally and
organisationally appropriate ways to reduce the impact of
disasters and preserve the environment for future generations.
7. The Yokohama Strategy and plan of action will:
 note that each country has sovereign responsibility to
protect its citizens
 give priority to developing countries, especially least-
developed, small island and land-locked countries
 develop and strengthen national capacities and
capabilities
 promote and strengthen co-operation at all levels in
prevention, reduction and mitigation activities,
emphasising capacity building, technology sharing, and
resource mobilisation
 be adequately supported by the international community
and the UN system
 recognise that the UN and the world community is at a
crossroad in human progress, and that through action the
course of events can be changed by reducing suffering
from natural disasters
 be considered a call for action to use the International
Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction as a catalyst for
change.

Yokohama Strategy’s ten principles

The Yokohama Strategy laid out the following ten principles which were
to be applied by the participating countries:
1. Risk assessment is the basis of successful disaster reduction
policies and measures.
2. Disaster prevention and preparedness are of primary importance
in reducing the need for disaster relief.
3. Disaster prevention and preparedness are integral to development
policy and planning efforts at all levels.
4. Developing and strengthening capacities to prevent, reduce and
mitigate disasters is a top priority for the decade.
5. Early warning systems are key elements of successful disaster
prevention and preparedness.

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Unit 4

6. Prevention measures are most effective when all levels

participate, such as local community, national, regional and
international involvement.
7. Vulnerability reduction can be achieved by focusing on target
groups while applying proper design and patterns of
development, as well as educating and training the whole
community.
8. The international community will freely (and in a timely
manner), share the necessary technology to prevent, reduce and
mitigate disasters.
9. Environmental protection is imperative in the prevention and
mitigation of natural disasters and is a component of sustainable
development and consistent with poverty alleviation.
10. Each country bears primary responsibility to protect its people,
infrastructure and other national assets from the impact of natural
disasters, bearing in mind the needs of developing countries,
particularly the least-developed nations.

The Hyogo framework for action 2005–2015

In 2005, the United Nations member states established the Hyogo
Framework for Action 2005–2015 as a means to implement global
disaster reduction.
The overarching goal of the Hyogo Framework is to build the disaster
resilience of communities and nations.
The Hyogo Framework’s five priorities for action are to:
1. Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local
priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.
Key elements within this include:
 strengthening the national institutional and legislative
frameworks for risk reduction
 developing and committing resources for the
implementation of risk management
 promoting community participation.
2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early
warning. This includes:
 strengthening national and local risk assessments
 establishing institutional and community capacities for
effective early warning
 developing and sustaining technical infrastructure and
information management capacities for effective data
collection and hazard analysis
 building cooperation mechanisms for analysing regional
and emerging risks.

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 E9: Disaster Management

3. Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture

of safety and resilience at all levels. This includes:
 strengthening networks and mechanisms for information
management and exchange
 promoting risk reduction in school and community
education and training
 furthering research into risk and hazard analysis and
cost-benefit analysis of risk reduction actions promoting
public awareness to engage media and community
interest.
4. Reduce underlying risk factors. This includes:
 integrating environmental and natural resource
management with risk reduction
 strengthening safety nets by improving social and
economic development practices in health, food security,
livelihoods and other sectors
 incorporating risk management into land use planning
and other technical measures.
5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all
levels. Key elements in this priority include:
 strengthening institutional capacities, training and
learning mechanisms to include risk reduction in all
aspects of disaster management
 strengthening contingency and preparedness planning
 promoting community participation.

As the Hyogo Framework for Action indicates, proactive measures for

disaster risk reduction are essential in order to reduce recurrent losses and
their impact on development. In order for national and international
organisations to invest in such measures,their costs and benefits must be
evaluated.
The Hyogo Framework also notes the importance of including risk
reduction in all aspects of disaster management. This is particularly
important with respect to post-disaster reconstruction and recovery
processes.

United Nations strategy for disaster reduction (UNISDR)

The United Nations Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) serves as
a global platform to co-ordinate international disaster reduction and
management activities.
The UNISDR is the focal point in the UN system created to promote links
and synergies between (and the co-ordination of), disaster reduction
activities in the socio-economic, humanitarian and development fields, as
well as to support policy integration. It serves as an international

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Unit 4

information clearing house on disaster reduction, developing awareness

campaigns and producing articles, journals, other publications and
promotional materials related to disaster reduction.

UNISDR mission
Specifically, the UNISDR “aims at building disaster-resilient
communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of
disaster reduction as an integral component of sustainable development,
with the goal of reducing human, social, economic and environmental
losses due to natural hazards and related technological and environmental
disasters” (Source: http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/isdr-mission-
objectives-eng.htm).

UNISDR objectives
The UNISDR’s objectives are to:
 Increase public awareness to understand risk, vulnerability
and disaster reduction globally.
The more stakeholders know about risk, vulnerability and how to
manage the impacts of natural hazards, the more disaster
reduction measures will be implemented. Disaster prevention is
based on information.
 Obtain commitment from public authorities to implement
disaster reduction policies and actions.
Decision-makers need to commit themselves to disaster reduction
policies and actions, and to invite and encourage the participation
of communities at risk so that communities are fully informed
and participate in risk management initiatives.
 Stimulate inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral partnerships,
including the expansion of risk reduction networks.
Disaster reduction research, information and practices must be
shared so that the global body of knowledge and experience will
increase. By sharing a common purpose and through
collaborative efforts we can increase resilience to the impact of
natural hazards worldwide.
 Improve scientific knowledge about disaster reduction.
The more we know about natural and technological hazards and
their causes and effects, the more we will be able to reduce risks.
We need to bring the scientific community and policy-makers
together so that they can contribute to and complement each
other’s work.

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Activity 2.2
The Yokohama Strategy and the Hyogo Framework for Action are
founded on the concept of risk reduction.
Suggest at least five practical ways a community can reduce its disaster
Activity risks.

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Unit 4

Unit summary
In this unit you have learned about key programmes which have
contributed to a paradigm shift in international emergency management
from a focus on disaster response to a culture of disaster prevention and
Summary mitigation. These programmes include the Yokohama Strategy and Plan
for Action, the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015), and the UN
Strategy for Disaster Reduction.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Unit 5

Responding to disasters: The role

of the United Nations and non-
governmental organisations
(NGOs)
Introduction
This unit is concerned with the role of international organisations in the
management of disasters.
We will investigate the role of the United Nations and its agencies,
regional international organisations and international financial
institutions.
Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:

 identify the different organisations of the United Nations and

their main activities
 explain how the United Nations responds to disaster
Outcomes  comment upon the role of non-governmental organisations in
disaster preparedness and disaster response.

The United Nations (UN)

Following World War II (as a pledge to preserve the peace), 51 countries
met in San Francisco to establish the United Nations (UN) Charter.
Today, the UN has 192 member states, and the Charter has been revised a
number of times to reflect changing global politics.
The UN’s goals are to maintain international peace and security, develop
friendly relationships among nations and to promote human rights, social
progress and better living standards.

How the UN operates in a disaster

The UN plays a major role both in the short-term emergency response to
disasters as well in long-term co-ordination of rebuilding efforts,
particularly in developing countries which often do not have either the
structures or resources to mount large scale disaster relief and recovery
efforts.
The UN typically works with national governments to prepare for and
respond to disasters, meaning that the overall responsibility for an
emergency response lies with the government of the affected country.

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Unit 5

To co-ordinate the overall response to a disaster, which involves a

multitude of UN and non-governmental organisations, the UN has
developed the cluster approach.
The Cluster Approach ensures:
 co-ordination among UN agencies
 joint programming
 information sharing
 knowledge sharing on technical and policy issues
 joint formulation to facilitate the sharing of information and
decision-making
 identifying humanitarian priorities
 developing joint programmes
 assigning resources and clarifying the division of labour and
responsibilities among the various organisations operating within
the key sectors of the response (for example, emergency shelter,
health, food and nutrition, water and sanitation).
The cluster approach is also used to strengthen operational partnerships
and ensure greater predictability and accountability in international
response to humanitarian emergencies.
The cluster approach works by ensuring that responding organisations are
grouped together in clusters. Each cluster comprises those UN and non-
governmental agencies whose mandates are complementary to the
mission statement of the cluster (for example, emergency shelter, health,
food and nutrition). Additionally, there are partners of each cluster such
as governmental counterparts and donors.
Each of the sectors is co-ordinated by a specific UN agency.

Short-term: the emergency humanitarian response

During the initial stages of a disaster response, one of the greatest
concerns is ensuring the security and protection of the surviving
population. Immediate emergency relief tends to focus on time-critical
lifesaving activities such as:
 sanitation
 food security
 safe drinking water
 health care
 transitional shelter.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA)

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 E9: Disaster Management

When a natural disaster strikes, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) plays the lead role in mobilising, co-
ordinating and managing the humanitarian and emergency relief response
efforts. This is always in partnership with:
 the affected government
 responding non-governmental organisations
 specialised UN agencies
 others on the ground.
One of the first priorities for OCHA is assessing the needs and
humanitarian requirements to ensure that provided relief and assistance is
directed where it is needed.

Case study: OCHA in Afghanistan

Humanitarian co-ordination is a critical need in Afghanistan. National
and international humanitarian organisations working in the country
Case study include numerous UN agencies and more than 100 non-governmental
organisations (NGOs).The security situation is dire in Afghanistan, and
UN and NGO workers have been targeted. In these complex
circumstances OCHA responds by:
 Developing a common humanitarian response strategy for the
government and humanitarian agencies. Because of the complexity of
the humanitarian situation and the security situation in Afghanistan, a
co-ordinated approach is a pre-requisite to effective relief delivery.
OCHA is working to develop an integrated approach which all
agencies can use in their humanitarian response efforts.
 Providing a detailed analysis of the evolving humanitarian situation.
Large parts of the country are inaccessible for humanitarian workers
because of the on-going conflict and criminal activity. Humanitarian
aid workers are a target. The Taliban attack on October 28, 2009, on a
guesthouse in Kabul which killed five United Nations staff tragically
underlines this point. With so many different humanitarian needs and
so many actors compounded by the dire security situation and the
resulting lack of humanitarian access, OCHA is mandated to support
the co-ordination of the humanitarian response.
 Improving co-ordination between the military and humanitarian
agencies by working with national authorities and international
military to create an operational environment that allows humanitarian
access, and in which humanitarian assistance is impartial, neutral and
based on needs only. Managing a multi-million dollar emergency
relief fund to provide the humanitarian community, especially NGOs,
with rapid funding as needs arise so that emergency partners are able
to respond without delay.

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Unit 5

UN humanitarian agencies
The following are a number of UN humanitarian agencies ready to
provide aid and assistance.

United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination

(UNDAC) Team
Within OCHA, there is the United Nations Disaster Assessment and
Coordination (UNDAC) team, which is a stand-by team of disaster
management professionals who are nominated and funded by:
 member governments
 OCHA
 UNDP
 operational humanitarian United Nations Agencies such as WFP,
UNICEF and WHO.
Upon request of a disaster-stricken country, the UNDAC team can be
deployed within hours to carry out rapid assessment of priority needs and
to support national authorities and the United Nations Resident
Coordinator to co-ordinate international relief on-site.
The UNDAC System consists of four components:
1. Staff
Experienced emergency managers made available for UNDAC
missions by their respective governments or organisations,
together with OCHA staff. UNDAC Team members are specially
trained and equipped for their task.
2. Methodology
Predefined methods for the collection and management of
information and assessment as well as structures for co-
ordination support during the first phase of a sudden-onset
disaster or emergency.
3. Procedures
Proven systems to mobilise and deploy an UNDAC team, so that
it can arrive within 24 hours at any disaster or emergency site
anywhere in the world.
4. Equipment
Adequate personal and mission equipment for UNDAC teams to
be self-sufficient in the field when deployed for
disasters/emergencies.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Case study: UNDAC and Hurricane Dean, Jamaica (2007)

Category 4 Hurricane Dean passed over Jamaica on August 19, 2007. The
eye of the hurricane passed within 40 km of the southern coastline of the
Case study island, buffeting the entire island with winds of hurricane force. The
strongest impact of the hurricane was on the southern coast where tidal
waves combined with the high winds to completely destroy buildings
within 100 metres of the coast, and disrupt the island’s power supply.
Eighty-one public buildings were damaged or destroyed, including 20
schools.
UNDAC arrived in Jamaica within 36 hours of the hurricane and
contributed to the initial response by:
 Conducting detailed assessments of the affected coastlines and
parishes, with the government of Jamaica as well as other UN
agencies. These assessments included a special assessment of the
environmental impact of the hurricane.
 Visiting other parts of the country to verify reports on damage to
agricultural production (banana, coffee and sugar cane crops).
 Compiling a list of needs and donations to identify gaps.

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Established after World War II, the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) works in countries around to world to address the problems
that children face, including:
 access to quality education
 health care
 human rights
 safety.
Although UNICEF provides humanitarian assistance specifically for
children, women are also included as aid recipients because of their
important child-care role.
During emergencies where children are especially vulnerable to violence,
disease and malnutrition, UNICEF works to provide:
 emergency immunisation
 food and vitamin supplementation
 safe supplies of drinking water
 improved sanitary conditions in communities

31
Unit 5

 back-to-school programmes for communities whose schools

have sustained damage from natural disasters or armed conflict
 protection from gender-based violence
 unification programmes for children separated from their
families
 protection for children from recruitment into armed groups.

Case study: UNICEF in Indonesia

One hundred and fifty thousand lives were lost in Indonesia after the
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with more than half a million people
Case study displaced. Water, sanitation, schools and roads were destroyed and
outbreaks of polio and avian influenza were reported.
In response to this disaster, UNICEF worked with its partners to:
 Provide basic health care including:
o vaccinations
o supplements
o insecticide-treated bed nets
o ambulances
o midwifery supplies
o training.
 Provide safe drinking water and lead efforts to build permanent
water and sanitation systems.
 Establish 21 centres to offer psychosocial support and recreation
activities for displaced children.
 Create and furnish temporary learning centres, supplied textbooks,
and paid teachers’ salaries.
 Build 300 new, earthquake-resistant and child-friendly schools in
Aceh, the hardest-hit area.
 Vaccinate 30 million children nationwide to stop an outbreak of
polio.
 Reunite approximately 2,500 children with their families or place
them in foster care.

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UN Development Programme (UNDP)

Established in 1965, the UNDP has an important role in promoting risk

reduction in the developing world. UNDP’s mission is to empower
developing nations to build local capacity, through disaster reduction
activities, and also in reducing vulnerabilities that make countries more
susceptible to disasters.
The UNDP does this by focusing on the priorities.

Crisis prevention and recovery

UNDP works to reduce the risk of armed conflicts or disasters and
promote early recovery after crises have occurred. The UNDP does this
by supporting local government in needs assessment, capacity
development, co-ordinated planning, and policy and standard setting.
The UNDP risk reduction programme includes strategies to reduce the
impact of natural disasters, and also programmes to encourage use of
diplomacy and prevent violence. Recovery programmes include schemes
to:
 reintegrate displaced persons
 restore basic services
 set up transitional justice systems for countries recovering from
warfare.

Democratic governance
Good governance is essential to effective planning and decision-making,
both of which are critical during disasters. The UNDP provides policy
advice and technical support to help countries as they transition to
democratic governance. This support is aimed at:
 improving institutional and individual capacity within countries
 educating populations about and advocating for democratic
reforms
 promoting negotiation and dialogue
 sharing successful experiences from other countries and
locations.

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Unit 5

Poverty reduction
Poverty is perhaps the most causative factor which makes people
vulnerable to disasters. The UNDP helps countries develop strategies to
combat poverty by:
 increasing access to economic opportunities and resources
 linking poverty programmes with countries’ larger goals and
policies
 ensuring a greater voice for the poor.
UNDP also works to reform trade, and encourage debt relief and foreign
investment.

Environmental protection
UNDP seeks to address environmental issues in ways that promote
sustainable development, both in terms of enhancing human development
as well as in reducing poverty. UNDP works with countries to strengthen
their capacity to address global environmental issues (such as) by
providing innovative policy advice and linking partners through
environmentally sensitive development projects that help poor people
build sustainable livelihoods. Sustainable livelihoods means that people
have the capabilities, assets and resources to achieve means of living in
ways that do not undermine the natural resource base for future
generations.

Empowerment of women
Gender equality and the empowerment of women are integrated in all
areas of UNDP. For example, within the practice area of democratic
governance, UNDP advocates and promotes increased participation of
women in public office. Within the area of environmental protection,
UNDP helps women’s networks to participate in decision-making at the
national, regional and global levels on environment and climate change
issues.

HIV/Aids
UNDP works to help countries prevent further spread of HIV/Aids and
reduce its impacts. The UNDP supports community-level action to
address HIV/AIDS and helps build national capacity to manage initiatives
that include people and institutions not usually involved in public health.

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Case study: UNDP in Ecuador

In 1999, the Tungurahua volcano, located in the Andean region of
Ecuador erupted suddenly necessitating a mass evacuation of local
Case study residents. The emergency caused major economic loss and created
mistrust between residents of the area and the government due to the
abruptness of the evacuation. Future eruptions were expected, so disaster
preparedness planning is needed to minimise or prevent future losses.
The UNDP contributed funds to:
 support scientific monitoring of the volcano and distribute public
information about volcanic activity
 build emergency shelters
 develop an evacuation plan
 purchase and distribute protective masks to be used in disaster
response
 organise income-generating activities for the people who live in
the high-risk areas

World Food Programme (WFP)

Created in 1962, this UN agency feeds millions of people through its

relief programmes. Hunger is an everyday crisis for millions of people
and is also a serious challenge in emergencies such as human
displacement, drought and famine.
The WFP’s five objectives are:
1. Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies by providing
general food assistance and emergency nutrition interventions,
emergency needs assessments, logistics and special operations
support.
2. Prepare for emergencies by conducting vulnerability analysis
and mapping, using early warning tools and developing
programmes to help communities reinforce their essential food
security systems.
3. Restore and rebuild lives after emergencies by targeting
programmes that facilitate the re-establishment of livelihoods,
conducting special operations to rebuild essential hunger-related
programmes, including voucher and cash-based schemes and
strengthening local capacity.
4. Reduce chronic hunger and under-nutrition everywhere by
supporting mother-and-child health and nutrition programmes;

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Unit 5

developing school feeding programmes; and supporting schemes

which address and mitigate HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and other
diseases.
5. Strengthen countries’ capacities to reduce hunger by
supporting sustainable food and nutrition programmes which
transform food and nutrition assistance into a productive
investment in local communities, developing hand-over strategies
to encourage national ownership of hunger solutions, helping
countries develop their own ability to design, manage and use
tools, policies and programmes to predict and reduce hunger.

Case study: WFP in Sudan

Sudan is WFP’s largest operation in the world, and in 2010 the WFP aims
to provide food and assistance to 11 million people. Darfur, one of the
Case study country’s regions most in need of assistance, represents more than 70 per
cent of WFP’s budget in Sudan.
Some of WFP’s projects in Sudan include:
 Provision of over 650,000 tonnes of food in 2010 for people
affected by conflict in Sudan.
 Provision of humanitarian air services. This operation provides
safe and cost-efficient air transportation to facilitate the movement
of aid workers providing humanitarian assistance to Sudanese
refugees, host populations and internally displaced persons
throughout the country.
 Country Programme (2000–2008) consisted of two main
activities:
1. school feeding, including mother and child nutritional
support and
2. food for work which emphasises increasing food security
for women.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Originally established in 1950 to protect and resettle World War II

refugees, UNHCR is today one of the world’s key humanitarian agencies
assisting millions of refugees and displaced people around the world.

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 E9: Disaster Management

The UNHCR is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to

protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide, with a
particular emphasis on safeguarding the rights and well-being of
refugees.
To achieve this, the UNHCR carries out the following activities:
 Protection – ensuring the basic human rights of uprooted or
stateless people by ensuring that refugees will not be returned
against their will to a country where they could face persecution.
 Assistance – providing emergency, life-saving assistance to
refugees and internally displaced persons. This assistance can be
in the form of:
o clean water
o food
o sanitation services
o shelter materials
o registration assistance
o providing advice on asylum applications, education and
counselling, among others.
 Protection of the environment – camps and settlements for
displaced persons and refugees can have a negative effect on the
environment as well as on host communities and the local
economy. UNHCR has developed policies and supports a wide
range of projects to reduce or overcome damaged caused by
humanitarian operations. UNHCR is also planning responses to
population displacement resulting from climate change.
 Emergency preparedness and response – UNHCR has
established teams of skilled people who are ready to respond to
an emergency anywhere and at a moment's notice. The agency
has also created emergency stockpiles of non-food supplies in
Copenhagen and Dubai available to supplement local aid supplies
in areas of need. Training and exercise programmes maintain the
agency’s response readiness.
 Durable solutions – UNHCR works with refugees’ countries of
origins and host countries to help people return home.
Resettlement alternatives are explored and facilitated by the
agency. Integration of refugees in host communities helps
refugees live in peace and with dignity.

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Unit 5

Case study: UNHCR in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

One of the world’s most brutal armed militias, the Lord’s Resistance
Army (LRA), is infamous for its attacks on civilians in eastern Congo.
Case study These ongoing militia attacks have forced hundreds of thousands of
people to flee their homes. By 2008, the war and its aftermath had killed
5.4 million people, mostly from disease and starvation. Millions more
were displaced from their homes or sought asylum in neighbouring
countries.
Following the cessation of hostilities, the UNHCR response included a
number of reintegration programmes aimed at facilitating the life of
returnees and promote peaceful co-existence between the communities.
This included the transitional shelter to IDPs and host families in order to:
 reduce protection risks and conflict
 assist income generation activities and vocational skills training
 prevent and provide rapid response to sexual and gender-based
violence
 give legal and protection assistance to refugees to ensure their
basic human rights.

World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO is the world’s central authority on health and sanitation. The

agency partners with countries to assist in suppressing epidemics and
works to build medical and healthcare capabilities. The WHO also
provides training, technical expertise and supports research on disease
eradication.
WHO activities address primary hazards, including epidemics and
pandemics, as well as secondary health hazards such as drinking water,
sanitation and monitoring of diseases, all components of most disasters.
In the event of a disaster, WHO responds by:
 Addressing the health of victims by providing effective,
efficient and timely interventions to save lives and reduce
suffering.
 Providing ongoing technical assistance to responding
agencies, for example, mobilising teams of public health
specialists to identify priority health and nutrition-related issues
and ensure that they are addressed appropriately.

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 E9: Disaster Management

 Serving as an ongoing source of expertise as needs arise by

ensuring that humanitarian health assistance is in line with
international standards.

Case study: WHO in Pakistan

In October 2005, Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province experienced a
Richter 7.6 earthquake which resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000
Case study people, 150,000 were injured and 2.5 million were left homeless, right
before the onset of winter. The WHO responded by:
 deploying emergency relief teams
 providing emergency health kits to meet the immediate basic
health needs of people affected as well as surgical kits
 sending generators and fuel to run health facilities
 distributing 100,000 chlorine tablets to disinfect water
 making tetanus vaccine available
 ensuring that measles campaigns were underway
 ensuring that malaria officers were spraying to control
mosquitoes.

Long-term – addressing economic development

After the immediate needs of humanitarian aid have been met in a
disaster, priorities generally shift to ensuring long-term recovery.
With natural disasters intensifying and increasing over the past decades, it
has become evident that they are tightly intertwined with human
development. This is due to the fact that the levels of poverty,
urbanisation and environmental degradation (prevalent in developing
countries) exacerbate a population’s vulnerability towards destruction.
Additionally, the social, economic and physical infrastructure is often not
suited to withstand the unpredictable extremes of catastrophes. These
factors increase the consequences of natural disasters and impede
recovery.
The UN has recognised the need for post-disaster recovery to go beyond
simply rebuilding pre-existent infrastructure, but working towards long-
term disaster reduction minded development. For example, the UNDP
and International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) have begun to
use long-term recovery efforts to implement pre-emptive disaster risk
reduction tools in development efforts.
Disaster risk reduction is now recognised as a strong feature in post-
catastrophe efforts to reduce future loss – this includes building physical
infrastructure that can withstand disasters and reducing environmental
degradation. Another example is integrating disaster reduction activities
into the education system; not only by building stronger and safer schools
but by using education as a medium to teach children about what to do in
a disaster.

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Unit 5

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Non-governmental organisations play a critical role in preparing for and
responding to disasters.
“In 2006 alone, 114 NGOs around the world raised USD 2.2 billion in
humanitarian assistance (Development Initiatives, 2009). In response to
the Asian Tsunami (for example) NGO’s contributed more than USD 3.2
billion” (Flint & Goyder, 2006).
As illustrated in the following examples, NGOs play a key role in all
aspects of disaster management activities including mitigation,
preparedness, and response and recovery activities.

Mitigation
Disaster risk reduction activities performed by development-oriented
NGOs can include:
 advocating for disaster risk reduction policies
 educating communities about hazards
 conducting vulnerability and risk assessments
 working with communities to build structural improvements that
will serve to mitigate disaster risks.
NGO participation in disaster risk reduction activities is beneficial
because NGOs work:
 at grass root levels and take a participatory approach, allowing
them to build on local capacities and priorities
 with greater operational flexibility because their organisational
structures are less bureaucratic
 on behalf of the most vulnerable, including the poorest and most
vulnerable.

Case study: Malawi

The District of Chickwawa in southern Malawi endured regular flooding
from a local river resulting in loss of lives, disruption of agricultural
Case study production and destruction of buildings. The flooding reinforced the
district’s cycle of poverty and eroded gains in community development.
In 2003, international NGO, Tearfund, assessed five villages’ specific
vulnerabilities to flooding and reviewed their capacities. Root causes of
vulnerability were identified and reasons why the flooding happened on a
regular basis were determined. Working with the villages, Tearfund
initiated mitigation projects including building a wood lot and a storm
drain. Subsequently, a community-based task force was created and
worked with local government to design and build an earthen dike to
restore the original river course. These combined efforts served to
mitigate flood losses during the 2005 rainy season.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Preparedness
NGOs also contribute to preparedness efforts including:
 disaster preparedness training
 integrating disaster preparedness into school curricula and
textbooks
 developing booklets, brochures and other awareness materials.
NGOs also work with communities to develop emergency plans, alerts
systems and evacuation procedures including providing assistance for
vulnerable persons who are unable to leave on their own.

Case study: Kyrgyzstan

Christian Aid worked with five villages and local government
representatives in Kyrgyzstan to form rural disaster teams and school
Case study disaster teams. Teams were trained how to prepare and respond to
disasters, including first aid training. The teams then helped community
members become aware of existing and potential hazards and risks and
were then able to develop a community disaster response plan.

Response and recovery

NGOs play a significant role in disaster response. Many NGOs have pre-
established response teams, ready at a moment’s notice to be in the
affected area within the first 12 hours of a disaster working alongside first
responders. Once the emergency phase is over, these quick-response
teams return home and volunteers return to their day-to-day jobs.
Examples of quick-response NGOs include:
 Doctors Without Borders
 International Medical Corp. Air-Serv International.

41
Unit 5

Case study: 2005 Hurricane Katrina

NGOs contribute to disaster response and recovery operations
everywhere in the world, in both developing and developed countries.
Case study
Hurricane Katrina was the costliest (as well as one of the five most
deadly disasters) in United States history. Following is a summarised
view of the contributions made by selected NGOs.
International Medical Corps
The International Medical Corps (IMC) deployed a rapid response team
to affected areas to determine the needs in impacted communities and
provide medical, technical and financial assistance.
For the first four months following the hurricane, IMC:
 provided volunteer physicians and nurses to run mobile clinics
serving more than 13,000 patients;
 offered a psychosocial support programme which provided tools
and strategies to school-based staff and volunteers to enable them
to cope with their losses and address the needs of affected
students; and
 ran structured psychosocial activities for children, adolescents,
and their families at temporary housing facilities.
Salvation Army
To support the Hurricane Katrina relief effort the Salvation Army assisted
approximately 3.3 million people by:
 serving 5.7 million hot meals to survivors
 dispatching 178 canteens and 11 field kitchens
 providing emotional and spiritual support to over 180,000 people,
and
 raising approximately USD 400 million in donations for response
and recovery efforts.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is made up of approximately 30,000
trained volunteers from Southern Baptist Convention churches across the
United States and Canada. In response to Hurricane Katrina, about 5,000
volunteers were mobilised. The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief agency
responded to the disaster by:
 preparing more than 750,000 meals out of 56 mobile kitchens
 providing water purification, child care, chain saw and recovery
crews, and
 deploying chaplains to provide counselling and comfort to those
affected.

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Case study: 2004 Asian Tsunamis

Within hours after the devastating December 26, 2004, Asian Tsunamis,
the international community launched an unparalleled disaster response.
Case study Approximately 140 NGOs from all over the world were involved in the
response and recovery operations. Following are a summarised view of
the contributions made by selected NGOs.
CARE International
CARE was already established in the countries affected by the tsunami
and because of this ongoing presence, the NGO was able to respond
immediately, distributing food, clean water, shelter, clothing, hygiene
items and medicine. CARE International contributed USD 93.4 million to
tsunami response and recovery efforts.
Caritas
Local Caritas workers were among the first to respond to the emergency,
helping the injured, consoling survivors and organising the distribution of
relief goods. During the initial emergency phase, the Caritas network
assisted close to half a million people in the four countries, providing
food, clothing, medicines, medical care, water purification and sanitation.
Emergency relief programmes gradually gave way to longer-term projects
focusing on shelter, rehabilitation of community infrastructure,
improvement of public services, capacity building among local partners
and promotion of community and social harmony.
Handicap International
Handicap International was already working in Sri Lanka, and therefore
was able to provide immediate support in the form of post-trauma
treatment, transporting survivors and providing first aid equipment to the
affected districts.
HelpAge International
HelpAge International, an NGO whose main activities include the
provision of humanitarian relief, disaster management and mitigation and
advocacy for older people in emergencies, assisted over 200,000 people
in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia in the aftermath of the tsunami.
HelpAge International focused on ensuring that the most vulnerable older
people, their caregivers and families, were identified and registered, their
health needs addressed and appropriate aid given. Local partners provided
survivors with food, shelter and clothing. HelpAge International also
provided healthcare and helped set up older people’s associations so that
older people could learn new trades and get counselling. Longer-term
recovery assistance was provided in the form of cash grants and loans so
that older people could set up new businesses.
World Vision International
During the initial acute phase of the emergency, World Vision provided
relief to over 500,000 people in Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
and Thailand. Emergency supplies including tents, medicine, survival
kits, food, clothing, hygiene items and water were delivered to areas most
in need. In Sri Lanka, World Vision International distributed household

43
Unit 5

items, repaired houses and schools, provided school uniforms and school
materials. In Thailand, this NGO set up training and service counselling
centres, built shelters and set up food-for-work programmes.
Rehabilitation programmes were also initiated in Indonesia where the
focus was on social/community recovery, economic development and
infrastructure rehabilitation.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Since its inception the International Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement has established an international presence in disaster
management and has developed strong partnerships with local institutions
and the ability to provide immediate and effective disaster response
services. There are three distinct and interrelated components of the
movement:
1. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC
is not an NGO, but rather a private Swiss association mandated
by the international community of states and founded upon the
Geneva Conventions. Because of its international legal mandate,
governments, the UN and other organisations, the ICRC is
recognised as an intergovernmental organisation which provides
protection and assistance to victims of conflict.
2. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC). With more than 180 member societies, the
IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian organisation. The IFRC
works on the basis of seven fundamental principles which guide
its humanitarian work:
i. Humanity – the protection of life and health and the
respect for all human beings.
ii. Impartiality – no discrimination regarding nationality,
race, religion, class or political opinions.
iii. Neutrality – no involvement in hostilities or in political,
racial, religious or ideological controversies.
iv. Independence – autonomy is maintained.
v. Voluntary Service – all workers serve voluntarily.
vi. Unity – there may only be one Red Cross or Red
Crescent Society in a country, open to all.
vii. Universality – IFRC is a worldwide movement, with all
societies having equal status and sharing equal
responsibilities to help each other.
3. Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies
Almost every community in every country in the world has a Red
Cross/Red Crescent society. National Red Cross/Red Crescent
societies have pivotal roles in responding to emergencies and provide
a range of humanitarian services including disaster relief and health
programmes. However, with increasing needs and decreasing

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 E9: Disaster Management

resources in many countries, national societies continue to provide

assistance beyond the response phase, and into long periods of
reconstruction and recovery. Red Cross/Red Crescent societies also
contribute their efforts to mitigation and preparedness efforts.

Case study: Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita and the American
Red Cross
After the series of three devastating hurricanes that hit the Gulf Coast of
Case study the United States in 2005, the American Red Cross:
 deployed a total of 244,000 Red Cross volunteers
 opened more than 1,400 emergency shelters and registered 3.8
million overnight stays in these shelters
 distributed about 347,000 comfort kits which included toothpaste,
soap, washcloths and children’s toys
 distributed more than 200,000 cleanup kits, containing brooms,
mops and bleach
 served 68 million snacks and meals to survivors and rescue
workers
 provided emergency financial assistance to 1.4 million families.

Code of conduct for NGOs in disaster relief

The code of conduct for NGOs in disaster relief was developed jointly by
the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and
the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The purpose of the voluntary code of conduct is to guard standards of
behaviour and maintain the standards of independence, effectiveness and
impact to which disaster NGOs and the International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement aspires.
The ten principles on which the code of conduct is based are:
1. The humanitarian imperative comes first.
2. Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the
recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid
priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone.
3. Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious
standpoint.
4. We shall endeavour not to act as instruments of government
foreign policy.
5. We shall respect culture and custom.
6. We shall attempt to build disaster response on local capacities.
7. Ways shall be found to involve programme beneficiaries in the
management of relief aid.

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Unit 5

8. Relief aid must strive to reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster

as well as meeting basic needs.
9. We hold ourselves accountable to both those we seek to assist
and those from whom we accept resources.
10. In our information, publicity and advertising activities, we shall
recognise disaster victims as dignified humans, not hopeless
objects.

Activity 2.3
Draw a line to connect the UN agency/programme with its correct
description.

UN agency/programme Description
Activity
UNICEF This UN agency feeds millions of people
through its relief programmes.

OCHA The world’s central authority on health and

sanitation issues.

WFP One of the world’s key humanitarian agencies,

assisting millions of displaced people.

WHO Addresses problems children face day-to-day,

as well as in disaster situations, including
education, health care, human rights and safety.

UNDP Plays an important role in promoting risk

reduction in the developing world and
empowering developing nations to build local
capacity.

UNHCR Responsible for bringing together national and

international humanitarian organisations to
ensure an effective response to emergencies.

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 E9: Disaster Management

Unit summary
In this unit you learned about:
 The role of the United Nations and various UN agencies and
programmes.
Summary
 How the United Nations operates during disasters.
 The role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in disaster
reduction and response activities around the world.

In Module 3 we will examine hazards and risks and consider how they
can impact communities.

47
References

References
Development Initiatives (2009). Public support for humanitarian crises
through NGOs. Retrieved September 7, 2011, from
http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/wp-
References content/uploads/ 2010/07/2009-Focus-report-Public-support-for-
humanitarian-crises-through-NGOs.pdf

Flint, M. & Goyder, H. (2006) Funding the tsunami response. Tsunami

Evaluation Coalition, London.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2009)

World Disasters Report: Early Warning, Early Action. Retrieved
from
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/disasters/wdr2009/WDR2009-
full.pdf

Risk, Emergency, and Disaster Task Force Inter-Agency Workgroup for

Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC). (2006).
Methodology for rapid humanitarian assessment.

Telford, J. & Cosgrave, J. (2007). The international humanitarian system

and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. Disasters,
31:1 (1-28).

UNISDR. (2008). Indicators of Progress: Guidance on Measuring the

Reduction of Disaster Risks and the Implementation of the Hyogo
Framework for Action. Retrieved September 3, 2010, from
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/about_isdr/isdr-publications/15-
indicator-of-progress/Indicators_of_Progress_HFA.pdf

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2008). National response

framework. Retrieved March 9, 2011 from
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-core.pdf

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 E9: Disaster Management

Further readings
ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response.
Available at: http://www.aseansec.org/17579.htm

Readings Britton, N. (2001) A new emergency management for the new

millennium? Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 16
(4) pp.44-54.

Global Development Research Centre (2008) Code of Conduct for NGOs

in Disaster Relief. Available at
http://www.gdrc.org/ngo/codesofconduct/ifrc-codeconduct.html

Husain, P. (2005) What is the Cluster Approach? Available at:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/IRFFI/64168382-
1092419001661/20632001/Cluster%20exhibit%20from%20Pame
la%20Hussain.doc

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (ISAC), (2006). Guidance Note on

Using the Cluster Approach to Strengthen Humanitarian
Response. Available at:
http://www.humanitarianreform.org/humanitarianreform/Portals/
1/Resources%20&%20tools/IASCGUIDANCENOTECLUSTER
APPROACH.pdf

International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) (2002) Living with

Risk: A Global View of Disaster Reduction Initiatives. Geneva.
UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (2005). Logistics Cluster. Available

at: http://log.logcluster.org/operational-environment/cluster-
approach/index.html

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(OCHA). Coordination of Humanitarian Response.
http://ochaonline.un.org/OCHAhome/AboutUs/Coordination/tabi
d/5872/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Porfinev, B. (1993) Emergency and disaster legislation in Russia: The

key development trends and features. Available at:
http://www.ag.gov.au/www/emaweb/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/(084A3
429FD57AC0744737F8EA134BACB)~Emergency_and_disaster
_legislation_in_Russia.pdf/$file/Emergency_and_disaster_legisla
tion_in_Russia.pdf

Quarantelli, E. (2000) Disaster planning, emergency management and

civil protection: the historical development of organized efforts to
plan for and to respond to disasters.

United Nations Assessment and Coordination.

49
Further readings

http://www.google.co.il/#hl=en&source=hp&biw=1436&bih=64
7&q=United+Nations+Disaster+Assessment+and+Coordination+
(UNDAC)&btnG=Google+Search&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&aq=f&aq
i=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=cc70910a96be7711

University of Delaware Disaster Research Center, Newark. Preliminary

Paper 301. Available at:
www.udel.edu/DRC/preliminary/pp301.pdf

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 E9: Disaster Management

Activity answers
Activity 2.1
1. Investigate and summarise the preparedness efforts your local
community has undertaken to increase its readiness for an
emergency.
Answers may include:
 Community risk assessment has been completed.
 Hazards have been identified for area.
 Capacity and vulnerability mapping has been done.
 Disaster public education is on-going.
2. Outline the steps you have personally taken to prepare yourself and
your family for an emergency or disaster.
Answers may include:
 My family and I know the risks in our area.
 We have discussed an emergency communication plan for
our family.
 I have an emergency “go bag” prepared and ready to take
with me if I need to evacuate.
 I have considered any special needs my family would have in
an emergency and have planned for them.
 I have familiarised myself with my community’s evacuation
routes.

Activity 2.2
The Yokohama Strategy and the Hyogo Framework for Action are
founded on the concept of risk reduction. Suggest at least five practical
ways a community can reduce its disaster risks.
Answers may include:
 Promote private sector business continuity planning.
 Incorporate risk management in land use planning.
 Promote risk reduction education in schools.
 Build partnerships between emergency management and private
sector companies.
 Develop early warning systems.
 Strengthen legislation which promotes risk reduction.
 Build community participation in risk reduction efforts.

51
Activity 2.3
UN agency/programme Correct description

UNICEF Addresses problems children face day-to-day,

as well as in disaster situations, including
education, health care, human rights and safety.

OCHA Responsible for bringing together national and

international humanitarian organisations to
ensure an effective response to emergencies.

WFP This UN agency feeds millions of people

through its relief programmes.

WHO The world’s central authority on health and

sanitation issues.

UNDP Plays an important role in promoting risk

reduction in the developing world and
empowering developing nations to build local
capacity.

UNHCR One of the world’s key humanitarian agencies,

assisting millions of displaced people.

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Appendix A
American Red Cross Disaster Services – your evacuation plan
What to do if a disaster threatens and you need to leave home in a
hurry.
The American Red Cross wants you to know what to do if a hurricane,
flood, mudslide, landslide, chemical emergency, or other disaster
threatens and you need to leave your home in a hurry, or if local
government officials request or require evacuation. Use this checklist to
make a personal evacuation plan, so you and your family will be ready.
Local government officials, not the Red Cross, issue evacuation orders
when disaster threatens. Listen to local radio and television reports when
disaster threatens. If local officials ask you to leave, do so immediately!
If you have only moments before leaving, grab these things and go!
 Medical supplies: prescription medications and dentures.
 Disaster supplies: flashlight, batteries, radio, first aid kit, bottled
water.
 Clothing and bedding: a change of clothes and a sleeping bag or
bedroll and pillow for each household member.
 Car keys and keys to the place you may be going (friend’s or
relative’s home).
If local officials haven’t advised an immediate evacuation, but there’s a
chance the weather may get worse and flooding may happen, take steps to
protect your home and belongings. Do this only if local officials have not
asked you to leave.
These checklists will help you prepare:
 Bring Things Indoors.
Lawn furniture, trash cans, children’s toys, garden equipment,
clotheslines, hanging plants and any other objects that may fly
around and damage property should be brought indoors.
 Leave trees and shrubs alone.
If you did not cut away dead or diseased branches or limbs from
trees and shrubs, leave them alone. Local rubbish collection
services will not have time before the storm to pick anything up.
 Look for potential hazards.
Look for coconuts, unripened fruit, and other objects in trees
around your property that could blow or break off and fly around
in high winds. Cut them off and store them indoors until the
storm is over.
 Turn off electricity and water.
Turn off electricity at the main fuse or breaker, and turn off water
at the main valve.

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Appendix A

 Leave natural gas on.

Unless local officials advise otherwise, leave natural gas on
because you will need it for heating and cooking when you return
home. If you turn gas off, a licensed professional is required to
turn it back on, and it may take weeks for a professional to
respond.
 Turn off propane service.
Propane tanks often become dislodged in disasters.
 If high winds are expected, cover the outside of all windows
of your home.
Use shutters that are rated to provide significant protection from
windblown debris, or fit plywood coverings over all windows.
 If flooding is expected, consider using sand bags to keep
water away from your home.
It takes two people about one hour to fill and place 100 sandbags,
giving you a wall one foot high and 20 feet long. Make sure you
have enough sand, burlap or plastic bags, shovels, strong helpers
and time to place them properly.
Remember these points:
 Houses do not explode due to air pressure differences.
Damage happens when the wind gets inside a home through a
broken window, door, or damaged roof.
 Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.
All tape does is prevent windows from shattering. Using tape on
windows is not recommended. Cover the outside of windows
with shutters or plywood.
Protect your valuables.
 Move objects that may get damaged by wind or water to safer
areas of your home.
Move television sets, computers, stereo and electronic
equipment, and easily moveable appliances like microwave
ovens to higher levels of your home and away from windows.
Wrap them in sheets, blankets, or burlap.
 Make a visual or written record of all your household
possessions.
Record model and serial numbers. This list could help you prove
the value of what you owned if those possessions are damaged or
destroyed, and can assist you to claim deductions on taxes. Be
sure to include expensive items such as sofas, chairs, tables, beds,
chests, wall units and any other furniture too heavy to move. Do
this for all items in your home, on all levels. Then store a copy of
the record somewhere away from home, such as in a safe deposit
box.
If it’s possible that your home may be significantly damaged by
impending disaster, consider storing your household furnishings
temporarily elsewhere.

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Gather essential supplies and papers.

You will need the following supplies when you leave your homes; put
them all together in a duffel bag or large container in advance:
 Torch with plenty of extra batteries
 battery-powered radio with extra batteries
 first aid kit
 prescription medications in their original bottle, plus extra copies
of the prescriptions
 eyeglasses (with a copy of the prescription)
 water (at least one gallon per person is recommended; more is
better)
 foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking
 items that infants and elderly household members may require
 medical equipment and devices, such as dentures, crutches or
prostheses
 change of clothes for each household member
 sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member
 chequebook, cash and credit cards
 map of the area.
Important papers to take with you:
 driver’s licence or personal identification
 social security card
 proof of residence (deed or lease)
 insurance policies
 birth and marriage certificates
 stocks, bonds and other negotiable certificates
 wills, deeds and copies of recent tax returns.
Remember your pets
 Pets are not permitted in Red Cross shelters. Plan to take them to
a friend’s or relative’s home or a hotel that accepts pets during
times of emergency.
 Remember to carry them in a sturdy carrier.
 Have identification, collar, leash, and proof of vaccinations for
all pets.
 Have food and water for your pets.
 Have a current photo of your pets in case they get lost.
All Red Cross assistance is given free of charge. This is made possible
by the generous contributions of people’s time, money and skills. One of

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Appendix A

the best ways to help the Red Cross assist people affected by disasters is
to make financial contributions to the American Red Cross Disaster
Relief Fund. Call 1-800- HELP NOW or contact your local Red Cross
chapter.
Source: American Red Cross. (n.d.). Your evacuation plan. Retrieved
March 8, 2011, from http://www.redcrosscpc.org/evac_plan.php

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 E9: Disaster Management

Appendix B
Selected countries and their national approach to emergency
management
Australia
The key federal co-ordinating and advisory body for emergency
management in Australia is Emergency Management Australia (EMA).
Each state in Australia has its own State Emergency Service. The
Emergency Call Service provides a national emergency telephone
number where people may contact state police, fire and ambulance
services. Arrangements are in place for state and federal co-operation.
Canada
Public Safety Canada (PS) is Canada’s national emergency management
agency. PS co-ordinates and supports the efforts of federal organisations
ensuring national security and the safety of Canadians. The agency also
works with other levels of government, first responders, community
groups, the private sector (including critical infrastructure operators) and
other nations.
The work of Public Safety Canada is based on a wide range of policies
and legislation through the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Act which defines the powers, duties and functions of PS. Other acts are
specific to fields such as corrections, emergency management, law
enforcement, and national security. Each province and territory is
required to set up an Emergency Management Organisation (EMO).
Germany
In Germany the federal government controls the country’s disaster relief
and civil protection programmes. Local units of the German fire
department and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief are part of these
programmes. The German Armed Forces, the German Federal Police and
the 16 state police forces have also been deployed for disaster relief
operations.
In addition to the German Red Cross, humanitarian help is provided by
the Johanniter-Unfallhilfe, the German equivalent of the St. John
Ambulance, as well as by other private organisations.
India
In India, the role of emergency management falls to National Disaster
Management Authority of India, a government agency subordinate to the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
In recent years there has been a shift in emphasis, from response and
recovery to strategic risk management and reduction, and from a
government-centred approach to decentralised community participation.
Survey of India, an agency within the Ministry of Science and
Technology, is also playing a role, bringing academic knowledge and

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Appendix B

research expertise of earth scientists to the emergency management

process.
Recently the government has formed the Emergency Management and
Research Institute (EMRI). This group represents a public/private
partnership, funded primarily by a large India-based computer company,
Satyam Computer Services, with a focus on improving the general
response of communities to emergencies and disasters. Some of the
group’s early efforts were the provision of emergency management
training for first responders (a first in India), the creation of a single
emergency telephone number, and the establishment of standards for
EMS staff, equipment and training.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations is
responsible for emergency management and operates a national crisis
centre. The country is divided into 25 safety regions. Each safety region
is covered by three services: police, fire and ambulance. All regions use a
Co-ordinated Regional Incident Management system. The Ministry of
Defence also has an active role in the country’s emergency management.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, responsibility for emergency management begins at the
local level. Local government is unified into 16 Civil Defence Emergency
Management Groups (CDEMGs). Every CDEMG is responsible for
ensuring that local emergency management is as robust as possible.
If an emergency exceeds local capacity, pre-existing mutual-support
arrangements are activated. As warranted, the central government has the
authority to co-ordinate emergency response through the National Crisis
Management Centre (NCMC), operated by the Ministry of Civil Defence
& Emergency Management.

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