This document outlines disaster risk preparedness and management plans for the historic town of Gjirokastra, Albania, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It identifies various hazards like landslides, snowfall, fires, electrical issues, and flooding. It recommends preparing inventories, maps, and probability assessments. Mitigation measures include preventing hazards, reducing impacts, lessening vulnerability, and staff training. Both short-term actions like monitoring, maintenance, and awareness, as well as long-term plans for tourism, violations, fire response, and traditional construction techniques are discussed. Advantages of the plans include hazard prevention and impact reduction, while disadvantages can include detrimental effects on heritage values or protected areas being

1. DISASTER RISK PREPAREDNESS
AND MANAGEMENT
CASE OF GJIROKASTRA
2012
PREPARED BY:
LEFTER QIRICI (PMNZSH)
ILIR LLURI (ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF ANTIGONEA)
DRITAN LOLOCI (MUNICIPALITY OF GJIROKASTRA)
PABLO BALLO (CIVIL EMERGENCY)
MARSELA PLYKU DEMAJ (IMK)

2. WORLD HERITAGE SITE SINCE 2005 – EXTENSION IN
2008
It is a citadel town built by notable landowners whose interests were directly linked to those of the central power. Around
the 13th century citadel it has a vernacular houses with turrets (Turkish Kule) characteristic of the Balkans region (17th
century – 19th century)

3. Historical Centre and Buffer Zone
1st Category Monuments Historical Centre
2nd Category Monuments Buffer Zone

6. The historic centre is remarkably well-
preserved
It has been continuously inhabited
from ancient times to nowadays
Bears witness to the wealth and
diversity of the urban and architectural
heritage of this region
Bears outstanding testimony to the
diversity of urban societies in the
Balkans and to longstanding ways of
life which have today almost vanished
Its urban centre reflects a vernacular
housing typical of the Balkans,
Architectural character typical of the
Ottoman Period
Retains a Bazaar, 18th century mosque
and two churches of the same period

7. Bear outstanding testimony of various types of monuments and
remarkable examples of vernacular housing (2-story houses with turrets)

8. Stakeholders to be involved in making DRM Plan
- Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports
- Municipality of Gjirokastra
- Institute of Cultural Monuments
- Regional Directorate of National Culture - Gjirokastra
- Police for Fire Protection and Rescue
- Office of Coordination of Historical Centre (WH) UNESCO
- Directorate of Water Supply and Sewage
- Institute of Archaeology
- CEZ (Power Supply)
- Other

9. TYPES OF HAZARDS AND VULNERABILITIES
LANDSLIDE
(IN THE STEEP SLOPE OF THE CASTLE HILL)
ARD
HAZ
ITY
B IL
E RA
LN
VU
LOCATION OF THE CASTLE

10. SNOW FALL LOAD ON THE FIRE
(BURNING OF GARBAGE, LIMITED ELECTRICITY,
ROOFS
D HUMAN MISTAKES, SHEPHERDS FIRE, GAS
AR
HAZ HEATER, CANDLES, ELECTRICITY SYSTEM)
ITY
COVERAGE OF THE ROOFS WITH SLATES BIL
A
NO COLLECTION OF GARBAGE N ER
V UL

11. FIRE
(BURNING OF GARBAGE, LIMITED ELECTRICITY,
HUMAN MISTAKES, SHEPHERDS FIRE, GAS
HEATER, CANDLES, ELECTRICITY SYSTEM)

12. ELECTRICAL CABIN LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE CASTLE AREA
D
FESTIVAL AREA (WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE CASTLE)
AR
A
HAZ

13. DESTROYED HOUSES BECAUSE OF
RD
RAIN FALL - STREAMS CREATED IN
A UNHABITATION
THE STONE STREETS
HAZ
BAD RESTORATION OF THE STONE PAVEMENTS
UNSUFFICIENT SEWAGE SYSTEM

14. PRELIMINARY WORK
All kinds of inventories, including lists of staff members, heritage components of the property and
equipment likely to be damaged as a result of a disaster, need to be prepared and made easily
accessible.
Preparation of thematic maps (hazards and vulnerability maps) in GIS
Determine the probability of different disaster scenarios, severity and loss of values for each.
DRM Plan should not be seen isolated but should be integrated to other management plans of the
property (such as the general urban plan of the city)
MITIGATION MEASURES
- Preventing Hazards
- Mitigating the impact of hazards
- Reducing the vulnerability of the property
- Training the staff in self protection strategies
**The definition of the property and its buffer zone as well as the existing management plan of the
property are a good start of mitigation measures**

15. SHORT TERM
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DETAILED AND APPROPRIATE MONITORING INDICATORS RELATED TO THE
ATTRIBUTES WHICH CARRY THE OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE OF THE PROPERTY BASED ON DETAILED INVENTORIES;
SUPPLY OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS and SMOKE DETECTORS IN AND OUTSIDE THE BUILDINGS
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF MAIN MONUMENTS
COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF RISK FROM FIRE
LONG TERM
PREPARATION OF MEDIUM TERM TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN (IN RELATION TO THE ACTUAL
MANAGEMENT PLAN)
PREPARATION OF MEDIUM / LONG TERM ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS ACTUAL VIOLATIONS AND PREVENT
FUTURE ONES (WITH TIMESCALE)
PREPARATION OF FIRE RESPONSE PLAN
EFFECTIVE MONITORING SYSTEM
HIDRANTS IN THE HISTORICAL CENTRE
SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR GAS USAGE
REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF THE GREEN AREAS
KNOWLEDGE / STUDY AND USAGE OF TRADITIONAL SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
AGAINST EARTHQUAKE

16. ADVANTAGES AND...
Mitigation measures help in preventing hazards or mitigating the impact of hazards (such as installation
of hidrants and supply of smaller vehicles for prevention of fire risk in narrow streets of the historical
centre).
The community awareness as well as an effective monitoring system and periodic maintenance in the
historical district are key measures against the risk of various types of hazards (fire, destroy because of
unhabitation etc)
DISADVANTAGES OF MITIGATION MEASURES
Measures such as installing hydrants or water pressure mechanisms, can have a detrimental effect on
the outstanding universal value of a heritage property.
Emergency activities such as flood control, fire prevention, and humanitarian relief efforts can lead to
resettlement areas being selected at the expense of protected areas. Site managers should ensure their
involvement or availability for consultation on strategic decisions during the emergency response period
of a catastrophic event.