Community Based Disaster Preparedness

Type: Training Event

Keywords: Disaster Preparedness

Training Description

Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) is a process, which leads to a locally appropriate and locally "owned" strategy for disaster risk reduction.

Disaster preparedness refers to measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters. That is, to predict and—where possible—prevent them, mitigate their impact on vulnerable populations, and respond to and effectively cope with their consequences. Disaster preparedness is best viewed from a broad perspective and is more appropriately conceived of as a goal, rather than as a specialised programme or stage that immediately precedes disaster response. It is a perspective that essentially needs to be built into development and rehabilitation programmes to achieve disaster resistant development. Disaster preparedness is also achieved partially through readiness measures that expedite emergency response, rehabilitation and recovery and result in rapid, timely and targeted assistance. It is also achieved through community-based approaches and activities that build the capacities of people and communities to cope with and minimise the effects of a disaster on their lives.

The first responder to any disaster is invariably the disaster hit community itself. It definitely makes sense to help them in risk reduction and prepare them to handle disasters effectively. This RedR India workshop would dwells at length on how, what and why about CBDP, including providing first hand experience by introducing participants to the communities and NGOs who have been part of a pioneering CBDP programme. The workshop would also discuss the ways of using Sphere standards in planning for disaster preparedness.

The overall aim of the course is to introduce participants' to the potential scope of disaster preparedness strategy and issues about generating a locally appropriate and locally "owned" strategy for disaster preparedness and risk reduction.

By the end of the course, participants will:

- Understand concepts like hazard, Risk, and vulnerability assessment.

- Understand Disaster Management cycle concepts and issues.

- Understand key elements of a comprehensive disaster preparedness strategy.

- Understand hazards, vulnerabilities, capacities and resources mapping and link it with risk reduction.

- Identify potential emergency needs and begin identifying the various players (local population, NGOs, GO etc.) which have potential roles to play in emergency response.

- Understand the practical and straightforward guidelines and tools used in the project planning process.

- Understand planning and designing of effective community disaster awareness initiatives, training and rehearsals.

- Developing community groups & Promoting organised environment at the local level for effective disaster risk reduction

- Understand basics of emergency need assessment and standards in emergency response and use of Sphere standards for the same.

- Understand basic of early warning systems and information sources.