NSTP COMMON MODULE 3:

DISASTER AWARENESS, PREPAREDNESS, AND MANAGEMENT

Objectives:

After discussions about this module, you will be able to:

1. Learn concepts on disaster awareness, preparedness, and management;

2. Enumerate the goals of a disaster recovery plan;
3. Know the importance of disaster preparedness and training in terms of technical skills
operational and team management;
4. Work theoretically and practically in the processes of disaster management (disaster risk
reduction, response, and recovery);
5. Apply the capacity to obtain, analyze, and communicate information on risks, relief needs
and lessons learned from earlier disasters;
6. Enumerate your roles, as a youth, in disaster awareness, preparedness, and
management;
7. Deal with first aid emergencies; and
8. Understand and demonstrate essential life saving skills

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS,

PRINCIPLES AND TRENDS (R.A. 10121)

BASIC TERMS:

1. Acceptable risk is the level of loss a society or community considers acceptable given
existing social, economic, political, cultural, technical and environmental conditions.
In engineering terms, acceptable risk is also used to assess structural and non-structural
measures undertaken to reduce possible damage at a level which does not harm people and
property, according to codes or "accepted practice" based, among other issues, on a known
probability of hazard.

2. Biological hazard is about the processes of organic origin or those conveyed by biological
vectors, including exposure to pathogenic micro-organisms, toxins and bioactive substances,
which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption
or environmental degradation. Examples of biological hazards: outbreaks of epidemic
diseases, plant or animal contagion, insect plagues and extensive infestations.

3. Building codes are ordinances and regulations controlling the design, construction,

materials, alteration and occupancy of any structure to insure human safety and welfare.
Building codes include both technical and functional standards.

4. Capacity is the combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community,
society or organization that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster.
Capacity may include physical, institutional, social or economic means as well as skilled
personal or collective attributes such as leadership and management. Capacity may also be
described as capability.
5. Capacity building deals with efforts aimed to develop human skills or societal infrastructures
within a community or organization needed to reduce the level of risk.
In extended understanding, capacity building also includes development of institutional,
financial, political and other resources, such as technology at different levels and sectors of
the society.

6. Climate change pertains to the climate of a place or region is changed if over an extended

period (typically decades or longer) there is a statistically significant change in
measurements of either the mean state or variability of the climate for that place or region.
Changes in climate may be due to natural processes or to persistent anthropogenic changes
in atmosphere or in land use. Note that the definition of climate change used in the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is more restricted, as it includes only
those changes which are attributable directly or indirectly to human activity.

7. Coping capacity is the means by which people or organizations use available resources and
abilities to face adverse consequences that could lead to a disaster.
In general, this involves managing resources, both in normal times as well as during crises or
adverse conditions. The strengthening of coping capacities usually builds resilience to
withstand the effects of natural and human-induced hazards.

8. Counter measures are those taken to counter and reduce disaster risk. They most
commonly refer to engineering (structural) measures but can also include non-structural
measures and tools designed and employed to avoid or limit the adverse impact of natural
hazards and related environmental and technological disasters.

9. Disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing

widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceed the ability of
the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.
A disaster is a function of the risk process. It results from the combination of hazards,
conditions of vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential
negative consequences of risk.

10. Disaster risk refers to the potential (not actual) disaster losses, in lives, health status,
livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur in a particular community or society
over some specified future time period.

11. Disaster risk management is the systematic process of using administrative decisions,
organization, operational skills and capacities to implement policies, strategies and coping
capacities of the society and communities to lessen the impacts of natural hazards and
related environmental and technological disasters. This comprises all forms of activities,
including structural and non-structural measures to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation
and preparedness) adverse effects of hazards.

12. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is a term used for reducing and preventing disaster risks. It
is founded on the principle that while hazards are inevitable, its adverse effects like lost
lives and/or destruction of property are not. There are steps that we can do to ensure
reduction of risks. DRR actions can be political, technical, social and economic.

Disaster risk reduction (disaster reduction) is 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.

The disaster risk reduction framework is composed of the following fields of action, as
described in ISDR's publication 2002 "Living with Risk: a global review of disaster reduction
initiatives," page 23:
° Risk awareness and assessment including hazard analysis and vulnerability/capacity
analysis;
° Knowledge development including education, training, research and information;
° Public commitment and institutional frameworks, including organizational, policy,
legislation and community action;
° Application of measures including environmental management, land-use and urban
planning, protection of critical facilities, application of science and technology,
partnership and networking, and financial instruments; and
° Early warning systems including forecasting, dissemination of warnings, preparedness
measures and reaction capacities.

Disaster Impacts
°  loss of life
° injury
° disease
° other negative effects on human, physical, mental and social well-being,
° damage to property
° destruction of assets
° loss of services, social
° economic disruption and environmental degradation

13. Early warning pertains to the provision of timely and effective information, through
identified institutions, that allows individuals exposed to a hazard to take action to avoid or
reduce their risk and prepare for effective response. Early warning systems include a chain
of concerns, namely: understanding and mapping the hazard; monitoring and forecasting
impending events; processing and disseminating understandable warnings to political
authorities and the population, and undertaking appropriate and timely actions in response
to the warnings.

14. Ecosystem is a complex set of relationships of living organisms functioning as a unit and
interacting with their physical environment. The boundaries of what could be called an
ecosystem are somewhat arbitrary, depending on the focus of interest or study. Thus the
extent of an ecosystem may range from very small spatial scales to, ultimately, the entire
Earth (IPCC, 2001).

15. El Niño-southern oscillation (ENSO) is a complex interaction of the tropical Pacific Ocean
and the global atmosphere that results in irregularly occurring episodes of changed ocean
and weather patterns in many parts of the world, often with significant impacts, such as
altered marine habitats, rainfall changes, floods, droughts, and changes in storm patterns.
The El Niño part of ENSO refers to the well-above-average ocean temperatures along the
coasts of Ecuador, Peru and northern Chile and across the eastern equatorial Pacific
Ocean, while the Southern Oscillation refers to the associated global patterns of changed
atmospheric pressure and rainfall. La Niña is approximately the opposite condition to El
Niño. Each El Niño or La Niña episode usually lasts for several seasons.
16. Emergency management is the organization and management of resources and
responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies, in particularly preparedness,
response and rehabilitation. Emergency management involves plans, structures and
arrangements established to engage the normal endeavors of government, voluntary and
private agencies in a comprehensive and coordinated way to respond to the whole
spectrum of emergency needs. This is also known as disaster management.

17. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) pertains to studies undertaken in order to

assess the effect on a specified environment of the introduction of any new factor, which
may upset the current ecological balance. EIA is a policy making tool that serves to provide
evidence and analysis of environmental impacts of activities from conception to decision-
making. It is utilized extensively in national programming and for international development
assistance projects. An EIA must include a detailed risk assessment and provide
alternatives solutions or options.

18. Environmental degradation is the reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet
social and ecological objectives, and needs. Potential effects are varied and may contribute
to an increase in vulnerability and the frequency and intensity of natural hazards.
Some examples: land degradation, deforestation, desertification, wild-land fires, loss of
biodiversity, land, water and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise and ozone
depletion.

19. Forecast is a definite statement or statistical estimate of the occurrence of a future event
(UNESCO, WMO). This term is used with different meanings in different disciplines.

20. Geological hazard is a natural earth processes or phenomena that may cause the loss of
life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental
degradation. Geological hazard includes internal earth processes or tectonic origin, such as
earthquakes, geological fault activity, tsunamis, volcanic activity and emissions as well as
external processes such as mass movements: landslides, rockslides, rock falls or
avalanches, surfaces collapses, expansive soils and debris or mud flows.
Geological hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects.

21. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) pertain to an analysis that combine relational

databases with spatial interpretation and outputs often in form of maps. A more elaborate
definition is that of computer programs for capturing, storing, checking, integrating,
analyzing and displaying data about the earth that is spatially referenced. Geographical
information systems are increasingly being utilized for hazard and vulnerability mapping
and analysis, as well as for the application of disaster risk management measures.

22. Greenhouse gas (GHG) is gas, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), that absorbs and re-
emits infrared radiation, warming the earth's surface and contributing to climate change
(UNEP, 1998).

23. Hazard is a “dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may
cause:
° loss of life
° injury or other health impacts
 ° property damage
° loss of livelihoods and services
° social and economic disruption
° environmental damage

Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard is
characterized by its location, intensity, probability and likely frequency. The hazards of
concern to disaster risk reduction are hazards that arise from a variety of geological,
meteorological, hydrological, oceanic, biological, and technological sources, sometimes
acting in combination.

24. Hazard analysis is the identification, studies and monitoring of any hazard to determine its
potential, origin, characteristics and behavior.

25. Hydrometeorological hazards are natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric,

hydrological or oceanographic nature, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property
damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.
Hydrometeorological hazards include: floods, debris and mud floods; tropical cyclones,
storm surges, thunder/hailstorms, rain and wind storms, blizzards and other severe storms;
drought, desertification, wild-land fires, temperature extremes, sand or dust storms;
permafrost and snow or ice avalanches. Hydrometeorological hazards can be single,
sequential or combined in their origin and effects.

26. Land-use planning is a branch of physical and socio-economic planning that determines
the means and assesses the values or limitations of various options in which land is to be
utilized, with the corresponding effects on different segments of the population or interests
of a community taken into account in resulting decisions.

 Land-use planning involves studies and mapping, analysis of environmental and hazard
data, formulation of alternative land-use decisions and design of a long-range plan for
different geographical and administrative scales.
 Land-use planning can help to mitigate disasters and reduce risks by discouraging high-
density settlements and construction of key installations in hazard-prone areas, control
of population density and expansion, and in the sighting of service routes for transport,
power, water, sewage and other critical facilities.

27. Mitigation refers to structural and non-structural measures undertaken to limit the adverse
impact of natural hazards, environmental degradation and technological hazards.

28. Natural hazards Natural processes or phenomena occurring in the biosphere that may
constitute a damaging event. Natural hazards can be classified by origin namely:
geological, hydrometeorological or biological. Hazardous events can vary in magnitude or
intensity, frequency, duration, area of extent, speed of onset, spatial dispersion and
temporal spacing.

29. Preparedness refers to activities and measures taken in advance to ensure effective
response to the impact of hazards, including the issuance of timely and effective early
warnings and the temporary evacuation of people and property from threatened locations.
30. Prevention deals with activities that provide outright avoidance of the adverse impact of
hazards and means to minimize related environmental, technological and biological
disasters.

Depending on social and technical feasibility and cost/benefit considerations, investing in

preventive measures is justified in areas frequently affected by disasters. In the context of
public awareness and education, related to disaster risk reduction changing attitudes and
behavior contribute to promoting a "culture of prevention".

31. Public awareness pertains to the processes of informing the general population,

increasing levels of consciousness about risks and how people can act to reduce their
exposure to hazards. This is particularly important for public officials in fulfilling their
responsibilities to save lives and property in the event of a disaster.
Public awareness activities foster changes in behavior leading towards a culture of risk
reduction. This involves public information, dissemination, education, radio or television
broadcasts, use of printed media, as well as, the establishment of information centers and
networks and community and participation actions.

32. Public information pertains to information, facts and knowledge provided or learned as a

result of research or study, available to be disseminated to the public.

33. Recovery is all about decisions and actions taken after a disaster with a view to restoring
or improving the pre-disaster living conditions of the stricken community, while encouraging
and facilitating necessary adjustments to reduce disaster risk.

Recovery (rehabilitation and reconstruction) affords an opportunity to develop and apply

disaster risk reduction measures.

34. Relief/response is the provision of assistance or intervention during or immediately after a

disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those people affected.
It can be of an immediate, short-term, or protracted duration.

35. Resilience / resilient refers to the capacity of a system, community or society potentially
exposed to hazards to adapt, by resisting or changing in order to reach and maintain an
acceptable level of functioning and structure. This is determined by the degree to which the
social system is capable of organizing itself to increase its capacity for learning from past
disasters for better future protection and to improve risk reduction measures.

36. Retrofitting (or upgrading) is the reinforcement of structures to become more resistant
and resilient to the forces of natural hazards. Retrofitting involves consideration of changes
in the mass, stiffness, damping, load path and ductility of materials, as well as radical
changes such as the introduction of energy absorbing dampers and base isolation systems.
Examples of retrofitting include the consideration of wind loading to strengthen and
minimize the wind force, or in earthquake prone areas, the strengthening of structures.

37. Risk is the probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses (deaths, injuries,
property, livelihoods, economic activity disrupted or environment damaged) resulting from
interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.
Conventionally, risk is expressed by the notation: Risk = Hazards x Vulnerability. Some
disciplines also include the concept of exposure to refer particularly to the physical aspects
 of vulnerability. Beyond expressing a possibility of physical harm, it is crucial to recognize
that risks are inherent or can be created or exist within social systems. It is important to
consider the social contexts in which risks occur and that people therefore do not
necessarily share the same perceptions of risk and their underlying causes.

Risk has two connotations:

° General usage – the emphasis is usually placed on the concept of chance or possibility
on an event and its negative consequence, such as in “the risk of an accident”
° Technical Settings – the emphasis is usually placed on the consequences, in terms
of “potential losses” for some particular cause, place and period.

38. Risk assessment/analysis refers to a methodology to determine the nature and extent of
risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that
could pose a potential threat or harm to people, property, livelihoods and the environment
on which they depend. The process of conducting a risk assessment is based on a review
of both the technical features of hazards such as their location, intensity, frequency and
probability; and also the analysis of the physical, social, economic and environmental
dimensions of vulnerability and exposure, while taking particular account of the coping
capabilities pertinent to the risk scenarios.

39. Structural/non-structural measures refer to any physical construction to reduce or avoid

possible impacts of hazards, which include engineering measures and construction of
hazard-resistant and protective structures and infrastructure.

Non-structural measures refer to policies, awareness, knowledge development, public

commitment, and methods and operating practices, including participatory mechanisms and
the provision of information, which can reduce risk and related impacts.

Sustainable development must meet the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
the concept of "needs," in particular, the essential needs of the world's poor, to which
overriding priority should be given; and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of
technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and the
future needs.

Sustainable development is based on socio-cultural development, political stability and

decorum, economic growth and ecosystem protection, which all relate to disaster risk
reduction.

40. Technological hazards are dangers originating from technological or industrial accidents,

dangerous procedures, infrastructure failures or certain human activities, which may cause
the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental
degradation. Some examples: industrial pollution, nuclear activities and radioactivity, toxic
wastes, dam failures; transport, industrial or technological accidents (explosions, fires,
spills).

41. Vulnerability is defined as the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system

or asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. Vulnerability is a set
of prevailing or consequential conditions arising from various physical, social, economic and
environmental factors which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of
 hazards. Vulnerability also comprises various physical, social, economic, political and
environmental factors that affect the ability of communities to respond to events.

42. Wildland fire is any fire occurring in vegetation areas regardless of ignition sources,
damages or benefits.

COMPONENTS OF DRR AND MANAGEMENT

PRE-EVENT
The outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters.
Prevention expresses the concept and intention to completely avoid
PREVENTION
potential adverse impacts through action taken in advance. Can be in the
form of proper land use of using suitable engineering design.
The lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts of hazards and related
disasters. While the adverse impacts of hazards often cannot be prevented
MITIGATION
fully, their scale of severity can be substantially lessened by various
strategies and actions.
The adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or
ADAPTATION expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits
beneficial opportunities.
POST-EVENT
The provision of emergency services or public assistance during or
immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts,
RESPONSE 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 and rehabilitation
RECOVERY 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.

Ethical Principles on Disaster Risk Reduction and People’s Resilience

General Principles:

1. Solidarity: Nations and peoples should co-operate in a spirit of solidarity so as to strengthen

disaster resilience and help victims.

2. Joint responsibility: National and local public authorities, the private commercial sector,
agricultural and industrial, non-governmental organizations, individuals and the media have a
joint responsibility regarding prevention in the face of disaster risk and regarding an efficient
contribution in the face of emergency situations.

3. Non-discrimination: Measures to prevent; reduce; and prepare for disasters and to

distribute relief and promote recovery, and also the enjoyment of fundamental rights are
secured and implemented without distinction on any ground such as gender, sexual
 orientation, race, color, language, religion, political or other opinion, ethnic group, affiliation to
a national minority, socioeconomic circumstances, birth, disability, age or other status.

4. Humanity: All persons are treated humanely, in all circumstances, with respect, tolerance
and compassion, regardless of the nature, origin, duration and place of the disaster, and
particular attention should be paid to the most vulnerable people. The dignity and rights of all
disaster victims are respected and protected in all circumstances

5. Impartiality: Disaster prevention, preparedness, relief and recovery measures should be

implemented and provided on the basis of genuine needs alone, without any favoritism
between or within the population groups concerned.

6. Neutrality: Disaster prevention, preparedness, relief, response and recovery measures

should be taken without political, racial, religious or ideological debate, and with the sole aim
of protecting individuals and the enjoyment of their rights, the environment, property and
heritage, and thereby strengthening resilience to this type of event.

7. Co-operation: States should co-operate, regardless of political, economic, social and

cultural differences and according to their capacities, to strengthen disaster resilience and to
secure respect for human rights, showing particular regard for the possible cross-border
impact of disasters and the need for joint action.

8. Territorial sovereignty: States have a duty to protect persons on their territory,

guaranteeing that, even if a disaster occurs, human rights are fully applied for not only their
nationals, but also for foreigners on their territory including humanitarian assistance teams
from abroad.

9. Prevention: States, as well as regional and local authorities, have a responsibility to

implement anticipatory and preventive measures, with the most active involvement possible
of all parties, including companies and the civil society.

10. Role of the media: The media plays an essential role by informing and raising the public’s
awareness to the forecasting of disasters and the way they evolve. Disaster victims are
treated by the media with dignity and with full respect of their privacy.

Principles Applied Prior to Disasters

1. Introduction of prevention measures:

 All persons should benefit from disaster prevention measures which ensure, by suitable
means, their protection from bodily harm and the protection of their assets and which are
also able to provide an appropriate level of disaster resilience, taking advantage of
feedback from various countries about their experience of dealing with all possible types
of disaster.
 Such prevention measures are specially adapted to the various eventualities and the
diverse categories of vulnerable people, so as to provide a better guarantee of the very
strictest safety measures.

2. The importance of a good quality healthy environment: Given the services rendered by
ecosystems, there is a direct link between quality of environment, including the protection of
ecosystems, level of exposure to natural eventualities and communities’ ability to react. Thus
 the existence of a right to a healthy environment enables to better protect at the same time
the ecosystems and the neighboring populations as well as their property which is
consequently less vulnerable and more secure.

3. Education, training and awareness-raising about resilience to disasters: All persons,

including children and people with disabilities, their families, those who care for them,
teachers, civil servants and company directors and employees are entitled to receive
appropriate instruction and training capable of strengthening their resilience to disasters and
creating an outlook and a culture of prevention of, and adaptation to, risks.

4. Prior information

 All persons may request, disseminate and receive reliable information, of both a technical
and more accessible nature, together with explanations where necessary (inter alia about
alerts, and with advice about the right way to behave in the case of a disaster), about the
risks to which they are exposed and the measures to adopt to limit or reduce the risks and
to foresee or limit the effects of a disaster. Prevention measures and alerts vary with the
type of disaster envisaged.
 States, regional and local authorities, hospitals, schools and companies produce and
provide high-quality information, according to procedures and in a language that are easy
for everyone to understand, about disaster risks and the preventive measures to adopt in
order to reduce these.

5. Participation:
 All persons can be consulted on and are able to participate in the drawing up of disaster
risk prevention and reduction plans and programs and emergency and relief plans, as well
as in decisions on public or private projects which could, directly or indirectly, potentially
cause or exacerbate disasters.
 This participation takes place at both national and local levels. Its implementation implies
the participation of all local bodies.

6. Freedom of expression: All persons may express publicly their opinions, fears and wishes
and take part in the public debate on disaster risk prevention, on public authorities’ and
private bodies’ predictions and on assistance and reconstruction measures planned in case
of disaster.

7. Access to justice: All persons have the right to a fair trial and an effective legal remedy to
ensure the protection, respect and enjoyment of their rights with regard to the prevention
measures planned or if the authorities fail to act to adopt prevention and disaster risk
reduction measures and to organize relief.

8. Disaster prevention at the workplace: All workers are informed in due time about disaster
risks at their workplace and about the effects of natural and technological disasters. They
receive special training in disaster prevention and possible responses to disasters.

9. Disaster prevention in recreation and tourist areas: All individuals are informed about
potential disaster risks during their leisure or tourism activities and about the effects of
natural eventualities and technological dangers. They can benefit from appropriate special
information about prevention and the possible responses to disasters, enabling them to find
out, in accessible language, about relief plans and how to behave if a disaster occurs.
10. Disaster prevention in public places, particularly schools and hospitals: Users of
public places, particularly schools and hospitals, are informed about disaster risks which
can be a threat to these buildings. This information should include special prevention
measures and possible responses to disasters, and should explain, in accessible language,
the main points of relief plans and how to behave in a disaster.

11. Special prevention measures for the most vulnerable groups: Pregnant women,
children, disabled persons, elderly persons, the sick, the wounded, indigenous populations,
environmentally displaced persons, ethnic and religious minorities and the most
disadvantaged members of society, including persons or groups of persons who are victims
of racism, benefit from disaster prevention measures tailored to their already existing
vulnerability.

12. Organization of and participation in emergency drills: To strengthen disaster resilience,

emergency drills and simulations as well as national and local information and alert
campaigns are regularly organized, with active participation by local authorities, relief
agencies, companies, the populations concerned and people temporarily in the area.
Special arrangements should be made for persons with disabilities, particularly for those
with a hearing impairment if sirens are used.

13. Preventive evacuation of populations:

 Except in situations of serious and imminent danger, all the necessary steps are taken,
insofar as is possible without compromising public safety, to avoid temporary evacuation
and displacement of people because of the risk of a disaster.
 Compulsory evacuation before a disaster should not be allowed unless there is an
imminent threat. Persons who refuse to be evacuated do so at their own risk.
 Persons, groups or communities evacuated because of serious risks and imminent threats
of disaster are duly notified of the time of the evacuation, the procedures to be followed,
the destinations and the expected duration of the evacuation. The arrangements for
evacuation guarantee that their dignity and their fundamental rights are protected, and
should include special protection for their property and effects.
 Special operational procedures are planned and followed for the evacuation of vulnerable
persons, particularly persons with disabilities.

The Ethical Principles Applied During Disasters

1. Humanitarian assistance: All persons receive immediate assistance in the event of a

natural or technological disaster, including the benefit of basic health services. Humanitarian
assistance is provided fairly, impartially and without discrimination, showing due regard for
the vulnerability of victims and for individuals’ and groups’ specific needs. This humanitarian
assistance meets the needs of the populations concerned, in accordance with international
standards and the best existing practices.

2. Information and participation during disasters: All persons, local and regional authorities
and non-governmental organizations affected by disasters are informed of and are entitled to
participate in making decisions in response to disasters. They receive, in their own language,
easily understandable information about the nature and extent of the disaster; the emergency
measures planned in response to it; the times and places at which food and drink will be
distributed; the location of emergency medical facilities; temporarily, housing arrangements;
and the arrangements for and destination of any population movements that are planned.
3. Compulsory evacuation of populations: Compulsory evacuation can only take place if a
clear explanation has been given of the potential risks involved in the case of non-
evacuation. Persons who refuse to be evacuated do so at their own risk and should not
endanger the lives of rescue workers through their conduct.

4. Respect of dignity:
 The dignity of all persons who are victims of a disaster is respected, particularly
concerning his/her security, physical safety, access to food and clean water, hygiene,
temporary housing, clothing and if necessary essential emergency medical and
psychological care.
 Sexual violence and abuse is intolerable whoever the perpetrators and victims may be.

5. Respect of persons: Personal rights are respected, particularly the right to one’s own image
and the right to privacy, so that the presence of the media does not result in abuses.
6. Emergency assistance for the most vulnerable persons: Allowing for local circumstances
and without prejudice to the priority assistance to be given to all who have a chance of
survival, priority for humanitarian assistance, first aid and any emergency evacuations go in
priority to the most vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, children, people with
disabilities, elderly people, the ill and the wounded. States train and provide special
equipment to members of the emergency services and doctors and nurses, so that they are
able to search for and provide first aid to the most fragile persons.

7. The importance of rescue workers:

 Assistance measures are implemented in a spirit of humanity, solidarity, hope and
impartiality.
 Irrespective of their nationality, their status or their function and regardless of the
seriousness and nature of the disaster, both civilian and military rescue workers, including
any private security forces, behave with dignity, keep their anxiety or fear under control,
keep calm and ensure that they never infringe the fundamental rights of the people they
are rescuing.
 Rescue workers, in the face of the local populations, have a pre-eminent moral role as a
model for the respect of human rights.
 Emergency relief should be provided without discrimination or favoritism and without heed
to differences in gender, religion, language or social status.
 Rescue workers do not take advantage of the exceptional situation to misuse their rights.
They never exploit the weakness or helplessness of the persons assisted to force them to
carry out acts that infringe their human dignity or their physical and sexual integrity. They
refrain from any act that may be equated with corruption.
 Rescue workers of any nationality continue to enjoy all their fundamental rights, even
during emergency situations.
 Rescue workers have psychological assistance available during and after relief
operations.
 States, international organizations and all institutions connected with humanitarian
assistance in response to disasters take every possible measure to guarantee to rescue
workers the necessary conditions for them to carry out their work properly, including the
conditions needed to protect their dignity, safety, and physical and psychological integrity.
 States, regional and local authorities and rescue training establishments provide special
training to rescue workers covering human rights and ethical principles in times of disaster
 and the special arrangements for dealing with persons with disabilities and the most
vulnerable persons.

8. Measures to safeguard and rehabilitate the environment: In view of the importance of the
environment to human survival, practical measures are taken to ensure the quickest possible
safeguarding and rehabilitation of environmental assets and the re-establishment of
environmental quality.

9. Necessary measures to safeguard and restore social ties: Considering the importance of
social ties to human survival, practical measures are taken to ensure that social ties are
restored as quickly as possible, in particular by foreseeing meeting places, places of worship
and places for leisure activities.

The Ethical Principles Applied After Disasters

1. Strengthening resilience to the effects of disasters

 As guardians of sustainable development, states and local and regional authorities as well
as companies contribute to strengthening resilience by getting sites back to normal as
quickly as possible after a disaster. During the period of a return to the conditions of a
normal life, they continue to guarantee infrastructures and essential services, the
enjoyment of and respect for human rights.
 The businesses, other economic players and humanitarian organizations involved in the
reconstruction process are responsible for respecting the human rights and dignity of
victims and of any persons taking part in the reconstruction work. They adopt measures
and practices ensuring in all places and all circumstances that human rights are protected
and respected in the course of their activities.
 The urgency of the rehabilitation process cannot be used as an excuse for taking
reconstruction or environmental rehabilitation measures that would ultimately be
detrimental to the environment or to residents’ future safety.

2. Necessary measures:
 States should do what they can to adopt the requisite measures to ensure that human
rights are protected and promoted during all reconstruction and rehabilitation work, and to
investigate infringements of those rights.
 The organizations and authorities responsible for reconstruction work and the
humanitarian assistance agencies participating therein, as well as all those bodies’ staff,
should respect human rights and adopt an irreproachable line of conduct in keeping with
ethically responsible behavior throughout their work, while endeavoring to achieve the
highest level of protection.

3. Protection of economic, social and cultural rights:

 Economic, social and cultural rights are protected and measures are taken to safeguard
their implementation during the rehabilitation phase that follows disasters. Efforts to
secure respect for these rights should give priority to the right to medical and
psychological assistance, education, protection of property and the cultural heritage,
housing and means of subsistence, preservation of culture, traditions and customs and
restoration of the quality of the environment.
 Ceremonies for the dead are organized without delay, in accordance with the respective
traditions and religions.
 Temporary housing is used for the shortest possible time.
  Restitution of property deeds is carried out on the basis of claimants’ good faith, backed
up by witnesses’ statements, if the relevant evidence has been lost.
 Environmentally displaced persons, whether nationals or foreigners, have a say on the
location and conditions of their temporary housing.
 Measures are adopted to guarantee in particular the right to health, thanks to the medical
and psychological treatment necessary to the full physical and psychological recovery of
victims after disasters have occurred.

4. Protection of civil and political rights:

 Civil and political rights are preserved after a disaster.
 Disaster victims whose official papers and identity documents have been lost or have
disappeared obtain replacements easily.
 Disaster victims are free to come and go at the site of the disaster, provided that they do
not hinder relief and rehabilitation operations.
 Disaster victims receive all the necessary assistance for the purposes of family
reunification.
 Special care is provided for orphans, and searches are made for parents, relatives,
neighbors, friends or adoptive parents capable of taking them in, with priority being given
to family reunification.
 Formalities relating to voting rights are possibly relaxed to enable disaster victims to
exercise their civic rights immediately.

GEOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Philippines is an archipelago state, consisting of some 7,100 islands and islets, and covering a
land area of approximately 300,000 km2 . The country comprises three groups or large islands:

2) The Luzon group in the north and west, consisting of Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan
3) The Visaya group in the centre, consisting of Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros,
Panay and Samar, and
4) Mindanao in the South.

Manila and nearby Quezon City, the country’s most-populous cities, are part of the National
Capital Region (NRC or Metro Manila), located on the largest island Luzon (Cullinane, 2019).
The islands and groups are divided into four main classes of administrative divisions, which
consist of 17 autonomous regions, 81 provinces, 1,489 municipalities, and the smallest political
units, 42,044 Barangays as of 2018 (PSA, 2018).The Philippines is governed by a presidential
form, in which power is divided among three juridical branches; executive, legislative and
judicial, which seek democracy and balance by carrying their equally weighted duties to uphold
law, rights and representation of the interests of the people (GoP, 2019). In terms of disaster
risk, Philippines ranked third among all of the countries with the highest risks worldwide
according to the World Risk Report 2018, with index value of 25.14% (World Economic Forum,
2018). At least 60% of the country’s total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, and 74% of
the population is susceptible to their impact (GFDRR, 2017). This is largely due to the location
and geographical context as the risk involving coastal hazards such as typhoons, storm surges
and rising sea levels is high. Also, as the islands are located within the “Ring of Fire” between
the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates, earthquakes and volcanoes are posing serious risks to
the safety of the populace. Flooding, landslides, droughts and tsunamis further contribute to the
exposure to natural hazards (CFE-DM, 2018). Of these, hydro-meteorological events including
typhoons and floods, accounted for over 80% of the natural disasters in the country during the
last half-century (Jha, 2018). Given the local ecologies, agriculture, mining, forestry, fishing and
services are major sources of people’s livelihoods. In 2019, employment rate was reported at
94.8 % (PSA, 2019), and out of the three key sectors of employment (industry, agriculture and
services), workers in service providing comprised the largest proportion of the employed
population

The geographical location of the Philippines makes the country uniquely exposed to a plethora
of hazards, including recurrent typhoons, storm surges, droughts, earthquakes and 53 active
volcanoes, eruptions of which are classified as the most deadly and costly globally (Doroteo,
2015). The subduction zone between the two tectonic plates (Eurasian and Pacific) creating the
seismic activity in the region are predicted to have the capacity to generate major earthquakes
in the near future, and in the vicinity of metropolitan cities (Pailoplee & Status Report 2019
Pages // 10 Boonchaluay, 2016). Other hazards include floods, landslides, tsunamis and
wildfires, all of which are occurring in a frequency which has fundamentally changed the
perception of hazards in the country.

These, combined with poverty, leave various communities throughout the Philippines in highly
vulnerable situations. Over the past 4 years Save the Children has implemented approximately
10 programs with over 3 million USD funding for DRR activities. Collectively the programs have
reached 40,000 children directly and 75,000 children indirectly. Save the Children’s DRR
programs aim to reduce vulnerabilities of children and communities by building their resilience
and coping mechanisms to natural hazards through multi-sectoral partnerships.

DISASTER RISK PROFILE OF THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines is prone to almost all types of natural hazards because of its geographical
location and geotectonic setting.

In addition, the Philippines is situated along the highly-seismic Pacific Ring of Fire. This is the
area where the Philippine Sea and Eurasian Tectonic Plates meet and is prone to occurrences
of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. In fact, there are 300 volcanoes in the country
and 22 are active. Almost all parts of the country experience earthquakes. Generally, we
encounter an average of 20 earthquakes a day, per latest figures from the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Earthquake disasters are not as frequent as the
typhoons and flooding that take place in the Philippines.

Nevertheless, the impact generated on affected communities is usually massive and

devastating. Earthquake-induced disasters were few in numbers and in terms of casualties.
According to the Annual Report by the PHIVOLCS, in 2017, six (6) damaging earthquakes hit
the country commencing with the magnitude 6.7 earthquake in Surigao del Norte on 10
February. A series of earthquakes were recorded in Mabini, Batangas Province from April to
August 2017. A 9 major event in the earthquake swarms had a magnitude of 5.5 on 04 April.
Two (2) more strong earthquakes occurred on 08 April, the first with magnitude 5.6, succeeded
by another with magnitude 6.0. On 12 April, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred with
epicenter near Wao, Lanao del Sur. On the 29th of the same month, a magnitude 7.2
earthquake happened offshore of Saranggani, Davao Occidental. On 25 May, a magnitude 5.4
earthquake happened near the vicinity of San Marcelino, Zambales. Lastly, Ormoc City, Leyte
and vicinity were shaken by the magnitude 6.5 earthquake on 06 July (PHIVOLCS Annual
Report, 2017). The strong ground shaking subsequently caused liquefaction, earthquake-
induced landslides, and damages to buildings and other infrastructures. Areas transected by the
active faults that moved and generated the earthquakes were also affected by ground rupture.
Aside from being situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country is also located along the Pacific
Typhoon Belt. This explains the occurrences of different weather disturbances such as
typhoons. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA) reports that every year, an average of twenty (20) tropical cyclones enter the
Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and five (5) of which shall be most destructive. Tropical
cyclones and its sequential effects of rain and windstorms, as well as floods are the most
prevalent types of hydrometeorological hazards in the country. In fact, the Philippines can also
be called “Exporter of Typhoons.”

Between 1997 and 2007, eighty-four (84) tropical cyclones entered the Philippine Area of
Responsibility (PAR). These typhoons resulted to a total of 13,155 in human casualty and more
than 51 million families have been affected. Economic losses due to typhoon damages in
agriculture, infrastructures and private properties are estimated to reach P158.242-B. Some of
the most devastating floods and landslides are triggered by these typhoons that happened also
within this period. The El Nino Southern Oscillation which is a periodic disaster recorded high
economic costs in just a single occurrence. In 2010, out of the almost PhP 25-M worth of
damages to properties caused by natural disasters, tropical cyclones contributed to more than
half. These affected more than 3 million people in that year alone. The intensity scale
classification of tropical cyclone by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical
11 Services Administration (PAGASA), have developed the category for Super Typhoon, with
sustained winds of greater than 220 km per hour. In the past years, the country does not have
the category for Super Typhoon. However, because of Typhoon Yolanda, the PAGASA had the
realization that the strength of typhoons can go beyond the country’s existing threshold.

In addition, Philippines also has to contend with the irreversible impacts of climate change that
is characterized by the increasing global temperatures.

Amongst these natural hazards, the Philippine government has to deal with internal disputes
and threats of terrorism in some areas making us also vulnerable to this kind of political and
human-induced hazards. Environmental factors such as denuded forests aggravate flood risks.
The pace of deforestation since the 1930s accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s, before falling
slightly in the 1980s. Even now, the effects of loose soil and reduced forest cover from past
forestry activities are felt in frequent landslides and floods. Recent events show that the annual
monsoon season in the country has brought severe flooding in most areas. Based on the data
from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 302
natural incidents were monitored for the period CY 2014-2017 as seen on the natural incidents
monitored, flashfloods topped the list with 119 or 39.2% incidents followed by landslides with 29
or 9.6% and tornado with 28 or 9.2%.

FOUR (4) THEMATIC AREAS OF THE PHILIPPINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In accordance with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Framework (NDRRMF),
through the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan (NDRRMP), the country
envisions a “Safer, adaptive and disaster resilient Filipino communities towards sustainable
development.” This will be achieved through the four distinct yet mutually reinforcing priority
areas, namely, (a) Disaster Prevention and Mitigation; (b) Disaster Preparedness; (c) Disaster
Response; and (d) Disaster Recovery and Rehabilitation. Each priority area has its own long
term goal, which when put together will lead to the attainment of the country’s overall goal/vision
in DRRM.
These priority areas are not autonomous from the other nor do they have clear start and end
points. The 4 priority areas are NOT seen as a mere cycle which starts in prevention and
mitigation and ends in rehabilitation and recovery. They:

1. Mutually reinforce each other and are interoperable. This means that whatever we do in
one aspect will have a direct or indirect effect on the activities identified under the other
aspects. Furthermore, this means that it is assumed that the level of preparedness and
intensity of response activities we conduct are lessened because proper prevention and
mitigation activities have been done already.

2. DO NOT, SHOULD NOT and CANNOT stand alone. Because they are inter-linked, one
cannot just focus on one aspect without considering the others.

3. Have no clear starting nor ending points between each of the aspects and overlaps are to
be expected. There are some areas which are divided very thinly by gray areas. These
are activities which need to be smoothly integrated into two aspects. The overlapping
activities were put into the specific aspect which could better capture its essence using the
lens of that specific DRRM area and to correspond to the given parameters within which
these aspects focus on.

4. Are problem-needs and asset-strengths centered, reduce people’s vulnerabilities and

increase their capacities.

5. All point to one direction

Four DRRM Thematic Areas

1. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation

 Early warning systems
 Flood forecasting and monitoring
 Hazard and risk mappings
 Structural and non-structural interventions

2. Disaster Preparedness
 Contingency planning
 Prepositioning and stock-piling
 Capacitating and organizing responders
 Training, drills and exercises
 Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment

3. Disaster Response
 Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA)
 Issuance of advisories and situation reports
 Activation of Response Clusters and Incident Command
 System (ICS) Mobilization of responders
 Humanitarian assistance (eg: relief distribution)
 Provision of financial assistance
 Management of evacuation centers
 4. Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery
 Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA)
 Enhancement of policies and plans
 Reconstruction using “build back better” approach
 Resettlement
 Provision of new sources of livelihood

PRIORITY
LONG TERM GOALS OBJECTIVES
AREA
Avoid hazards and mitigate Reduce vulnerability and exposure of
their potential impacts by communities to all hazards
Prevention
reducing vulnerabilities and Enhance capacities of communities to reduce
and Mitigation
exposure and enhancing their own risks and cope with the impacts of all
capacities of communities hazards
Increase the level of awareness of the
community to the threats and impacts of all
Establish and strengthen
hazards, risks and vulnerabilities
capacities of communities to
Equip the community with the necessary skills
Disaster anticipate, cope and recover
to cope with the negative impacts of a disaster
Preparedness from the negative impacts of
Increase the capacity of institutions
emergency occurrences and
Develop and implement comprehensive
disasters
national and local disaster preparedness
policies, plans and systems
Provide life preservation and To decrease the number of preventable deaths
meet the basic subsistence and injuries
Disaster needs of affected population To provide basic subsistence needs of
Response based on acceptable affected population
standards during or
To immediately restore basic social services
immediately after a disaster
To restore people’s means of livelihood and
Restore and improve
continuity of economic activities and business
facilities, livelihood and living
To restore shelter and other
conditions and organizational
buildings/installation
Rehabilitation capacities of affected
To reconstruct infrastructure and other public
and Recovery communities, and reduced
utilities;
disaster risks in accordance
To assist in the physical and psychological
with the “building back better”
rehabilitation of persons who suffered from the
principle
effects of disaster

ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND MANAGEMENT

Youth can play an important role in disaster preparedness and recovery. Involving youth in

disaster planning and recovery can increase their awareness of hazardous situations that may
occur in their neighborhood and teach them how to respond in various types of emergencies.

With all the natural disasters and calamities that our country, these left most of the adult
frightened while most of the youth traumatized.

Millions of children and youth usually represent more than one third of the victims whenever
disasters struck. Research have shown that youth 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 the
youth can do:

1. The youth has the energy to take immediate actions when emergencies occur. When an
actual disaster happens, the youths are the most capable in taking immediate action
during emergencies because they have the energy to do it.

For instance, the Red Cross Red volunteer, Saeeda Bibi, 25, who saved lives when an
earthquake struck in Pakistan, in October 2005. It was said in the article of the Red
Cross International entitled “Youth, ready to respond,” Bibi provided immediate
assistance for the injured. She provided water for survivors and told the villagers to get
blankets. She also helped rescue schoolchildren, pulled out dead bodies, and helped in
cleaning the mud covering the victims’ bodies. Together, Bibi with the other youth
volunteers have saved 40 people from collapsed homes. It was said in the same article
that through the Be Red Cross Ready program, these youth volunteers were trained as
community disaster educators, readying them to help others prevent, prepare for and
respond to emergencies.

2. The youths are incredibly resilient and creative. They are able to cope up and adapt to
changes. This allows them to overcome difficulties in their lives, including calamities and
disasters, and adapt with diverse range of people.

3. The youths can also contribute ideas and actions during disasters. By involving youth in
disaster planning and management, they will be better equipped to respond
appropriately and calmly when confronted with an actual event.

4. The youth has the potential to become a better leader and initiate plans. Involving young
people in disaster management can help them learn topics that affect their lives while at
the same time gaining hands-on experience designed to equip them become tomorrow
better leaders and initiate plans.

BASIC DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TRAINING

From assessing risks to building your team, these basic steps can make a facility ready to be
prepared for fires, floods, power outages, earthquakes, and the unknown.

Whether it’s a fire, flood, shooting, power outage, or other situation, emergencies unfortunately
hit the headlines often enough that the subject of preparedness is no longer limited to security
and facility professionals. This is an opportunity to discuss, using as much backup data as
possible, the needs for each type of emergency.

Getting ready on activities involved in developing an emergency response plan is the biggest
reason to pay attention to an emergency response plan to be prepared as prepared as possible
for an emergency. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, there are common elements that
should be addressed in the creation of a plan. Here are five steps that facility and security key
persons can use to help guide emergency planning. 

1. Know your risks. Listing potential emergencies and ranking them in regards to
importance and likelihood is essential to knowing what to do and what resources to
invest. There is no need to invest money in hurricane planning if your facility is not near
a coastal area, nor should you spend a lot of time for earthquake planning if your facility
is not near any area normally susceptible to earthquakes or with a history of seismic
activity. That doesn’t mean that you totally ignore these risks, it’s just that you don’t dwell
on detailed response tasks.

The risk assessment should be based on an all-hazards approach for those hazards
affecting the facility. A risk matrix can help identify the areas where an investment is
most needed. Using this type of matrix, the key persons can categorize each risk or
emergency based on the impact it would have if it occurred and on the likelihood of the
event happening in your area. Using a risk matrix to evaluate all the potential
emergencies your facility may face will give you a head start on many things, including
being prepared to meet with management in support of any funding requests for
emergency preparedness.

2. Build a team. Many emergency response plans are created in a vacuum, with no input
from the end users. That’s the wrong approach to take. In today’s environment, every
individual in the organization may have a role as a kind of first responder, who is
expected to follow the rule, “see something, say something.” Emergency plans should be
the product of an inclusive team instead of a single individual or group. 

Putting together a team of subject matter experts from different departments helps in
determining the overall span of the plan, including a cycle of the four phases of
emergency management.

Subject matter experts or other representatives from safety, security, human resources,
public relations or communications, facilities, operations and upper management should
be involved from the start of the planning phase. If plans are already in place, that team
would form a good review committee to ensure that all areas are covered. 

If a sizable group of a specific type of building occupant — employees, students, or

faculty, for example — would be affected by any response plans, it would be wise to
have a representative of that group provide input into the process. The people who
ultimately are affected by an evacuation or sheltering-in order will tell you that it would be
better everyone involved were told in advance what to do, what process would be used
to communicate those orders, and what occupants should expect from security or law
enforcement personnel.  For example, during an active shooter event, law enforcement
personnel will be going to the sounds of the shots to mitigate and end the shooting and
will not stop to help others either injured or needing assistance. If building occupants
don’t know that this is the correct protocol for police officers to follow, they may come
away with a negative impression of the response.

3. Make critical information quickly accessible. So many times, if you ask to see an
emergency plan, someone goes to a file cabinet or shelf and pulls out a three ring
binder, at least two inches thick, and hands the weighty document to you for reading. A
 plan like that certainly reflects a lot of work, but does anyone really know what’s in it and
does it really describe the methods to respond during the emergency event? 

When time comes to write a plan, the thinking is sometimes that, the bigger the
document, the better. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Plans need to be concise as
to the threat, the risk, and then what to do.

4. Update your alert and response procedures. We live in a world of second-guessing

about everything we do or don’t do in an emergency. Plans are made to ensure
everyone knows what to do in a timely fashion. Plans need to be specific and to the
point, with everyone involved knowing what may happen and what to do. This does not
mean to put into your action plan the specific details of what the responders will do;
rather, the focus in on the plans each person should know to protect herself/himself and
others.  

Notification tools such as email, voice, and text blasts are now common on college
campuses and corporations. However, keep in mind that no one will get the alert
notification unless someone starts the process, not only by calling 911, but also by
notifying the people responsible for sending out the message to do so. In many cases,
the event (shooting or stabbing) has already been concluded before the police arrive,
with social media providing reports that are many times erroneous.

In addition, it’s essential that the language of the alerts be clear and easily understood.
The public relations or communications staff needs to be involved in the planning phase,
to ensure that concise and authorized language is used in the notifications that are sent.
An after-action report will most likely identify the notification process used and whether it
was effective. Although it may be a challenge to add one more thing to do after an event,
an after-action report is a valuable tool for evaluating your plan. If you take the time to
document all response actions during an event and do an after-action report right after,
you can glean as much from this as any rehearsed drill you may put on.

5. Test the plan. Once the plan has been created, the next question is, will it work? How
do you know? The answer is a series of tests, drills, and exercises designed to go
through procedures that you are expected to know — in fact, that you need to know to
save your own life and the lives of others.   

Test the plans to determine if they work or need to be improved, or and to provide
continuous tweaking of the plans to ensure any company, facility, or personnel changes
are reflected in the plans.

Lectures and response sessions are designed to educate the personnel who need the
training on what the risks are and what to do in each emergency; a robust interaction
between the lecturer and audience should answer many of the questions that will arise
during the session. It’s good start for any emergency awareness program. 

Going through everyone’s responsibilities during lectures and drills shows who is
responsible and what they do. The most important element is identifying weak links or
action items and uncovering things that really need be done and by whom; it’s a far
better review method than relying on someone who is someone not really in the loop to
look over the plan and offer an opinion on what should be done.
BASIC FIRST AID

At any moment, you or someone around you could experience an injury or illness. Using basic
first aid, you may be able to stop a minor mishap from getting worse. In the case of a serious
medical emergency, you may even save a life. That’s why it’s so important to learn basic first
aid skills.

First aid is when you provide basic medical care to someone experiencing a sudden injury or
illness, it’s known as first aid. In some cases, first aid consists of the initial support provided to
someone in the middle of a medical emergency. This support might help them survive until
professional help arrives. In other cases, first aid consists of the care provided to someone with
a minor injury.

3 Steps for Emergency Situations

If you encounter an emergency situation, follow these three basic steps:

1. Check the scene for danger. Look for anything that might be dangerous, like signs of
fire, falling debris, or violent people. If your safety is at risk, remove yourself from the
area and call for help. If the scene is safe, assess the condition of the sick or injured
person. Don’t move them unless you must do so to protect them from danger.

2. Call for medical help, if needed. If you suspect the sick or injured person needs
emergency medical care, tell a nearby person to call the local number for emergency
medical services. If you’re alone, make the call yourself.

3. Provide care. If you can do so safely, remain with the sick or injured person until
professional help arrives. Cover them with a warm blanket, comfort them, and try to keep
them calm. If you have basic first aid skills, try to treat any potentially life-threatening
injuries they have.

Remove yourself from danger if at any point in the situation you think your safety might
be at risk.

First Aid Bandage

In many cases, you can use an adhesive bandage to cover minor cuts, scrapes, or burns. To
cover and protect larger wounds, you might need to apply a clean gauze pad or roller bandage.

To apply a roller bandage to a wound, follow these steps:

1. Hold the injured area steady.

2. Gently but firmly wrap the bandage around the injured limb or body part, covering the
wound.
3. Fasten the bandage with sticky tape or safety pins.
4. The bandage should be wrapped firmly enough to stay put, but not so tightly that it cuts
off blood flow.
To check the circulation in a bandaged limb, pinch one of the person’s fingernails or toenails
until the color drains from the nail. If color doesn’t return within two seconds of letting go, the
bandage is too tight and needs to be adjusted.
1. First aid for burns: If you suspect that someone has a third-degree burn, call for help,
dial the number of the nearest hospital. Seek professional medical care for any burns
that:
 cover a large area of skin
 are located on the person’s face, groin, buttocks, hands, or feet
 have been caused by contact with chemicals or electricity

To treat a minor burn, run cool water over the affected area for up to 15 minutes. If that’s
not possible, apply a cool compress to the area instead. Avoid applying ice to burned
tissue. It can cause more damage.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can help relieve pain. Applying lidocaine or an aloe vera
gel or cream can also reduce discomfort from minor burns.

To help prevent infection, apply an antibiotic ointment and loosely cover the burn with
clean gauze. Find out when you should contact a doctor for follow-up care.

2. First aid CPR: If you see someone collapse or find someone unconscious, call the local
number of the nearest hospital. If the area around the unconscious person seems safe,
approach them and begin CPR.

Even if you don’t have formal training, you can use hands-only CPR to help keep
someone alive until professional help arrives.

Here’s how to treat an adult with hands-only CPR:

a. Place both hands on the center of their chest, with one hand on top of the other.
b. Press straight down to compress their chest repeatedly, at a rate of about 100 to
120 compressions per minute.
c. Compressing the chest to the beat of “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees or “Crazy in
Love” by Beyoncé can help you count at the correct rate.
d. Continue performing chest compressions until professional help arrives.
Learn how to treat an infant or child with CPR and how to combine chest
compressions with rescue breathing.

3. First aid for bee sting: For some people, a bee sting is a medical emergency. If a
person is having an allergic reaction to a bee sting, call the number of the nearest
hospital. If they have an epinephrine auto-injector (like an EpiPen), help them find and
use it. Encourage them to remain calm until help arrives.

Someone who’s stung by a bee and showing no signs of an allergic reaction can usually
be treated without professional help. If the stinger is still stuck under the skin, gently
scrape a credit card or other flat object across their skin to remove it. Then wash the
area with soap and water and apply a cool compress for up to 10 minutes at a time to
reduce pain and swelling.
 To treat itching or pain from the sting, consider applying calamine lotion or a paste
of baking soda and water to the area several times a day.

4. First aid for nosebleed: To treat someone with a nosebleed, ask them to:
a. Sit down and lean their head forward.
b. Using the thumb and index finger, firmly press or pinch the nostrils closed.
c. Continue to apply this pressure continuously for five minutes.
d. Check and repeat until the bleeding stops.

If you have nitrile of vinyl gloves, you can press or pinch their nostril closed for them. If
the nosebleed continues for 20 minutes or longer, seek emergency medical care. The
person should also receive follow-up care if an injury caused the nosebleed.

Learn when professional care is needed for a nosebleed.

5. First aid for heatstroke: When your body overheats, it can cause heat exhaustion. If
left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke. This is a potentially life-
threatening condition and medical emergency. If someone is overheated, encourage
them to rest in a cool location. Remove excess layers of clothing and try to cool their
body down by doing the following:
 Cover them with a cool, damp sheet.
 Apply a cool, wet towel to the back of their neck.
 Sponge them with cool water.

Seek emergency medical care if they develop signs or symptoms of heatstroke,

including any of the following:
 nausea or vomiting
 mental confusion
 fainting
 seizures
 a fever of 104°F (40°C) or greater

If they’re not vomiting or unconscious, encourage them to sip cool water or a sports
drink. Take a moment now to learn about other strategies to help someone with heat
exhaustion or heatstroke recover.

6. First aid for heart attack: If you think someone might be experiencing a heart attack,
call the number of the nearest hospital. If they’ve been prescribed nitroglycerin, help
them locate and take this medication. Cover them with a blanket and comfort them until
professional help arrives.

If they have difficulty breathing, loosen any clothing around their chest and neck. Start
CPR if they lose consciousness.

First Aid Kit for Babies

To prepare for potential emergencies, it’s a good idea to keep a well-stocked first aid kit in your
home/car. You can buy preassembled first aid kits or make your own. If there is a baby in the
house, you might need to replace or supplement some of the products in a standard first aid kit
with infant-appropriate alternatives. For example, your kit should include an infant thermometer
and infant acetaminophen or ibuprofen. It’s also important to store the kit in a place where the
baby can’t reach it.

First Aid Kit List

You never know when you might need to provide basic first aid. To prepare for the
unpredictable, consider storing a well-stocked first aid kit in your home.
You can buy preassembled first aid kits from many first aid organizations, pharmacies, or
outdoor recreation stores. Alternatively, you can create your own first aid kit using products
purchased from a pharmacy.

A standard first aid kit should include:

 adhesive bandages of assorted sizes
 roller bandages of assorted sizes
 absorbent compress dressings
 sterile gauze pads
 adhesive cloth tape
 triangular bandages
 antiseptic wipes
 aspirin
 acetaminophen or ibuprofen
 antibiotic ointment
 hydrocortisone cream
 calamine lotion
 nitrile or vinyl gloves
 safety pins
 scissors
 tweezers
 thermometer
 breathing barrier
 instant cold pack
 blanket
 first aid manual

It’s also smart to include a list of your healthcare providers, emergency contact numbers, and
prescribed medications in your first aid kits.

It’s important to protect yourself from contagious illnesses and other hazards when providing
first aid. To help protect yourself,
 Always check for hazards that could put your safety at risk before approaching a sick or
injured person.
 Avoid direct contact with blood, vomit, and other bodily fluids.
 Wear protective equipment, such as nitrile or vinyl gloves when treating someone with
an open wound or a breathing barrier when performing rescue breathing.
 Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after providing first aid care.
 After the earthquake, check for injuries and damage . First take care of your
own situation. Remember your emergency plans. Aftershocks may cause additional damage
or items to fall, so get to a safe location. Take your disaster supplies kit.

If you are trapped by falling items or a collapse, protect your mouth, nose, and eyes from
dust. If you are bleeding, put pressure on the wound and elevate the injured part. Signal for
help with your emergency whistle, a cell phone, or knock loudly on solid pieces of the
building, three times every few minutes. Rescue personnel will be listening for such sounds.

Once you are safe, help others and check for damage. Protect yourself by wearing sturdy
shoes and work gloves, to avoid injury from broken glass and debris. Also wear a dust mask
and eye protection.

"Everyone will panic during the big one!" A common belief is that people always panic
and run around madly during and after earthquakes, creating more danger for themselves
and others. Actually, research shows that people usually take protective actions and help
others both during and after the shaking. Most people don't get too shaken up about being
shaken up!

Check for injuries

 Check your first aid kit or the front pages of your telephone book for detailed instructions
on first aid measures.
 If a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound. Use clean gauze or cloth, if
available.
 If a person is not breathing, administer rescue breathing.
 If a person has no pulse, begin CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
 Do not move seriously injured persons unless they are in immediate danger of further
injury.
 Cover injured persons with blankets or additional clothing to keep them warm.
 Get medical help for serious injuries.
 Carefully check children or others needing special assistance.
 Check for damage

 Fire. If possible, put out small fires in your home or neighborhood immediately. Call for help,
but don't wait for the fire department.

 Gas Leaks. Shut off the main gas valve only if you suspect a leak because of broken pipes
or the odor or sound of leaking natural gas. Don't turn it back on yourself - wait for the gas
company to check for leaks. The phone book has detailed information on this topic.

 Damaged Electrical Wiring. Shut off power at the main breaker switch if there is any
damage to your house wiring. Leave the power off until the damage is repaired.

 Broken Lights and Appliances. Unplug these as they could start fires when electricity is
restored.

 Downed Power Lines. If you see downed power lines, consider them energized and stay
well away from them. Keep others away from them. Never touch downed power lines or any
objects in contact with them.
 Fallen Items. Beware of items tumbling off shelves when you open closet and cupboard
doors.

 Spills. Use extreme caution. Clean up any spilled medicines, drugs, or other non-toxic
substances. Potentially harmful materials such as bleach, lye, garden chemicals, and
gasoline or other petroleum products should be isolated or covered with an absorbent such
as dirt or cat litter. When in doubt, leave your home.

 Damaged Masonry. Stay away from chimneys and walls made of brick or block. They may
be weakened and could topple during aftershocks. Don't use a fireplace with a damaged
chimney. It could start a fire or let poisonous gases into your home.