Key concepts,

elements, principles
and importance of
WEEK 6
DRR
WE CANNOT STOP NATURAL DISASTERS, BUT
WE CAN ARM OURSELVES WITH KNOWLEDGE:
SO MANY LIVES WOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LOST
IF THERE WAS ENOUGH DISASTER
PREPAREDNESS” BY PETRA NECOVA
 DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION AND
MANAGEMENT
“ WORD
ASSOCIATION”

Directions: A. Give or
cite terms that are
related or associated to
the given words below.
B. By combining the
words you have written,
construct a simple
meaning of Disaster
Risk Reduction
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION –

•Is defined as “ a systematic

approach to identifying,
assessing and reducing the risks
of disaster.
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION –
•It aims to reduce socio-economic
vulnerabilities to disaster as well
as deal with the environmental
and other hazards that trigger
them
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION –
“ The conceptual framework of elements
considered with the possibilities to minimize
vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a
society, to avoid( prevention) or to limit(mitigation
and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards,
within the broad context of sustainable
development” by UNISDR ( UN Office for Disaster
Risk Reduction)
Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is the concept and
practice of reducing disaster risks through analysis and
management of the causal factors of disasters.

It leads to:
 reduced exposure to hazards
 lessening of vulnerability of people and assets
 effective management of land and the environment
 improved preparedness for adverse events
Key Principles of DRRM
The key principles of DRR justify why certain
changes have to be made and explain the urgency of
creating a DRRM plan. Key principles should be able
to make people realize why disaster plans must be a
priority in every community especially those that are
vulnerable to hazards. All DRRM are created on the
following premises:
 1. Development can When development takes place, disaster
either increase or risk is always a threat but it can be
decrease disaster avoided if localities have effective and
risk. functional disaster prevention and
mitigation plans.

2. DRRM policies, laws, and regulations can

save lives if properly and strictly implemented
in the community. Action is the key component
3. The main objective of
of DRRM. Policies, laws, and regulations are DRRM is to build a resilient
useless if it is not properly implemented. community. If community
Earthquake drills, fire drills, lock-up drills are members are well prepared
very important not only in schools but also in and equipped with sufficient
the community because the community is the knowledge, the impact of
front liner of DRRM. The ultimate purpose of disaster can be lessened
DRRM is to save lives and properties.
Basic Principles of DRR
• development can either increase or decrease
disaster risk
•Disaster risk reduction policy, laws and
regulations will NOT save lives unless
correctly implemented in communities
•The “community” Is the front line of disaster
risk management
Basic Principles of DRR
•Disaster risk reduction is not a “ stand alone”
activity – it cuts across almost all categories of
human activity
•Integrating disaster reduction at the national,
provincial and community levels takes a long time
to achieve
•DRR must become a normal part of the
decentralized development process
ELEMENTS OF
DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION
PRE - EVENT
 PREVENTION
The outright avoidance of adverse impacts
of hazards and related disasters. Prevention
expresses the concept and intention to
completely avoid potential adverse impacts
through action taken in advance. Can be in
the form of proper land use or using suitable
engineering design.
 MITIGATION
The lessening or limitation of the
adverse impacts of hazards and related
disasters. While the adverse impacts of
hazards often cannot be prevented fully,
their scale or severity can be
substantially lessened by various
strategies band
 The adjustment in
natural or human
systems in response to
actual or expected
ADAPTATION climatic stimuli or their
effects, which
moderates harm or
exploits beneficial
opportunities.
 The knowledge and capacities
PREPAREDNESSdeveloped by governments,
professional response and recovery
organizations, communities and
individuals to effectively anticipate,
respond to, and recover from, the
impacts of likely, imminent or current
hazard events or conditions.
POST EVENT
RESPONSE
The provision of emergency services and public
assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order
to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety
and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people
affected. Disaster response is predominantly focused on
immediate and short-term needs and is sometimes called
“disaster relief”.
The restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of
facilities, livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected
communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors. The
recovery task of rehabilitation and reconstruction begins soon
after the emergency phase has ended, and should be based on pre-
existing strategies and policies that facilitate clear institutional
responsibilities for recovery action and enable public participation

RECOVERY
Importance of Disaster Risk Reduction
-Disaster risk reduction is vital for building a more
equitable and sustainable future (development
perspective)
-Making investments in prevention and preparedness is
a necessary part of systematic efforts to increase
resilience to disaster
-From a personal perspective DRR is very important to
prevent loss of life and material properties
-Pro active step towards prevention which is believed to
be better than cure
A disaster risk reduction assists us to consider our
emergency response activities in light of existing
and new disaster risks. This enables us to design or
adjust our activities so that people and communities
become safer and more disaster-resilient, as well as
safeguarding efforts to create and expand enabling
conditions for sustainable poverty alleviation and
development.
Building resilience: Is the main importance of
disaster risk reduction. disaster risk reduction is
vital for building a more equitable and sustainable
future.
Making investments in prevention and
preparedness, including through civil defense
exercises, is a necessary part of systematic efforts
to increase resilience to disaster.
Five priorities identified for action are:
1) to ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a
local priority;
2) to identify, assess, and monitor disaster risks and enhance
early warning systems;
3) to use knowledge, innovation, and education to build a
culture of safety and resilience at all levels;
4) to reduce the underlying risk factors; and
5) to strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response
and recovery at all levels, from the local to the national.
Responsibility for disaster risk management does not
lie with disaster managers alone. It is rather a concern
for everyone - from citizens who must be empowered
to make decisions which reduce risk, to political
leaders, government institutions, the private sector,
civil society organisations, professional bodies, and
scientific and technical institutions.
(Clark, Helen 2012)
Risk communication must be clear and simple. In our
current times, to communicate risks effectively with
populations, communities, families and individuals is
essential for everyone to be better prepared when disaster
and crisis hit. This is a challenging task, as normally people
don’t want to hear about “dangerous things”. Some are afraid
of even thinking about the possibility of an earthquake, a
tropical cyclone, floods, landslides, tsunamis or even the
most common household hazards, such as fire, hitting their
homes.
Why disaster risk reduction is important during and
after emergencies:
A disaster risk reduction approach helps us consider our
emergency response activities in light of existing and
new disaster risks. This enables us to design or adjust our
activities so that people and communities become safer
and more disaster-resilient, as well as safeguarding
efforts to create and expand enabling conditions for
sustainable poverty alleviation and development.
What’s the Sequence?
Direction: Arrange the sequence of the elements of Disaster Risk
Reduction from pre event to post event by writing the element on the
proper box provided..
Illustrate It!”
Draw your own concept on how to lessen the impact of a disaster like flood,
typhoon or earthquake