DISASTER MANAGEMENT

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Gaining full information about disaster management is important in dealing with man-made and natural
disasters. Natural disasters are inevitable; however, with modern technology, we could prepare and
minimize the damage that it will cause to our lives and properties. Likewise, human-made disasters can
be prevented if the community is more careful and oriented properly on what they can do in times of
crises.

According to the United Nations Disasters Relief Office (UNDRO), there is an increasing number of
people who are affected by disasters all over the world. Not only the poorest of the countries are
afflicted with disasters but also the richest countries in the world. In the Philippines, poor communities
are the ones that suffer most damages brought about by disasters and calamities.

There are five reasons for this:

1.Rapid population growth;

2.Concentration of populations in high-risk areas, like floodplains, landslide-prone slopes, and seismic
zones;

3.Capital development-destruction of marshes by real estate developers;

4.Man-made destruction, for example deforestation, that lessens ecosystem resilience to disaster; and

5.Growing poverty, which means more lives in increasingly substandard housing (i.e., not typhoon-
resistant). Let us now be acquainted with the various disasters that may afflict and destroy humankind.

Disasters

•1. Natural Disasters

•a. Earthquakes/tsunamis

•b. Landslides

•c. Typhoons

•d. Floods

•e. Drought

•f. Volcanic eruptions

•2. Human-Made Disasters

•a. Air and water pollution (“red tide”)

•b. Industrial accidents (“oil spills”)

•c. Fire d. Civil disturbances

•e. War

•f. Poverty

•g. Bomb threats

•h. Accidents, like transport, nuclear, or biological

Categories of Severity

a.Accident (individual)

b.Emergency (limited)

c.Disaster (widespread)

d.Catastrophe (collapse)

Key Concepts that Can Be Helpful

1. Risk. The probability that a disaster will occur

2. Hazard. The specific nature of a threat
3. Vulnerability. The inability to withstand, protect oneself, or recover rapidly from a potentially
damaging event
4. Prevention. Measures designed to avert a potential hazard
5. Preparedness. Measures that ensure an effective disaster response
6. Mitigation. Measures that reduce the harmful effects of a disaster
7. Response. Actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to assist victims and to rehabilitate
society

Situations in the Philippines

•There are contributing factors that make disaster happen and cause severe damages to lives and
properties. These are as follows:

1. Poverty and Marginalization

•a. Malnutrition

•b. Poor health

•c. Inadequate basic services: water, sanitation, drainage, light, education

2. Resource Depletion
•b. Soil erosion

•c. Genetic erosion

•d. Marine pollution

•e. Agrochemicals

•f. Air and water pollution

These factors can lead to the following:

1. Human-Made Disasters

•a. Flood

•b. Civil war

2. Natural Forces lines in the world)

•a. Typhoons (more than 20 a year)

•b. Drought (rainfall dependent on monsoonal winds)

•c. Torrential rains with floodin

•d. Earthquakes (the Philippines being one of the most active fault lines in the world)

•e. Volcanic terrain (23 active volcanoes)

Assessment/Reporting on Preparedness

As a response to the occurrence of natural and human-made disasters, there is a need to learn how to
assess and report disaster situations, The need for preparedness in damage assessment and reporting
involves:

1 Knowledge of pre-disaster situations

2. Capability to assess:

a. Medical/nutritional situation

b. Agricultural situation

c. Infrastructure situation

d. Structural stability

e. Relief operation capabilities

 1. Established lines of communication (physical, organizational)
2. Established data collection points
3. Established format of reporting (forms, exercise)
4. Established confirmation/verification procedures
5. Established authority for releasing reports

Relief Operations (Preparedness/Organization)

1.Disaster times are emergency situations, so during these times, operational qualities of the key players
are needed:

a.Cool and unbiased assessment: analysis of reporting (Who is reliable? Is the information convincing?
Has it been verified?)

b.Swift and decisive action: knowledge of resources, procedures,

c.Balanced response

d.Leadership (faster, better, leading, not restrictive)

e.Coordination

f.Resource management Discipline for operational reliability

g.Rehabilitation already envisaged/planned

h.Planning already accomplished

3. Food relief: Is it really necessary? Relief is the enemy of rehabilitation. It can destroy self-
sufficiency, neighborhood relations, self-help initiative, eating habits, agriculture, and marketing
channels. Four ways in which food relief can be distributed:

a.General food distribution

b.Mass feeding

c.Supplementary feeding (schools, hospitals, evacuation centers)

d.Intensive or therapeutic feeding (hospitals, etc., only)

4. Food for work: Experience shows that people do not want to be parasites. Food-for-work
programs offer a dignified way by which disaster victims can help themselves.

Rehabilitation/Construction and Emergency Preparations

Communities need to tap all resources, government and nongovernment, in a concerted effort to
provide emergency assistance to calamity victims and to restore essential public activities and services.
 Plans should include rehabilitation, which refers to the restoration of community members’ economic
independence and their physical, social, and emotional well-being.

With or without disasters, communities need plans and activities for long term, balanced and sustained
economic, political, and sociocultural growth.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

Measures need to be drawn to minimize the loss and destruction of life and property. These include
the formulation and implementation of long-range policies and programs to prevent or eliminate the
occurrence of disasters based on risk analysis.

The measures cover legislation and regulatory measures principally in the fields of physical and urban
planning, public works, and construction. Drills and shelters for times of disaster are also needed.

Among the activities that may minimize the impact of disasters are:

1.Identification of areas most prone to typhoons and some calamities;

2.Display and teaching of structural improvements;

3.Preparation of educational materials;

4.Community systems; and

5.Media liaison.

Disaster Preparedness

Certain principles of disaster preparedness will guide us to be more responsive and alert in times of
crises.

1.Principles

a.The risk must be known.

•Potential hazards must be identified.

•Incidence of hazard occurrence must be calculated.

•Secondary risks must be identified.

b. Vulnerability must be known

•Who and what are at risk must be determined.

•Likely damage and disruption must be assessed.

•Human needs must be anticipated.

c. Mitigation measures must be in place.

•Structural mitigation measures must be built.

•Nonstructural mitigation measures required must be instituted.

d. Preparedness system must be in readiness.

•All parties should be in a state of readiness.

•A focal point for preparedness must exist.

•A management system for emergency response must be in place.

•Plans must exist, and planning occurs regularly.

•Training and practice must be routine.

•Effective warning systems must be on alert.

•Authorities and the public must be ‘fully informed.

3. Effective Warning Message

a.Clear, simple language

b.Consistent content

c.Convincing

d.Community-(or site)specific-includes clearly stated precautions and action

e.Information on technical consequences

f.Repetitiveness

3. Land-Use Planning (Risk Zoning). While there are maps that show the paths of typhoons throughout
the year, and earthquake faults and areas hit by tidal waves, there is a dearth of information regarding
risk areas in the barangay and even in the municipal level. Communities need:

a.Surveys of mountainsides, riverbanks, coastal areas for their suitability as housing sites, farming,
mining, and any other productive activities

b.Rational plans for urban centers, showing industrial sites

c.Identification of areas for reforestation, forest preservation, and some other nature conservation
measures
d.Building codes regulating height, type of materials, and any other specifications for structures,
particularly in risk areas

4. Public Awareness

a.Mitigation Awareness. When risk is high but perception/ preparedness is low, people need technical
explanations about causes, possible effects, and mitigating strategies.

b.Preparedness Awareness. When a risk is imminent, the community needs detailed explanation of
what is going to happen and how, and what to and what not to do.

c.Emergency Response Awareness. After the disaster has struck, people need to know what to do next.

In order that everyone will be seriously aware of the devastating effect of calamities and disasters,
please review RA 1012 to give information on how we can act concertedly to reduce the risk in the lives
of many people in times of disasters and calamities.