The document outlines best practices and lessons learned for earthquake preparedness in India based on work with Christian Aid and SEEDS. It discusses strategies such as working with governance structures to create ownership, retrofitting existing buildings, implementing low-cost non-structural mitigation techniques, teaching duck and cover drills, developing school disaster management plans, conducting hazard hunts and creating action plans, investing in teacher training, being socially inclusive, and ensuring sustainability through institutionalization and local capacity building. The key is to move pilot projects towards influencing policymaking so disaster preparedness becomes a way of life.

1. India Best Practices and Lessons Learned: Earthquake Preparedness Christian Aid, SEEDS

2. Governance Working closely with the governance structure creating ownership and sustainability

3. Retrofitting Existing buildings can be made less life threatening with low investment

4. Non Structural Mitigation Minimal investment in NSM can eliminate upto 60% of earthquake injuries

5. Duck, Cover and Hold ORGANISED and INSTANT action can save precious lives in a disaster

6. Sequence of actions & Task Forces Each student and teacher must know what is to be done and when if an emergency strikes

7. School Disaster Management Plans Each school must have a SDMP and instructions must be clear, yet very very simple

8. DIY Hazard Hunt, Action Plan

9. Learning can be fun! Teaching aids, and informal educational material

10. What a teacher gives, stays for life Invest in teacher training besides direct action

11. Social Inclusion in DRR initiatives Account for socially excluded groups and children with disabilities

12. Lessons Learned Earthquake Preparedness: SESIS (Shimla Earthquake Safety Initiative)

13. Key stakeholder group is much larger than the target beneficiaries Students, teachers, parents, staff, government depts , neighbours, private sector…

14. Institutionalisation at the right places is the key to sustainability Working with government structures does have limitations - which structure rules? Conflicts within governance structures

15. Knowledge hosting, not just transfer Real local capacity building happens through local hosting of reflective and knowledge processes

16. Ownership must come with accountability Dutibearers must take responsibility for follow-up action beyond the assistance provided

17. Pilots must move towards becoming institutionalised Demonstration actions must lead to strategic planning and finally influence policy for making DP a way of life

19. THANK YOU!