Role of the Youth in Disaster Preparedness and Management

Objective

• Identify the different role of the youth in disaster preparedness and management.
• Accumulate knowledge on the role of the youth on disaster preparedness and
management.
• To involve youth on disaster preparedness

Goal

Ensuring youth and their families know what to do in an emergency and that the
unique needs and assets of youth are included in disaster preparedness, prevention,
response, and recovery efforts is critical.

Introduction

Disasters are often unpredictable and can happen at any time and to anyone.
They may be natural, man-made, or both. Disasters are defined by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an occurrence that has resulted in
property damage, deaths, and/or injuries to a community, and may include floods,
hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, fires, illnesses, chemical or radiation
emergencies, and terrorist or bioterrorist attacks, among others.
With all the natural disasters and calamities struck in Cebu and its
neighboring cities and provinces in the past few years — the 7.2magnitude
earthquake in 2013 and Typhoon Haiyan (Bagyong Yolanda) in2013, to name a
few— these lefts most of the adult frightened while mostof the youth traumatized.
Millions of children and youth usually represent more than one third of the
vi ct i m s wh en ev er di sa st e r s st r uc k. Res ea r ch hav e sho w n tha t you t h
trainings focusing on disaster preparedness results in behavior changes,and
that youth who are prepared are more confident and empowered when
an actual emergency occurs.
Thus, engaging youth in disaster risk management training and activities
can increase their awareness and knowledge on what to do and how to act when
disasters occur, and may decrease the number of both youth and adult victims
and casualties.Youth plays an important role in disaster risk reduction and
management,and here are what youth can do:

PARTICIPATE
• Organizations involved in emergency preparedness recognized efforts at both youth
and adults
• Local, state and federal youth-serving groups were urged to become actively
engaged partners in this initiative.
• The NDRRMC will be mandated to officially mobilize youth organizations for
disaster monitoring and the implementation of
response and rehabilitation programs in the local and national levels.
• The youth will now take an active role in climate change adaptation (CCA) and local
disaster programs strengthening their spirit
of volunteerism and unleashing their potentials in helping build disaster-resilient
communities.
• Consultation with children and youth on disaster and risk reduction is to discuss the
important role of Filipino youth in mitigating disasters and promoting resilience.
• Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) is to support
youth-oriented pre and post-disaster activities
related to Filipino youth development plans and programs, which may include:
• tree-planting • information dissemination,
• training •and climate change adaptation initiatives

DISASTER PLANNING
• Youth may be able to contribute ideas and actions during a disaster
• Better equipped to respond appropriately and calmly when confronted with an
actual event.
• Barangay and youth leaders in proper dissemation of warnings and safety
advisories on potential hazards.
SPREAD AWARENESS
Young people have been doing the following to help in the country’s disaster
preparedness, response, and recovery efforts over
the years:
• Use social media and technology to monitor critical information during disasters
• Spread information useful to affected communities and rescue groups
• Mobilize volunteers, collect donations, and organize relief operations
• Participate in efforts to protect the environment
• One can share and be informed of the situation on the ground in real-time, making it
easier for authorities to respond during
disasters.
• Advocating for children’s involvement in DRR (disaster risk reduction) and Climate
Change Adaptation initiatives give the youth
an avenue for their voices to be heard and opportunities to influence and improve
policies.