Knowledge Centre : Disasters and Emergencies : Preparedness
Links
- A Tale of 4 Diagrams: Disaster Risk Reduction in an Increasingly Complex World [PDF]
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Produced by Torqaid of Australia, this article, which is built around 4 diagrams, shows how effective disaster risk management (DRM) ideally can take place in both developing and developed countries. The initial diagram (the Disaster Risk Management Cycle = DRMC), shows that for most medium to fast onset disasters (such as Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar), these normally go through recognizable Normal/Risk Reduction, Emergency Response and Recovery Stages. The second diagram (Comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction) shows that effect Risk Reduction ideally depends upon four complementary parameters, namely Security & Good Governance; Economic & Social Development (with a strong emphasis on Poverty Reduction); Environmental Sustainability/Climate Change Adaptation (CCA); and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The third diagram (Disaster Risk Management Planning), shows that effective planning needs to be carried out by governments at national, state/provincial, and district levels, with all this being complemented at sub-district level by Risk Reduced Development Projects (RRDPS) - often called Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM), which tends to be the focus of NGOs. The final diagram (the Project Management Cycle = PMC), shows that in addition to development projects, this diagram can be a useful basis for planning, implementing and evaluation projects in the Recovery and Risk Reduction stages of a humanitarian disaster.
http://www.torqaid.com/images/stories/4_diagrams__3.pdf
(Added: Thu May 08 2008 Hits: 17)
- Asia/Pacific Disaster Preparedness Programs Fact Sheet
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U.S. Agency For International Development Bureau For Democracy, Conflict, And Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) Office Of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) Asia: Note: This updates Fact Sheet #2, FY 2003, dated March 27, 2003 According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, the Asia and Pacific region is more prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanoes, droughts, and wildfires than any other region in the world. Asia's vulnerability is compounded by socio-economic conditions that are steadily increasing the impact of disasters. Population size and other demographic changes have decreased the amount of habitable land available forcing the settlement of hazard-prone, marginal lands, such as flood plains and steep slopes. Greater population size leads to an increased number of affected people per disaster. Environmental degradation, such as land erosion and deforestation, has augmented the severity of disasters.
http://www.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNACU817.pdf
(Added: Mon Aug 26 2002 Modified: Mon Sep 12 2005 Hits: 371)
- Center for International Disaster Information
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Since 1988 VITA's Center for International Disaster information has handled hundreds of thousands of public inquiries related to international emergencies. The Center, operated under a grant from the United States Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and initial support from IBM, has become a valuable resource to the public, as well as US government agencies, foreign embassies and international corporations.
(Added: Fri Mar 08 2002 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 553)
- Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development: Disaster Planning
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A US Dept. of Energy site dealing with the issue of disaster planning.
http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/
(Added: Mon Nov 05 2001 Modified: Mon Dec 04 2006 Hits: 351)
- Creating Sustainable and Disaster Resistant Communities
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Working paper by D. Geis looking at ways of promoting disaster resistant communities in the US.
http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/articles/CREATING.shtml
(Added: Thu Sep 06 2001 Modified: Mon Dec 04 2006 Hits: 283)
- Design Like You Give a Damn
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Edited by Architecture for Humanity, Design Like You Give a Damn is a compendium of innovative projects from around the world that demonstrate the power of design to improve lives. The first book to bring the best of humanitarian architecture and design to the printed page, Design Like You Give a Damn offers a history of the movement toward socially conscious design and showcases more than 80 contemporary solutions to such urgent needs as basic shelter, health care, education, and access to clean water, energy, and sanitation. Design Like You Give a Damn is an indispensable resource for designers and humanitarian organizations charged with rebuilding after disaster and engaged in the search for sustainable development. It is also a call to action to anyone committed to building a better world.
http://www.architectureforhumanity.org/designlikeyougiveadamn/
(Added: Wed Mar 15 2006 Hits: 154)
- Disaster Management Information System (DMIS)
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The Disaster Management Information System, is a civil society initiative supported by socially conscious institutions and individuals, companies and organisations. Developed by the Society for Research & Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution (SRISTI) in India, the DMIS provides a database-driven information system for Disaster Management Authorities (DMA) in various states, NGOs and other organisations. Includes resources for disaster managers, guidelines for disaster preparedness, links to disaster management authorities, databases, and a disaster mitigation toolkit.
http://www.sristi.org/dmis.html
(Added: Wed Nov 13 2002 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 240)
- Disaster Mitigation Institute - India
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Disaster mitigation in South Asia.
http://www.southasiadisasters.net/
(Added: Tue Sep 10 2002 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 246)
- Disaster Preparedness Programmes in India: A Cost Benefit Analysis (PDF)
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Humanitarian Practice Network, Network Paper 49. By Courtenay Cabot Venton and Paul Venton. Historically, the response to disasters has focused on relief, with governments, donors and NGOs providing post-disaster resources and aid. Whilst this work is essential to respond to people in need, the focus of disaster response has been shifting to encompass the wider issue of disaster preparedness, engaging NGOs and other stakeholders in preparing for the impacts of hazards. This Network Paper is intended to inform the growing discussion on risk reduction in a number of ways. First, it aims to provide evidence-based research to confirm that investment in DMP initiatives is money well spent from an economic point of view. Second, it intends to show how cost benefit analysis can be used as an analytical tool to choose between different types of DMP intervention. Third, it aims to provide evidence of the potential for using DMP as a significant element in both humanitarian relief and development programming. Such evidence can also be used to advocate for increasing the resources allocated to specific DMP interventions.
http://www.odihpn.org/report.asp?ID=2686
(Added: Fri Jan 07 2005 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 173)
- Disaster Resources - Preparation and Recovery
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from the University of Illinois. Guidelines for disaster situations.
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~disaster/infor.html
(Added: Mon Nov 05 2001 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 247)
- Don't be scared, be prepared: How disaster preparedness can save lives and money [PDF]
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This has been the year of natural disasters. From the Boxing Day tsunami to the broken levees of New Orleans to the shattered mountains of Pakistan, people worldwide have faced unprecedented catastrophe. The headlines talk about the response: raising money, rescuing people from the rubble, rebuilding homes washed away by tsunami waves. What is not a story is survival: what happens when, because of simple steps, people are saved. This briefing paper argues that this should be the story - how, in inexpensive and effective ways, we can keep tragedy from hitting so hard. ChristianAid, December 2005.
http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/indepth/512_dispreparedness/disaster%20preparedness.pdf
(Added: Thu Jan 12 2006 Modified: Fri Jan 13 2006 Hits: 197)
- Drought Assessment and Mitigation in South West Asia
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The drought assessment and mitigation project focuses primarily on parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan and western India. The Project analyzes hydro-meteorological and human factors involved, conducts the reviews of the existing drought coping and management experiences in the region and identifies the existing knowledge gaps. The study is viewed as a quick survey of regional drought research and management in order to undertake a larger longer-term, regional drought assessment and mitigation program in the future.
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/droughtassessment
(Added: Mon Mar 29 2004 Modified: Tue Aug 29 2006 Hits: 185)
- Duryog Nivaran
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Duryog Nivaran net is a network of individuals and organizations working in South Asia who are committed to promoting the alternative perspectives on disaster and vulnerability as a basis for disaster mitigation in the region.
(Added: Mon Aug 20 2001 Modified: Mon Sep 12 2005 Hits: 553)
- Humanitarian Early Warning System
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The IASC Humanitarian Early Warning Service (HEWSweb) is an inter-agency partnership project aimed at establishing a common platform for humanitarian early warnings and forecasts for natural hazards and socio-political developments worldwide. The main objective of HEWSweb is to bring together and make accessible in a simple manner the most credible early warning information available at the global level from multiple specialized institutions.
(Added: Thu Dec 16 2004 Modified: Thu Aug 31 2006 Hits: 262)
- International Conference on Early Warning Systems for Natural Disaster Reduction
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The International IDNDR Conference on Early Warning Systems for the Reduction of Natural Disasters was held at the GeoForschungsZentrum in Potsdam, Germany from 7-11 September 1998 The conference on Early Warning EWC'98 aimed at a critical assessment and discussion of successes, failures, potentials, and requirements for the effective use of early warning systems in disaster mitigation.
http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/ewc98/welcome.html
(Added: Thu Jan 03 2002 Modified: Thu Aug 31 2006 Hits: 220)
- One Disaster Too Many: Why thousands are dying needlessly each year in preventable disasters (PDF)
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A Tearfund briefing for the World Conference on Disaster Reduction 18-22nd January 2005, Kobe, Japan. "Tearfund believes that new thinking and action is urgently required by the international community. Thousands of lives could be saved each year in developing countries and millions of pounds made to go further, if more emphasis was placed by governments, local authorities and relief and development agencies on helping vulnerable communities reduce disaster risks."
(Added: Wed Jan 12 2005 Modified: Mon Sep 12 2005 Hits: 219)
- Poverty And Poor Preparation Increase Toll From Natural Disasters
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From Trygve Olfarnes, UNDP. New York, 14 October 1998 Extreme poverty and the failure of government authorities to adequately prepare for natural disasters costs nations dearly in loss of life and livelihoods in the past month.
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/1e02c0ce7c3f3b69c12566a4005e2be0?OpenDocument
(Added: Thu Feb 21 2002 Modified: Mon Sep 12 2005 Hits: 321)
- Reducing the Risk of Disasters - Helping to Achieve Sustainable Poverty Reduction in a Vulnerable World [pdf]
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The links between disaster and poverty are clear. It is the poorest who are worst affected and suffer most.The capacity to cope and to reduce risk is much more limited in poorer countries. Disasters damage infrastructure and affect productivity and growth. Rarely do disasters just happen - they often result from failures of development which increase vulnerability. This paper summarises DFID's policy on disaster risk reduction as it applies to natural and technological disasters; it shows examples of disaster impacts on efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); as well as examples of good practice in disaster risk reduction. (Department For International Development, March 2006)
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/disaster-risk-reduction-policy.pdf
(Added: Tue May 23 2006 Modified: Mon Jul 02 2007 Hits: 250)
- Rescue and Preparedness in Disasters (RAPID) UK
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Formed in 1996 to meet the growing international need, this non-governmental Organisation (NGO), consists of members who volunteer their skills and time. Its primary objectives are the relief of human suffering and distress in any part of the world resulting from disaster of any kind and the protection and preservation of human life in particular, but not exclusively, by providing suitably trained and experienced response teams free of charge upon receipt of a request for assistance.
(Added: Thu Dec 06 2001 Modified: Fri Jul 14 2006 Hits: 304)
- Scientists test tsunami-warning system
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Scientists tested the Pacific Ocean's tsunami-warning system Tuesday, sending alarms about imaginary earthquakes to more than 30 countries. Governments were to report back on how efficiently they received the warnings, which are relayed through nearly a dozen circuits, including weather services, e-mails and faxes. The Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 prompted improvements in the Pacific warning system. (Jaymse Song, AP, 16 May 2006)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-05-16-tsunami-drill_x.htm
(Added: Thu May 18 2006 Modified: Wed Jun 28 2006 Hits: 127)
- Sink or Swim: Why disaster risk reduction is central to survivng floods in South Asia
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Preparedness is the only long term solution - An Oxfam briefing note on disasters and the damaged cause to the poorest people (Oxfam, August 2007).
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/resources/policy/conflict_disasters/downloads/bn_sinkswim_floods.pdf
(Added: Fri Nov 16 2007 Hits: 63)
- Symposium on Climate and Extreme Events in Asia Pacific: Enhancing Resilience and Improving Decision Making (pdf)
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By Eileen L. Shea and A. R. Subbiah, Publisher: Honolulu: East-West Center, Publish Date: 2004. Report of a symposium as part of the 20th Pacific Science Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand, March 19-21 2003.
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/res-rp-publicationdetails.asp?pub_ID=1471
(Added: Wed May 26 2004 Modified: Wed Oct 25 2006 Hits: 281)
- Tonga failed to get tsunami alert
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When a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, a power failure prevented international tsunami warnings from reaching the tiny country. While little damage was caused to Tonga or other countries in the South Pacific beyond broken windows, the quake has raised troubling questions about the effectiveness of tsunami alerts, which have come under global scrutiny since the Indian Ocean disaster nearly 18 months ago that left an estimated 216,000 people dead or missing in a dozen countries. (Associated Press & CNN, 4 May 2006)
(Added: Fri May 05 2006 Modified: Thu Sep 07 2006 Hits: 139)
- Tropical Storm Risk (TSR)
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Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) offers a leading resource for forecasting the risk from tropical storms worldwide. The venture provides information and innovative forecast products to benefit risk awareness and decision making in (re)insurance, other business sectors, government and society. On this website you can also find publications and useful links to information on past and present storm activities.
(Added: Thu May 11 2006 Modified: Fri Jan 19 2007 Hits: 119)
- Tsunami Recovery Program
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This is the America Red-Cross two-year report on the tsunami crisis. It offers insight into how long-term Red Cross programming has taken shape over the last year and what lies ahead (Red Cross, December 2006).
http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/TRP2YrReport.pdf
(Added: Thu May 31 2007 Hits: 65)
