EAHA DM 2.1: Principles of Disaster Risk Reduction - Captions

This is a remix of 2.1: Principles of Disaster Risk Reduction narrated by Roy William Mayega (Makerere University). This version includes English captions. The original video (without captions) can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s31BkRxsAI. Video transcribed by Trisha Paul (University of Michigan). This video is part of a learning module from the East Africa HEALTH Alliance called Public Health Emergency Planning and Management for Districts. The full module and the video transcript can be accessed at http://openmi.ch/disaster-mgmt. Copyright 2009-2019 Roy Mayega (Makerere University). The video, transcript, and module are all shared under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 3.0 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

(English captions by Trisha Paul, University of Michigan)

In this session, we shall be introduced to
disaster risk reduction as a key role in public

health emergency preparedness.

Remember, disaster risk is defined by hazard
times vulnerability divided by capacity.

Vulnerability to natural disasters.

95% of national disaster deaths occur among
66% of the poorest countries.

From 1965-1992 more than 90% of all disaster
victims lived in Asia and Africa.

Completing the disaster management cycle.

The cycle includes preparedness, response,
recovery, and mitigation.

There is an evolutionary approach from response
and relief to risk reduction.

What is Disaster Risk Reduction then?

It is the conceptual framework of elements
with possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities

and disaster risks to avoid, (that is prevent)
or limit, (mitigate and prepare for) the adverse

impacts of hazards within the broad context
of sustainable development.

Risk management includes mitigation, preparedness,
response, and recovery.

Risk reduction, on the other hand, includes
mitigation and preparedness.

Risk reduction is more efficient, more cost-effective,
and more humane.

This is the risk reduction cycle.

From vulnerability analysis, hazard analysis,
to risk assessment, to risk reduction, which

includes hazard mitigation and vulnerability
reduction, and this results in sustainable

development and the cycle repeats.

The figure presents an approach to risk reduction.

The integrated emergency management approach
includes hazard identification and risk assessment

plus vulnerability analysis
which leads to setting priorities.

This goes to mitigation prevention strategies
which goes to reduce impact of diseases.

This continues to getting ready to go if the
hazard remains.

This results in preparedness education, contingency
planning, effective response, and fast recovery.

All this is underlied by feedback at all stages.

Preparedness is actions that result in persons
knowing what to do and how to respond after

disaster has occurred.

The approach to preparedness programs is that
it is long-term, it is part of a larger risk

reduction program, comprehensive application
of sustainable development, all-hazards planned,

it should be multi-sectoral, it should be
user-friendly and culturally sensitive and

specific.

Objectives of emergency preparedness include
preventing morbidity and mortality, care for

casualties, managing adverse climatic and
environment conditions, ensuring restoration

of normal health, re-establishment of health
services, protecting staff, and protecting

public health and medicinal assets.

Mark Keim of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) proposes
11 E's of emergency preparedness including economic incentive,

epidemiology, enforcement of codes, emergency
plans, equipment stockpiling, education, exercise

and drills, early warning, evacuation, evaluation,
and the use of electronics (e-health).

Risk management.

What is risk?

It is the probability of suffering damage
to life, property, economic disruptions and

environment from a hazard for a given area
and reference period.

Risk is the product of hazard and vulnerability.

Risk management is defined as the process
of identifying, analyzing and quantifying

the probability of losses in order to undertake
preventive and corrective actions.

It involves mainly two types of activities;
planning actions to reduce vulnerability in

areas where risk can be controlled, and establishing
protective mechanisms against the potential

economic losses from uncontrollable factors
of natural hazards.

What is disaster risk management about?

Disaster risk management entails efforts and
measures put in place to reduce risk in case

of a disaster happening.

It is also about commitments related to disaster
and vulnerability reduction and improved early

warning.

Since little can be done to prevent occurrence
of most natural disasters, actions and activities

should focus on reducing existing and future
vulnerabilities to damage and loss.

There are three primary and interrelated categories
in risk management: risk identification, risk

reduction, and risk transfer.

These are mostly related to pre-disaster phases
of disaster management.

The pre-disaster phase of disaster risk management
involves four distinct but interrelated components:

risk identification, risk reduction/mitigation,
risk transfer and preparedness.

Risk identification is a thorough analysis
of existing vulnerabilities, location, severity

& intensity of threat.

The following activities help to identify
and understand natural hazard risk: hazard

data collection and mapping that is with regard
to frequency, magnitude and location, vulnerability

assessment (population and assets exposed),
risk assessment (probability of expected losses).

Risk reduction or prevention/mitigation are
measures taken to eliminate or reduce the

intensity of a hazardous event.

These measures address existing vulnerabilities
through measures like early warning that include

actions such as implementation and enforcement
of building standards, environmental protection

measures, resource management practices, and
control of population activities that predispose

to risk.

Key issues to note with risk management include:
even when effective disaster reduction measures

are in place, there would often be an element
of risk that is residual.

Preparedness is an important component of disaster
risk reduction which deals with residual and unmanaged

risk.

Risk transfer are mechanisms which aim at
reducing actual vulnerability in financial

risk in order to ensure that funds are available
when loss occurs from a disaster happening.

Risk transfer mechanisms are often inefficient
from cost perspective, so it is important

to take all the necessary measures to reduce
the vulnerability of assets to be covered

before transferring the risk.

Without getting into the details, the main
risk transfer/ risk financing methods include

market insurance and reinsurance.

This insurance provides coverage for damage
and expenses that are beyond the potential

for budget self-insurance.
It involves paying some premiums to an insurance

company.

And premiums are calculated in a way that
they spread out the risk.

This is not yet possible in many developing
countries.

Risk transfer methods also include budget
self-insurance where a small proportion of

the budget is allocated to be spent on improved
maintenance.

This can be done at the local government level,
agency level, and even household level.

It also includes compensation policies, and
they should target the most vulnerable populations

and causes of vulnerability.

Community insurance includes cooperatives,
community savings groups, community granaries,

community policing, and resource conservation.

This is a viable mechanism of risk transfer in
resource constrained countries and societies.

There are also household livelihood insurance
mechanisms like savings, food security, proper

settlement, and modern methods of production.

The Hyogo Framework for Action assists the
efforts of nations and communities to become

more resilient to and cope better with the
hazards they face.

Although the primary responsibility for its
implementation rests with governments, collaboration

and cooperation between all stakeholders in
managing the risk is crucial.

The Hyogo Framework for Action commits governments
as well as regional, international and NGOs

to; ensuring that disaster risk reduction
is a national and local priority, identifying,

assessing, and monitoring disaster risks and
enhancing early warning, using knowledge,

innovation and education to build a culture
of safety and resilience at all levels, reducing

the underlying risk factors, and strengthening
disaster preparedness for effective response

at all levels (community, sub county, district,
regional and national levels).