Disaster Preparedness Planning
Print this pageDisaster Preparedness: a definition
Pre-disaster activities that are undertaken within the context of disaster risk management and are based on sound risk analysis. This includes the development/enhancement of an overall preparedness strategy, policy, institutional structure, warning and forecasting capabilities, and plans that define measures geared to helping at-risk communities safeguard their lives and assets by being alert to hazards and taking appropriate action in the face of an imminent threat or an actual disaster.
Disaster Preparedness and the HFA
Priority 5 of the Hyogo Framework for Action specifically focusses on the need to strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels. Implementing Priority 5 requires a common understanding of what contitutes and effective disaster preparedness system - including an understanding of disaster risk factors. The HFA specifically underlines a few key activities that should be undertaken in view of strengthening disaster preparedness at all levels. These are:
- Strengthen policy, technical and institutional capacities in regional, national and local disaster management, including those related to technology, training, and human and material resources.
- Promote and support dialogue, exchange of information and coordination among early warning, disaster risk reduction, disaster response, development and other relevant agencies and institutions at all levels, with the aim of fostering a holistic approach towards disaster risk reduction.
- Strengthen and when necessary develop coordinated regional approaches, and create or upgrade regional policies, operational mechanisms, plans and communication systems to prepare for and ensure rapid and effective disaster response in situations that exceed national coping capacities.
- Prepare or review and periodically update disaster preparedness and contingency plans and policies at all levels, with a particular focus on the most vulnerable areas and groups. Promote regular disaster preparedness exercises, including evacuation drills, with a view to ensuring rapid and effective disaster response and access to essential food and non-food relief supplies, as appropriate, to local needs.
- Promote the establishment of emergency funds, where and as appropriate, to support response, recovery and preparedness measures.
- Develop specific mechanisms to engage the active participation and ownership of relevant stakeholders, including communities, in disaster risk reduction, in particular building on the spirit of volunteerism.
Disaster Preparedness Planning: The Guidance and Indicator Package for Implementing Priority 5 of the HFA
The Guidance and Indicator Package (UN/ISDR & UN/OCHA, 2008, see also the Spanish, French and Arabic version) is designed to provide guidance on how to meet the challenge of being prepared to respond as set out in Priority 5 of the HFA. The Guidance Package primarily aims to assist governments, local authorities, and other stakeholders concerned with natural hazards in potentially vulnerable settings. It is designed to complement and expand upon the disaster preparedness and response components of the ISDR guidelines Words Into Action: Implementing the Hyogo Framework, UN/ISDR, Switzerland, 2007.
The present Disaster Response Preparedness Toolkit aims at supporting the implementation of the Guidance and Indicator Package by providing relevant background information, reference sources and tools for each of the key response preparedness areas identified in the Guidance Package.
Even though the Guidance Package is primarily geared towards those who are at the beginning of the process of developing a disaster preparedness capability, it is believed that it is of use also to those who are already at a more advanced stage in their disaster response preparedness.
The guidance begins by situating disaster preparedness within a holistic risk reduction framework. It goes on to provide a basic overview of the institutional and legislative frameworks that must be in place to support disaster preparedness. It then outlines key steps essential for developing a national disaster preparedness capability and highlights the critical role that contingency planning and capacity analysis can play in strengthening preparedness. The latter sections underline essential elements for an effective response, including the establishment and maintenance of early warning systems, stand-by capacities and effective funding mechanisms. It also stresses the need for these processes to integrate early-recovery analysis and planning.
Each section includes a suggested outcome and a set of indicators to help measure levels of preparedness and progress. The indicators take various forms, measuring, for example, outputs and processes. Ideally, indicators collected during the preparedness phase can be used as a baseline for measuring change over time and across different contexts. At a minimum they should serve as a checklist for ensuring that preparedness activities are being undertaken in a participatory and comprehensive manner. (See Annex 1 for more information on indicators.) The number of indicators has been kept to a minimum and it is expected that users of the guidance package may track supplementary indicators and use additional monitoring tools based on their particular contexts. A list of additional resources and websites that can support the development of a preparedness capability is also provided in Annex 3.
- Annex 1: A Note on the Indicators
- Annex 2: Definitions
- Annex 3: Sectoral Responsibilities in Disaster Contingency
- Annex 4: Selected Resources
- Annex 5: Summary of the Hyogo Framework for Action
Useful resources and tools
Guidance and Indicator Package for Implementing Priority 5 of the HFA, (see also the Spanish, French and Arabic version) UN/ISDR & UN/OCHA, 2008: The Guidance and Indicator Package is designed to provide guidance on how to meet the challenge of being prepared to respond as set out in Priority 5 of the Hyogo Framework for Action. The tool aims primarily to assist Governments, local authorities, and other stakeholders concerned with natural hazards in potentially vulnerable settings. It is designed to complement and expand upon the disaster preparedness and response components of the ISDR Guide:: Words Into Action: Implementing the Hyogo Framework, 2007.
A template for the drafting of a Disaster Preparedness (Action) Plan based on the Guidance and Indicator Package, adapted from the Uganda Disaster Preparedness Workshop, 27-28 March 2008.
Example of a country-level disaster preparedness workshop, which used the Guidance and Indicator Package: The Uganda Disaster Preparedness Workshop, 27-28 March 2008. Information can be found on the www.ugandaclusters.ug website by following the path "Saving Lives -> Disaster Preparedness".
Words Into Action: Implementing the Hyogo Framework, UN/ISDR, Switzerland, 2007. The Guide has been created to provide advice on usefulk strategies for implementing the HFA. The Guide can help states to assess where they stand in the implementation process and, by building on existing experience and structure, to identify possible gaps and useful next steps to take.
IFRC's Disaster Preparedness Training Programme at http://www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/resources/publications.asp#dptm with the following modules: 1) Introduction to Disaster Preparedness, 2) Preparedness Planning, 3) Project Planning, 4) Risk Reduction, 5) Increasing Community Disaster Awareness, 6) Disaster Emergency Needs Assessment, 7) Disaster Programme Information and Reporting, 8) Improving Coordination, 9) Improving Basic Training Skills
- UNDMTP module on Disaster Preparedness. 2nd edition, prepared by Randolph Kent, UNDP & DHA for the UN Disaster Management Training Programme, 1994. The purpose of this module is to introduce basic concepts related to disaster preparedness. The first part of the module sets forth various categories to consider in planning for disaster preparedness: from assessing vulnerability to actually rehearsing the plan. The second part of the module is about international collaboration for preparedness with a focus on the U.N. system. The implementation of disaster preparedness plans is discussed in Part Three of this module: from promoting these plans to considering advice based on common pitfalls related to implementation.
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Checklists for integrating human rights in natural disaster management in the Pacific. Suva, Fiji: UNDP Pacific Centre and Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Regional Office for the Pacific, 2007. These checklists, specific to the Pacific Region, aim to facilitate the integration of human rights issues in natural disaster management. They can be used by all concerned actors in situations of humanitarian emergencies to ensure that human rights concerns are effectively incorporated in every stage of preparedness, response and recovery.
The draft Minimum Preparedness Actions developed by the IASC Sub-Working Group on Preparedness and Contingency Planning. These may be of use to inter-agency country teams in areas of high disaster risk.