Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction

Hand-out 15:
Community-Based Practices for
Managing Disaster Risk to Specific
Hazards
COMMUNITY-BASED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
Community-based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) is an approach and framework that evolved from
experiences of local NGOs in helping vulnerable communities in preparing for hazards, responding to the needs during
disasters, an helping reduce the negative impacts of disasters in their communities. This was developed through years of
work in vulnerable communities and after witness in that any development achieved in these areas were only “lost” to
disasters.

In this self-learning module, four initiatives done in different parts of the world are presented. These are
considered good practices; they provide an indication of the successes achieved so far and an idea of what could be
achieved in the future. There are two projects about raising awareness, namely: School Children as Disaster Reduction
Catalysts and Initiators (Thailand) and Teaching Guide and Quiz Competitions Help Enhance Preparedness (Grenada).
Another two in promoting prevention, namely: Children Assess their Own Vulnerabilities, Plan Risk Reduction
(Philippines) and Annual “Earthquake and Safety” Drills in all Schools across the Country (Iran).

SCHOOL CHIDREN AS DISASTER RISK REDUCTION CATALYSTS AND

INITIATORS (THAILAND)
Only after the December 2004 Asian Tsunami disaster that disaster risk reduction has been a focus of interest
in Thailand. In 2006, a project called “Child-Led Disaster Risk Reduction (CLDRR) in Thailand Project” was
initiated. The basic principle of the project was “children and youth can play an active role in community
affairs that are relevant to them, especially if they are appropriately trained and supported by adults.”

This is done by:

(1) building children’s knowledge of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and community risk;
(2) building the capacity of children for DRR actions within their communities through educational campaigns;
and
(3) sensitizing adults (schools and communities) on the importance of involving children in DRR and other
issues relevant to them.
The role of the project is to:
1. Promote the idea of “child-led DRR among tsunami-affected communities” among its local partners by
means of material, presentations and visits;
2. Build the CLDRR capacity of local partners’ staff and volunteers through training workshops on key DRR
concepts, how to develop community risk and resource maps, how to conduct an educational campaign for
DRR in a community setting, and other refresher training as needed by local partners; and
3. Provide technical and other support for the Project design and implementation process, including
developing a training toolkit/manual on CLDRR, on-the-job training for partners, and regular monitoring visits
to Project locations.
IMPACTS LESSONS LEARNED
 Children and teachers have received information and  Support from adults, especially from
instruction on how to cope better with disasters. teachers, community members and project
 Teachers have been exposed to new alternative staff, is a key success factor
approaches to child-centered learning, new issues on  Children can and are willing to participate
disaster risk reduction and a starting point for  Children participatory projects must involve
including DRR into their school curricula. both children and adults
 Targeted communities have benefited from learning
from the children and are making use of the
children’s outputs such as risk and resource maps and
educational campaigns.
TEACHING GUIDE AND QUIZ COMPETITIONS HELP ENHANCE
PREPAREDNESS (GRENADA)
Grenada is a Caribbean state that gets affected by tropical cyclones. Poor preparedness and response during
Hurricane Ivan in 2004 indicated that the awareness and understanding of risk were insufficient in all sectors of their
society. A teaching guide intended for Grade 3 to 5 learners on disaster preparedness was developed under the joint
coordination of the Ministry of Education and UNICEF in Grenada. Training sessions were also conducted to train
teachers on how to prevent disasters. The teaching guide helped the teachers organize the annual “National Disaster
Awareness Week Primary School Quiz” competition and prepare their learners for the event.
IMPACTS LESSONS LEARNED
 Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Hand-out 15:
Community-Based Practices for
Managing Disaster Risk to Specific
Hazards
 An increase in the participation and level of  A single teaching guide can make a
knowledge of Grade 6 learners in the “National difference in increasing awareness and
Disaster Awareness Week Primary School Quiz.” knowledge of disaster reduction among
 As a result of the training, disaster related discussions school learners, teachers, and the public at
began in school, where teachers and school large.
administrators shared their experiences of Hurricane  Organizers had to be sensitive about the
Ivan and stressed the importance of psychological first competing schools’ workload at that time of
aid resources. year, which includes school activities and
 Subsequently, disaster managers learned to commitments
incorporate psychosocial first aid into their  School quiz requires coordinator with
presentations to schools and school groups. excellent organization skills to manage the
scope of preparations necessary for a
national-level activity. Also, the support from
the body which has control over primary
schools (i.e.DepEd)

CHILDREN ASSESS THEIR OWN VULNERABILITIES, PLAN RISK

REDUCTION (PHILIPPINES)
More than half of the population at risk in the Philippines is children, yet their specific vulnerabilities, needs and
capacities have not been addressed, nor has their potential role in disaster risk reduction (DRR) been recognized. To
address this, a project called “Child-Oriented Participatory Risk Assessment and Planning” (COPRAP) was
implemented. The project promoted disaster planning for children through development of tools that help children
identify their own needs, vulnerabilities, and capacities. Subsequently, the community adopted DRR measures that
benefited both the children and the rest of the community. More importantly, the Project paved the way for local-
level initiatives towards an integrated and sustainable approach to development.
IMPACTS LESSONS LEARNED
 The project was sustainable, and it paved the way  Children can play specified roles before, during
for local level initiatives toward an integrated and and after a disaster such as preparation of
sustainable approach to development. supplies or other basic needs.
 It debunked the notion that disaster  In addition to food and clothing, children have a
management is solely the responsibility of adults. primary need for educational material such as
books, bags, pencils and notebooks.
 Questionnaires and activities help understand the
needs of a community before, during and after a
disaster

ANNUAL “EARTHQUAKE AND SAFETY” DRILLS IN ALL SCHOOLS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY (IRAN)
Iran has sought to educate children and youngsters on disaster preparedness at all school levels on a national scale, in
both urban and rural areas. “Earthquake and Safety” programs have been carried out in the country since 1991 by the
Iran based International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES),
and school safety programs have been under way since 1996.

The initiative, called “Earthquake and Safety Drills in Schools,” is part of a series of activities aimed at protecting
people, especially children, from the impacts of future earthquakes. The initiative also involves developing and
implementing a comprehensive program that addresses all groups in society.
IMPACTS LESSONS LEARNED
 The drills have helped expand a seismic safety  Education plays a key role in promoting safety
culture, spread the “drill” experience to non- measures against earthquakes and spreading
school areas, and make “Earthquake and Safety” them in the society.
a national activity.  A major challenge initially was to secure the
 Promotes a culture of safety at all levels Of cooperation of many institutions and
society. organizations such as mass media. This was
 Increase children’s knowledge, and share this overcome through persistent advocacy and
knowledge with their families, friends and continuous follow-up to secure cooperation of
community. many institutions.
COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS PLAN
 Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Hand-out 15:
Community-Based Practices for
Managing Disaster Risk to Specific
Hazards
Good Practices for DRR

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan aims to provide policies, plans and
programs to deal with disasters in the Philippines. It also serves as “the principal guide to disaster risk reduction
and management (DRRM) efforts to the country…” The Framework envisions a country of “safer, adaptive and
disaster resilient Filipino communities toward sustainable development.”

Four themes in disaster risk reduction management framework

A. Disaster prevention and mitigation

B. Disaster preparedness

C. Disaster response

D. Disaster rehabilitation and recovery

Definition of Terms

Disaster prevention – the outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters. It expresses
the concept and intention to completely avoid potential adverse impacts through action taken in advance such as
construction of infrastructure to eliminate certain risks, land use regulation that do not permit any settlement in high-
risk zones and seismic engineering designs that ensure the integrity of building in an earthquake.

Disaster mitigation – the lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters.
Mitigation measures encompass engineering techniques and hazard-resilient construction as well as improved
environment policies and public awareness.

Disaster preparedness – the knowledge and capacities developed 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.

Disaster 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 rehabilitation and recovery – the restoration and improvement where appropriate, of facilities,
livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected communities, including efforts to reduce disaster risk factors, in
accordance with the principle of “build back better.”

Rehabilitation – measures that ensure the ability of affected communities and/or areas to restore their normal
level of function by rebuilding livelihood and damaged infrastructure and increasing the communities’ organizational
capacity.
 Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Hand-out 15:
Community-Based Practices for
Managing Disaster Risk to Specific
Hazards
The concepts of the thematic areas discussed above are not mutually exclusive, their concepts and
activities involved overlap, with no clear distinction over time.

(1) They mutually reinforce each other – Activities under each of the areas may affect each other. For
instance, appropriate prevention and mitigation can complement the level of preparedness in a community.

(2) They do not, should not and cannot stand alone – Equal attention should be given to all areas.

(3) They have no clear starting or ending points – Activities can be under several priority areas.

Note: Reduce people’s vulnerabilities and increase their capacities. The outcomes of the activities could be
focused on a specific area but should be considered as a part of the whole plan. The table below lists the activities
involved and illustrates the overlap between the different thematic areas.

EVALUATION
PREVENTION PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE REHABILITATION PREVENTION
AND AND RECOVERY AND
MITIGATION MITIGATION
Disaster risk reduction in
national and local plans and
programs. Hazard and risk
mapping.
Activities related to ensuring
the (a) people are prepared
and (b) response will be
carried out efficiently and
effectively
Restoration of lines and basic
infrastructure. Early recovery.
Long term recovery and
prevention and mitigation –
“building back better.”

To better understand how this applies to disaster planning, the following are the roles and overall goals of some
government agencies in the context of the four thematic areas.

DISASTER PREVENTION AND MITIGAT

GOAL: Avoid hazards and mitigate their potential impacts by reducing
DEPARTMENT OF vulnerabilities and exposure and enhancing capacities of communities.
SCIENCE AND • Reduce vulnerabilities and exposure of communities to health
TECHNOLOGY hazards
• Enhance capacities of communities to reduce their ow

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
GOAL: Establish and strengthen capacities of communities to anticipate,
cope and recover from the negative impacts of emergency occurrences and
disasters
DEPARTMENT OF • Increase level of awareness of the community to threats and
INTERIOR AND LOCAL impacts of all hazards
GOVERNMENT • Equip the community with necessary skills to cope with the
negative impacts of a disaster
• Increase the capacity of a community
• Develop and implement disaster preparedness policies and plans
• Strengthen partnership among all key stakeholders
 Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction
Hand-out 15:
Community-Based Practices for
Managing Disaster Risk to Specific
Hazards
DISASTER RESPONSE
GOAL: Provide life preservation and meet the basic subsistence needs of
DEPARTMENT OF affected population based of acceptable standards during or immediately
SOCIAL WELFARE after a disaster
AND DEVELOPMENT • Decrease the number of preventable deaths and injuries
• Provide basic subsistence needs of affected population
• Immediately restore basic social services

DISASTER REHABILITATION AND RECOVERY

GOAL: Restore and improve facilities, livelihood and living conditions and
organization capacities of affected communities, and reduce disaster risks in
accordance with the “build back better” principle
NATIONAL ECONOMIC • Restore people’s means of livelihood and continuity of economic
AND DEVELOPMENT activities
AUTHORITY • Restore shelter and other installations
• Reconstruct infrastructure and other public utilities
• Assist in the physical and psychological rehabilitation of persons
who suffered from the effects of disaster