Aim and audience
This module provides a common starting point for understanding and discussing disasters,
disaster management, and disaster preparedness as part of a National Society's mission, and
discusses the potential scope of disaster preparedness measures.
This module is appropriate f...
International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
,Introdp.doc June 2000 2/20
Table of Contents
BACKGROUND AND USES 3
THE NINE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MODULES AND TRAINER'S NOTES 4
AIM AND AUDIENCE 5
MAIN POINTS 5
1. OVERVIEW OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 5
1.1 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND THE RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT ... 5
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ................................................ 6
2. HAZARDS, DISASTERS AND VULNERABILITY 6
3. DISASTER CLASSIFICATIONS 7
3.1 HAZARDS CAUSING DISASTERS ................................................................................. 8
3.2 SPEED OF ONSET ....................................................................................................... 8
3.3 ACTS OF NATURE OR ACTS OF HUMANS ..................................................................... 9
4. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS MEASURES 9
4.1 HAZARD, RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS ................................................10
4.2 RESPONSE MECHANISMS AND STRATEGIES ..............................................................10
4.3 PREPAREDNESS PLANNING ...................................................................................... 11
4.4 COORDINATION ...................................................................................................... 11
4.5 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT .................................................................................12
4.6 EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS .....................................................................................13
4.7. RESOURCE MOBILIZATION....................................................................................... 14
4.8. PUBLIC EDUCATION, TRAINING AND REHEARSALS ..................................................14
5. COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER PREPAREDNESS 15
6. INTEGRATING DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WITH OTHER NS
ACTIVITIES 16
ANNEX 1: PREPAREDNESS AND PLANNING FOR NATIONAL SOCIETIES 17
ANNEX 2: SAMPLE NATIONAL SOCIETY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN20
Disaster Preparedness Training Programme International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
,Introdp.doc June 2000 3/20
Background and uses
This module is one of nine modules that have been prepared by INTERWORKS for the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Disaster Preparedness
office in Geneva. This module can be used as for independent study, as a reference guide
on the subject, and to provide participants at a workshop training event on this topic. It is
intended to accompany the trainer's notes on this topic. Their intended use is global, and
they are written for generalists, planners and professionals with disaster preparedness
and/or emergency response responsibilities both within the Federation and in the National
Societies. Non-governmental organisations interested in disaster preparedness and
preparedness planning, government emergency commissions, local disaster committees and
civil defence training units may also find these modules useful.
This material can be used as:
• A general reference material on disaster preparedness
• Training and workshop modules and trainer's guides
• An orientation to disaster preparedness for Delegates and NS officers
• A guide for assessing or planning disaster preparedness capabilities
All nine of these modules are revised and updated versions of modules that were initially
developed for the Central Asia IFRC Disaster Preparedness Regional Delegation DP
project in 1998. This project resulted from recommendations and training needs expressed
by Central Asian National Society and Emergency Commission staff attending the IFRC
sponsored regional disaster preparedness conference held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from
June 24-26, 1996.
The overall aim of the Central Asia DP training project was to support the National
Societies in further developing their own structures for preparedness in conjunction with
those of the Emergency Committees, Ministries and Civil Defence organisations in each of
the five countries in the region. To date, disaster preparedness in the region has been
typified by highly response oriented, well maintained and trained Civil Defence
organisations; and largely unprepared, and untrained local populations and non-
governmental organisations. Disaster management has traditionally consisted of
preparedness for efficient and centralised emergency response, not the development of
community-based or localised preparedness capacity. The Central Asia DP training
programme was one attempt to change this emphasis and was proposed as a starting point
from which revisions, and modifications for use on a country-by-country basis were
expected and welcomed.
This material is based on a “multi-hazard” approach, and is typically applicable to
preparedness in all of the hazard situations represented. However, the specific country
context of the readers and trainees will necessitate a focus on the hazard types that are most
applicable to their situation. While the modules and accompanying trainer’s notes are
written for use at national level workshops, individuals with training responsibilities are
encouraged to use and adapt the material for use at more local regions and towns.
Disaster Preparedness Training Programme International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
, Introdp.doc June 2000 4/20
The nine disaster preparedness modules and trainer's notes
Introduction to Preparedness Planning Risk Reduction
Disaster Preparedness
Increasing Community Disaster Emergency Disaster Programme
Disaster Awareness Needs Assessment Information and Reporting
Improving Coordination Improving Basic Project
Training Skills Planning
Acknowledgements
These nine modules and their accompanying trainer's notes were prepared for the
International Federation by INTERWORKS, a consulting group with disaster management
training and consulting experience in over 60 countries worldwide. Review and critique of
these modules were provided by a team of Central Asian disaster management specialists,
the disaster preparedness officers of five Central Asia National Societies, the Federation
disaster preparedness staff in Geneva and delegates in Central Asia, the Caribbean and East
Africa.
The following documents served as references for the compilation and writing of this
particular module:
1. "Disaster Preparedness" in the IFRC Handbook for Delegates, 1997.
2. Strategy 2010, IFRC 1999.
3. People-Oriented-Planning at Work: Using POP to Improve UNHCR Programming, M.
Anderson for UNHCR, 1994.
4. "Report on National and Local Capabilities for Early Warning," Convenor of
International Working Group and first authored by Mr. Andrew Maskrey for the
IDNDR Secretariat, Geneva October 1997, p. F-8.
Disaster Preparedness Training Programme International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
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