Defining Disaster Management

Defining Disaster Management Disasters take many shapes. 

• Human-made disasters: result from human errors and include industrial explosions or structure failures.
• Natural disasters result from physical phenomena and include earthquakes and droughts. 
• Disasters classified as complex can include epidemics or armed conflicts. 

In whatever form, disasters disrupt communities and can take a serious toll on:  

• people, 
• property, 
• economies, 
• environment. They often stretch a community’s capacity to cope. 

Disaster management is a process of effectively: 

• preparing for and 
• responding to disasters. 

It involves strategically organizing resources to lessen the harm that disasters cause. 

It also involves a systematic approach to managing the responsibilities of 

• disaster prevention, 
• preparedness, 
• response, 
• and recovery.

The Scope of Disaster Management

Prevention

Mitigation and prevention efforts aim to reduce the potential damage and suffering that disasters can cause. While disaster management cannot prevent disasters, it can prevent them from becoming compounded as a result of neglecting causal factors and manageable risks. Mitigation specifically refers to actions taken that can lessen the severity of a disaster’s impact. Investing in measures that limit hazards can greatly reduce the burden of disasters. 

Strategies that disaster management professionals implement to protect vulnerable communities and limit hazards include the following: 

• Raising awareness about potential hazards and how to address them 
• Educating the public about how to properly prepare for different types of disaster 
• Installing and strengthening prediction and warning systems 

Managing hazards and risks means planning to minimize a community’s vulnerability to disasters. This can involve:

 

• Encouraging community members to buy appropriate insurance to protect their properties and belongings 
• Educating families and businesses on how to create effective disaster plans such as
• Promoting the use of fire-retardant materials in construction 
• Advocating for capital works initiatives, such as the construction and maintenance of levees 
• Building partnerships between sectors and agencies at National Government, Provincial Government, Local Government / Municipalities, and  to collaborate on mitigation projects with Disaster management professionals working on mitigation efforts also focus on the following:

Land Use and Building Regulations / Codes 

Building schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods in flood-prone areas increases their exposure to disasters. Disaster management spotlights these risks and presents ideas to use land in safer ways. 
Such as constructing homes in floodplains, community planners can designate those areas as places for outdoor recreation, wildlife attractions, or hiking trails. They can also urge people to avoid these areas during flood season. These measures make residents and their homes less vulnerable to harm.

Additionally, mitigation efforts can do the following: 

Address ways to engineer bridges to sustain earthquakes Enforce building codes that safeguard buildings during severe weather such as: 

• storms, 
• flood,
• snow, 
• heat, 
• wind

Critical Infrastructure

Protecting critical infrastructure during a disaster can mean the difference between life and death. 

Critical infrastructure, which comprises the systems and assets vital to a community’s economy, security, and public health, deserves special attention as regards disaster management mitigation. 

Setting up protective measures that limit damage to infrastructure such as: 

• Water Reticulation  - Dams, Water Purification Plants, Water reservoirs, Mainline Water Valves, Fire hydrants
• Sewerage / Effluent Reticulation - Sewerage Pump Stations, Manholes, Sewerage / Effluent Treatment Works
• Electrical Supply Grid - Power Generation Plants, Transformers, Substations, Meter Rooms, Power Cables especially overhead cables.
• Emergency Services such as Control Rooms and Operational Buildings  - Police Stations, Fire Departments, Hospitals, Clinics, Security Offices, Disaster Management Centers, Military Camps and Grounds. 
• Communications - Transmitters and High Sites, Radio and Television Stations
• Community Buildings - Civic Centers, Schools, Clinics, Places of Worship, Community Halls 
• Transport  - Bridges, Access Roads / Access points. Train Stations, Bus / Taxi Depots, Airports / Air Fields, Harbor, Boat Yards, Petrol Stations / Diesel Depots
• Warehousing and Factories - Food, Medical, Building Materials, Tires etc
• Wholesalers  - Especially those who stock extended range of items that supply various sectors such as Hardware, Household, Automotive, Cleaning (who supply direct to public as well as retail and contractors)

Preparedness

Well-coordinated responses to disasters require prior planning. This helps ensure fast, effective response efforts and limits duplicated efforts. 

Disaster preparedness plans: 

• Identify organizational resources 
• Designate roles and responsibilities 
• Create procedures and policies 
• Organize activities that improve disaster readiness 

Anticipating the needs of communities that disasters affect improves the quality of the response efforts. Building the capacities of volunteers, personnel, and disaster management teams to respond to disasters also makes the response efforts more effective. 

Plans may include the following: 

• Emergency shelter sites 
• Evacuation routes 
• Emergency energy and water sources 

They may also address: 

•  Chains of command 
• Training programs 
• Communication procedures 
• Emergency supply distribution 
• Stockpile needs

Contingency Planning

Disaster readiness calls for contingency planning, advance decisions about managing human and monetary resources, coordinating procedures between different agencies, and organizing logistics. 

Contingency plans answer three basic questions: 

1. What will happen? 
2. What will the response be? 
3. What will be done ahead of time to prepare?

Response and Recovery

During and immediately after an emergency, disaster management focuses on delivering help and interventions that can: 

• save lives, 
• safeguard health, and 
• protect buildings, animals, and community property. 

Following an initial response, efforts shift toward supporting communities as they rebuild emotionally, economically, and physically.

Disaster Relief

Disaster relief addresses 

• the immediate and 
• short-term needs 

of disaster-affected communities. 

It can include: 

• evacuations, 
• search and rescue missions, and 
• emergency medical assistance. 

Examples of disaster relief are: 

• Setting up temporary shelters that 
• provide a safe place to sleep, food, and emotional support from trained personnel 
• Delivering meals and water 
• Distributing emergency supplies and necessities, such as toiletries for hygiene and tarps, shovels, trash bags for cleanup efforts 
• Providing emergency health services, such as first aid for injuries and prescription medication replacements

Rebuilding

Disaster / Emergency management helps communities rebuild their lives after trauma. This involves longer-term efforts to restore: 

• Housing 
• Economies 
• Infrastructure systems 
• Individual and community health 

National, Provincial and Local Government agencies and supporting organizations help communities with problem-solving and finding resources as they redevelop and revitalize. 

Recovery assistance may include the following: 

• Unemployment assistance 
• Housing assistance 
• Legal services 
• Mental health counseling 
• Disaster case management