This document discusses disaster management. It defines disaster management as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, including preparedness, response, and recovery to lessen disaster impacts. The four phases of disaster management are outlined as mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Mitigation involves reducing hazard likelihood and consequences. Preparedness equips affected people and helpers. Response involves immediate pre- and post-disaster actions. Recovery returns life to normal after a disaster. The document also discusses the importance and objectives of disaster management policy.

1. MODULE-III
Disaster Management
Prepared by
Prof. Nagma Alam

2. Disaster Management
Disaster Management is defined as the organization and management
of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian
aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and
recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.
Disaster Management refers to the steps taken for the safety and
protection of life and property from natural and man-made disasters.
This largely refers to the systematic organization and management of
institutional roles and responsibilities involving actions, plans and
arrangements before, during and after a disaster situation.
This means:
i) combating disasters effectively
ii) being prepared for disasters
iii) providing for the safety of life and property and
iv) helping to rebuild the society after the disasters.

3. Disaster Management Categories

4. Disaster Management Phases...
Modern disaster management efforts essentially consists of four phases:
1. Mitigation involves reducing the likelihood or the consequences of a
hazard or both. Mitigation includes prevention and risk reduction. Good
evacuation plans, environmental planning and design standards are part
and parcel of mitigation efforts. It is an important component of disaster
management.
2. Preparedness involves equipping people who may be affected by a
disaster. This also includes equipping people who may be able to help
those impacted with disaster.
3. Response are actions taken immediately preceding, during and
immediately after a disaster. The response function includes actions to
limit injuries, loss of life, damage to property and environment. Response
is the most complex of the four functions. This is because that it is done
under very stressful conditions in a highly time constrained situation with
limited information and resources.
4. Recovery involves returning affected people’s lives back to normal state
after disaster occurs. This phase begins after the immediate response has
ended. Recovery may last even for months or years.

5. Disaster Management Phases

6. Disaster Management Importance
• Disasters are events that have a huge impact on humans and the
environment. Disasters are inevitable, we cannot do anything to prevent
these but disaster preparedness is only in our hand.
• Disasters management requires government intervention and a proper
planning as well as funding.
• It is not necessary that these disasters are always unpredictable. Floods
take place in valleys and floodplains, droughts in areas with unstable
and low rainfall, and oil spills happen in shipping lanes.
• This predictability provides opportunities to plan for, prevent and to
lessen the impact of disasters.
• Disasters are inevitable although we do not always know when and
where they will happen. But their worst effects can be partially or
completely prevented by preparation, early warning, and swift, decisive
responses.

7. Objectives of Disaster Management Policy...
The general objectives of the Disaster Management Policy are:
(a) To avoid loss of human life and destruction of property by natural
disasters or by man.
(b) To incorporate disaster prevention into the overall national development
process.
(c) To guarantee effective co-ordination and participation in disaster
management by the public and private sectors;
(d) To contribute to the conservation and preservation of the environment;
(e) To promote regional or international co-ordination in disaster
management, particularly in the case of disasters with causes that originate
in neighbouring countries.

8. Objectives of Disaster Management Policy...
The specific objectives are:
(a) To conceive the legal framework, plan and guidelines for the
development of effective disaster management standards.
(b) To guarantee implementation of the Policy through the National Disaster
Management Plan, Contingency Plans etc.
(c) To prepare and implement plans and procedures consistent with
community priorities and objectives that reflect the level of vulnerability
and risk.
(d) To promote the implementation of training programmes on disaster
management at all levels.
(e) To ensure that public and private entities and other associations comply
with legislation on the safety of their installations and other means of
protection against the risk of disasters.

9. Objectives of Disaster Management Policy
(f) To guarantee that industrial, transport and other activities do not
constitute a danger for their workers and the population in general.
(g) To propose, through the supervising body, the declaration of emergency
situations resulting from localised or widespread disasters, on the basis of
socio-economic data on the regions affected and the National Alert System.
(h) To mobilise all the necessary domestic and external resources to assist
victims and affected areas.
(i) To assess post-disaster needs, including projects or measures that help
strengthen institutional capacity to respond to future disasters.