AIR AMBULANCE INTERNATIONAL
Disaster Management
Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.
The first people to respond to a disaster are those living in the local community. They are the first to start rescue and relief operations. The Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies therefore focus on community-based disaster preparedness, which assists communities to reduce their vulnerability to disasters and strengthen their capacities to resist them.
When the capacity of a community or country to respond and recover from a disaster is overwhelmed, and upon request from the National Society, the International Federation uses its regional and international networks, assets and resources to bring assistance to the communities and National Red Cross Red Crescent Society which is assisting them. At an international level the International Federation advocates with Governments, international organisations and humanitarian donors for better practice and accountability in disaster management and greater respect of the dignity of the vulnerable people.
The first people to respond to a disaster are those living in the local community. They are the first to start rescue and relief operations. The Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies therefore focus on community-based disaster preparedness, which assists communities to reduce their vulnerability to disasters and strengthen their capacities to resist them.
When the capacity of a community or country to respond and recover from a disaster is overwhelmed, and upon request from the National Society, the International Federation uses its regional and international networks, assets and resources to bring assistance to the communities and National Red Cross Red Crescent Society which is assisting them. At an international level the International Federation advocates with Governments, international organisations and humanitarian donors for better practice and accountability in disaster management and greater respect of the dignity of the vulnerable people.
Goals of Disaster Management
Goals and priorities -
The collective focus of the International Federation will be on achieving the following goals and priorities:
Our goals
What is a disaster?
A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins.
VULNERABILITY + HAZARD = DISASTER CAPACITY
The collective focus of the International Federation will be on achieving the following goals and priorities:
Our goals
- Goal 1: Reduce the number of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.
- Goal 2: Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.
- Goal 3: Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.
- Goal 4: Promote respect for diversity and human dignity, and reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion.
- Improving our local, regional and international capacity to respond to disasters
and public health emergencies. - Scaling up our actions with vulnerable communities in health promotion,disease prevention and disaster risk reduction.
- Increasing significantly our HIV/AIDS programming and advocacy.
- Renewing our advocacy on priority humanitarian issues, especially fighting intolerance, stigma and discrimination, and promoting disaster risk reduction.
What is a disaster?
A disaster is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins.
VULNERABILITY + HAZARD = DISASTER CAPACITY
What is vulnerability?
Vulnerability in this context can be defined as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural or man-made hazard. The concept is relative and dynamic. Vulnerability is most often associated with poverty, but it can also arise when people are isolated, insecure and defenceless in the face of risk, shock or stress.
People differ in their exposure to risk as a result of their social group, gender, ethnic or other identity, age and other factors. Vulnerability may also vary in its forms: poverty, for example, may mean that housing is unable to withstand an earthquake or a hurricane, or lack of preparedness may result in a slower response to a disaster, leading to greater loss of life or prolonged suffering.
The reverse side of the coin is capacity, which can be described as the resources available to individuals, households and communities to cope with a threat or to resist the impact of a hazard. Such resources can be physical or material, but they can also be found in the way a community is organized or in the skills or attributes of individuals and/or organizations in the community.
To determine people’s vulnerability, two questions need to be asked:
- to what threat or hazard are they vulnerable?
- what makes them vulnerable to that threat or hazard?
Counteracting vulnerability requires:
- reducing the impact of the hazard itself where possible (through mitigation, prediction and warning, preparedness);
- building capacities to withstand and cope with hazards;
- tackling the root causes of vulnerability, such as poverty, poor governance, discrimination, inequality and inadequate access to resources and livelihoods.
Who are the most vulnerable and why?
Physical, economic, social and political factors determine people’s level of vulnerability and the extent of their capacity to resist, cope with and recover from hazards. Clearly, poverty is a major contributor to vulnerability. Poor people are more likely to live and work in areas exposed to potential hazards, while they are less likely to have the resources to cope when a disaster strikes.
In richer countries, people usually have a greater capacity to resist the impact of a hazard. They tend to be better protected from hazards and have preparedness systems in place. Secure livelihoods and higher incomes increase resilience and enable people to recover more quickly from a hazard.
Disasters jeopardize development gains. Equally, development choices made by individuals, households, communities and governments increase or reduce the risk of disasters.
Examples of potentially vulnerable groups include:
Physical, economic, social and political factors determine people’s level of vulnerability and the extent of their capacity to resist, cope with and recover from hazards. Clearly, poverty is a major contributor to vulnerability. Poor people are more likely to live and work in areas exposed to potential hazards, while they are less likely to have the resources to cope when a disaster strikes.
In richer countries, people usually have a greater capacity to resist the impact of a hazard. They tend to be better protected from hazards and have preparedness systems in place. Secure livelihoods and higher incomes increase resilience and enable people to recover more quickly from a hazard.
Disasters jeopardize development gains. Equally, development choices made by individuals, households, communities and governments increase or reduce the risk of disasters.
Examples of potentially vulnerable groups include:
- displaced populations who leave their habitual residence in collectives, usually due to a sudden impact disaster, such as an earthquake or a flood, threat or conflict, as a coping mechanism and with the intent to return;
- migrants who leave or flee their habitual residence to go to new places, usually abroad to seek better and safer perspectives;
- returnees – former migrants or displaced people returning to their homes;
- specific groups within the local population, such as marginalized, excluded or destitute people;
- young children, pregnant and nursing women, unaccompanied children, widows, elderly people without family support, disabled persons.