Disaster management and social work

1. SUBJECT: DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL WORK
Topic: Role Of Social Worker In Disaster Management
SUBMITTED TO: MADAM AISHA SHOUKAT
SUBMITTED BY: UZMA BATOOL
ROLL NO. 01
PROGRAM: M.PHIL
SEMESTER: FIRST
DATED:

2. CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
a) Definition of a disaster
b) Involvement of social workers in disaster management
2. ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER IN PRE DISASTER SITUATION
a) Policy development:
b) Risk, Vulnerability And Capacity Assessment
c) Prevention and mitigation
d) Preparedness
e) Disaster risk reduction can be generalized as follows:
f) Formulating Emergency evacuation plans for community
g) Early warnings
3. ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER IN POST DISASTER SITUATION
a) Damage assessment and information gathering
i. Human loss
ii. Material loss
b) Providing moral support
i. Situational supporting
ii. Hopefulness making
iii. Consoling
iv. Solutions developing
c) Disaster Response
d) Disaster Recovery
i. Early Recovery
ii. Medium to Long-Term Recovery
e) Rehabilitation of Victims
i. Social and Community Development
ii. Community-Based Needs Assessments
iii. Build Back Better

3. Role of Social Worker in
Dister Management- Pre and Post Disaster Situation
INTRODUCTION
Definition of a Disaster
 In social work research, disasters are seen as a type of collective stress situation, in which many
individuals fail to have their needs met through societal processes (Barton, 1969).
 A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving
widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss and impacts, which exceeds the
ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.
 According to WHO: A disaster is an occurrence disrupting the normal conditions of existence and
causing a level of suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community.
 Disaster is an accident or event which occurs and is beyond human control. Its cause can be
technological. social-political or natural (Lyon, 1999).
Tropical storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, transportation accidents. mass murders. building collapses,
nuclear plant malfunctions, terrorist bombings, and many other disasters occur throughout our country
each year.
Involvement of social workers in Disaster Management
The roles of social workers have changed since its beginning as assistants in charitable organizations
around the 1870s. Today, social workers are found in a range of positions including casework, community
development, policy and planning, and management. The social work profession has a commitment to
people where social welfare is one of its basic principles.
Disaster is one area where social work gives a lot of attention. social worker can play an important and
active role in managing disaster problems and needs during and after the disasters. Social work
intervention can be done by social work administration and can be managed before, during and after
disaster.
In Disaster Context Social Workerw Deal With
 physical
 emotional
 psychosocial impacts to victims and other persons near the location.
Aims Of Social Workers Disaster Management
 reduce (avoid, if possible) the potential losses from hazards
 assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims when necessary
 achieve rapid and durable recovery

4. THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER- PRE DISASTER SITUATION
The evolution of social work as a distinct activity has been closely related to the development of state
intervention and provision in the broad field of social welfare. The term social welfare used here includes
policies related to health, education, housing, and income support measures as well as community
development, or more narrowly defined as social services (Midgley, 1995). Social work often developed
initially in relation to these other types of welfare provisions, as well as having independent roots in the
voluntary sector. Work done in advance of possible emergencies and disasters is an essential aspect of
disaster management. It enables a reduction in the number and severity of disasters, through prevention
and mitigation, as well as improved emergency response, through preparation and planning
1. Policy development:
Policy development is needed at national, provincial/district and local levels to ensure that common goals
are set and common approaches are used. Without a shared disaster management policy that applies to all
relevant sectors and all levels, prevention, preparedness and response are likely to be fragmented, badly
coordinated and ineffective (World Health Organization, 1999a). An active participation of Social
Workers is required in developing and monitoring policies for disaster management. For example in
Pakistan social workers are the part of NDMA, formulate and enforces national disaster policies at federal
and provisional levels and collaborated closely with various government ministries, military forces,
and United Nations-based organizations
2. Risk, Vulnerability And Capacity Assessment
The purpose of vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA)—also commonly called risk analysis or
threat assessment—is to identify hazards and their possible effects on communities. Vulnerability
assessment forms strategies for reducing the vulnerability .it enables emergency prevention, mitigation
and preparedness measures
MEASURING VULNERABILITY
Social workers define vulnerability in reference to both individuals and communities.
Vulnerability
individual
level
community
level

5. a) Vulnerability At the individual level refers to social structural factors which increase
individuals’ probability of suffering long-term and serious social, psychological, and health
problems after a disaster.
Factors of individual vulnerability
 Poverty and lack of household wealth means that individuals will be less likely to recover from
the material and health impacts of disasters. These individuals are less likely to have insurance to
cover disaster losses
 Health conditions existing before disaster will likely be exacerbated by disaster, and lack of
disposable income will make it very difficult for these low-income populations to afford health
and mental health care.
 Older individuals and Children are especially vulnerable because they are dependent on adult
caregivers for survival and recovery in disasters. Because they are developing physiologically,
children are also highly vulnerable to environmental and technological disasters.
 Social isolation from neighbors, kin, and formal organizations means that individuals and
households will be unable to mobilize social capital to recover after a disaster. Isolated
individuals will have difficulty obtaining information to help them make evacuation decisions,
and to obtain relief services from formal organizations. These individuals suffer from a lack of
social support and network ties
b) Vulnerability is defined at the community level by the community’s demographic, historical,
cultural, and ecological characteristics. Communities are vulnerable when they contain few
disaster social services organizations, and when these organizations and their programs are
poorly coordinated. The lack of a developed disaster relief network of organizations also makes
it difficult for community members to access services after a disaster.
3. Prevention and mitigation
Disaster mitigation measures are those that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards
through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs.
Community based mitigation Locally involved people know what the needs are,they are able to
define the problems. The disaster survivors themselves are knowledgeable about local resources
and can use their skills and knowledge so that costs are kept low. The advantage of the
community-based approach is that through local leadership housing and agriculture or health
projects can gain success
4. Preparedness
Preparedness action is carried out within the context of disaster risk management and aims to
build the capacities needed to efficiently manage all types of emergencies and achieve orderly
transitions from response through to sustained recovery. Preparedness is based on a sound

6. analysis of disaster risks and good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such
activities as contingency planning, stockpiling of equipment and supplies, the development of
arrangements for coordination, evacuation and public information, and associated training and
field exercises. These must be supportedby formal institutional, legal and budgetary capacities.
The related term “readiness” describes the ability to quickly and appropriately respond when
required.
• Preparedness should be in the form of money, manpower and materials
• Evaluation from past experiences about risk
• Location of disaster prone areas
• Organization of communication, information and warning system
• Ensuring co-ordination and response mechanisms
• Development of public education programme
• Co-ordination with media
• National & international relations
• Keeping stock of foods, drug and other essential commodities
5. Disaster risk reduction can be generalized as follows:
1. Initiating the process - linkage and building rapport with community
2. Community Profiling - initial understanding of disaster situation and orientation on CBDM
3. Community Risk Assessment – participatory assessment of hazards, vulnerabilities, capacities
and people’s perception of risks
4. Formulation of Initial Disaster Risk Reduction Plan - identification of appropriate mitigation
and preparedness measures including public awareness, training and education
5. Formation of Community Disaster Response Organization - community organizing and
mobilization, capability building in CBDMit and preparedness
6. Implementation of short-, medium-, and long-term risk reduction measures, activities, projects
and programs - implementation strategies and mechanisms; organizational/institutional
strengthening
7. Monitoring and Evaluation - continuous improvement of disaster risk reduction plan,
documentation and dissemination of good practices for replication
6. Formulating Emergency evacuation plans for community
During a disaster many casualties happen in public buildings, such as schools, universities,
churches, supermarkets, hotels, and offices. Lives are lost because people are unaware of the
basic precautions they should take when in a public space in an emergency. For example, when
in a panic people won’t know where to go if the emergency exits are not well marked.
Emergency and evacuation plans are so important because they serve to guide the public to
safety. To clarify, an emergency plan is a set of procedures that serve to protect people in the

7. building and that are operationalized during a crisis. An evacuation plan informs people as to the
paths to take in case of evacuation and also communicates other key information, such as the
contact numbers for the fire department, the police, and the Red Cross. Despite the high
vulnerability to disasters, emergency and evacuation plans are not mandatory in Haiti. In addition
to emergency and evacuation plans, evacuation drills are also key elements of emergency
preparedness. Each public space, be it a private business, church, school, etc. has a responsibility
to complete at least two evacuation drills per year. These drills are done in collaboration with
supporting agencies, such as the Haitian Red Cross, the police, AGERCA, and the Department of
Civil Protection, and are designed to test and assure the knowledge and understanding of
emergency and evacuation procedures.
7. .Early warnings
Keeping in view the lessons learned from June 2015 heat wave and consequent casualties,
anticipated early warning system (EWS) is devised for country.
Non-governmental organizations play a role in raising awareness among individuals,
communities and organizations involved in early warning, particularly at the community level.
They can also assist with implementing early warning systems and in preparing communities for
natural disasters. In addition, they can play an important advocacy role to help ensure that early
warning stays on the agenda of government policy makers. . National Institute of Disaster
Management plays an important role in capacity building of federal, provincial and district level
government officials, NGO and private sector besides the media and communities. The private
sector has a diverse role to play in early warning, including developing early warning
capabilities in their own organizations. The private sector also has a large untapped potential to
deliver warnings of disaster situations.

8. THE ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKER- POST DISASTER SITUATION
social workers should play a significant role in information sharing with communities, shelter provision,
and education and mobilisation of communities before, during and after disasters. They should work with
communities to plan, educate, and advocate for vulnerable groups; provide counselling; collaborate with
other stakeholders; provide therapy and education on safety measures; conduct research; ensure the
welfare of survivors;, and help the affected to cope and receive welfare assistance.
Social workers can play a potentially key role in disaster recovery by facilitating community
development, restoring livelihoods, providing psychosocial support, and building capacity in local
communities. There is also a need to build capacity in the social work profession for the integration of
social, economic and environmental dimensions in policy and practice, and to develop curricula to better
prepare social workers for the challenges ahead.
1. Damage assessment and information gathering
2. Providing moral support
3. Disaster Response
4. Disaster Recovery
5. Rehabilitation ofVictims
1. Damage assessment and Information Gathering
Human loss:
To identify immediate emergency needs, injuries and deaths just after disaster, gather additional
information. Gathering essential health data to provide rapid and effective medical relief to populations
devastated by the effects of a disaster.
Material loss:
Damage assessment conducted in depth, the government is committed and comprehensive damage
assessment of all houses, buildings and public infrastructure in the earthquake-stricken areas. Provide
more accurate damage assessment account of the rehabilitation needs, and formed the basis of large-scale
engineering and building strategy. The participation of the private sector and state government recognizes
the power private sector and NGOs in dealing with the enormous challenges of reconstruction.
Social workers need to help settle vulnerable people, including daily life arrangement, guidance, grief
therapy and counseling, life care, integration non-governmental resources, improving community
cohesion, rebuilding families and communities.
2. Moral support
a) Situational supporting
Usually people lose the supportive systems when occur earthquake. The systems that have being entailed
love, confidence and assurance. Therefore, social worker should prepare supportive groups to clients in
working with survivors of earthquake. The social workers do group social work for reach to above
purpose and in this way; they accumulate the survivors to group. The survivors integrate their
experiments and feelings in adjacency of each other. Usually, this skill is used to helping clients for
psychiatric empty and prevention of emotional reaction.

9. b) Hopefulness making
The hope is a basic antidote and the achievement agent to goals. The hope calm individual and he/she feel
that there is lifeline in future .Generally, the despair and depression are the normal reaction of disaster and
crisis. Therefore, the first stage for making hopefulness is emotional and functional evaluation of client.
Then, social worker encourages the client for starting activities and mobilizing his/her abilities. The
encouragement of client, minimize his/her disinterestedness feeling, inability and despair. In addition, the
conceptual skills and rational discussions should be used for acquainting of client from despair and self-
disinterestedness feeling. The social workers should use various methods for reinforcing client and
selecting new programs. The urgent refer to psychiatrist or psychologist is necessary when these methods
cannot change the disappointment attitudes and thought disorder is perceived.
c) Consoling
The consoling is ancient and helpful approach to appeasing the bereaved clients. Especially, this skill is
favorable for clients who believe to religious duties and afterlife. The social worker may be use clergy for
making hopefulness and appeasing the individuals. Because, this religious communication is one of the
best tools that habituate the grief reaction in clients so far as they are appeased, empowered and
reactivated.
d) Solutions developing
The social worker tries to concentrating client to variety and rational solutions or proffer to client the
possible solutions. In this way, the social worker supports the client at first until decrease his/her anxiety
and then help him/her for realistic understanding disaster. Finally, the worker guides client to helpful
manner that he/she adjusts to situation and solves his/her problems.
2. Disaster response
Disaster response is the second phase of the disaster management cycle. It consists of a number of
elements, for example; warning/evacuation, search and rescue, providing immediate assistance, assessing
damage, continuing assistance and the immediate restoration of infrastructure.The aim of emergency
response is to provide immediate assistance to maintain life, improve health and support the morale of the
affected population. Such assistance may range from providing specific but limited aid, such as
assisting refugees with transport, temporary shelter, and food, to establishing semi-permanent settlement
in camps and other locations. It also may involve initial repairs to damaged infrastructure.
The focus in the response phase is on meeting the basic needs of the people until more permanent and
sustainable solutions can be found. The main responsibility to address these needs and respond to a
disaster lies with the government or governments in whose territory the disaster has occurred. In
addition, Humanitarian organizations are often strongly present in this phase of the disaster management
cycle, particularly in countries where the government lacks the resources to respond adequately to the
needs.

10. 3. Disaster recovery
As the emergency is brought under control, the affected population is capable of undertaking a
growing number of activities aimed at restoring their lives and the infrastructure that supports
them. There is no distinct point at which immediate relief changes into recovery and then into
long-term sustainable development. There will be many opportunities during the recovery period
to enhance prevention and increase preparedness, thus reducing vulnerability. Ideally, there
should be a smooth transition from recovery to on-going development.
Recovery activities continue until all systems return to normal or better. Recovery measures,
both short and long term, include returning vital life-support systems to minimum operating
standards; temporary housing; public information; health and safety education; reconstruction;
counseling programs; and economic impact studies. Information resources and services include
data collection related to rebuilding, and documentation of lessons learned.
a) Early Recovery
In recovery, the affected population is in a more stable period of transition. They have a place to
get food and water and a temporary or transitional shelter that can withstand wind and rain. They
can go about their daily lives, beginning to resume some kind of normal existence. Children go
back to school—though their classes may be held in a church, a tent, or some other temporary
accommodation. Those affected may not have yet recovered fully, but they have begun to adapt
to a “new normal.”
Early recovery can last any number of weeks or months—even years. While the phases from
relief to recovery may follow a similar pattern, the timeline for how quickly a particular
community follows this path may depend on its initial vulnerability, access to resources,
adaptability, and other considerations.
b) Medium to Long-Term Recovery
During medium to long-term recovery, the work of building permanent physical structures to
replace tents, trailers, or plywood houses begins, as does restoration of social structures. As
permanent housing is being rebuilt, the social fabric of communities is strengthened. Children are
returning to school buildings. Adults have renewed opportunities to improve their livelihoods and
restore their family economies. Life is finally beginning to feel stable once more.

11. 4. Rehabilitation of Victims
The role of social worker in rehabilitation of victims of Natural Disasters is very important as they need
physical and psychological support in order to achieve dignified life aftermath of crisis. Natural Disaster
produces significant impact on the life of sufferers. Loss of life, property, disability, death results mental
agony. Medical Social Worker plays a significant role by working in systematic and methodological
approach.
a) ‘BuildBackBetter’ Principle rehabilitationiscarriedout weeks and months after the disaster.
It involvesthe restorationof basicservices (e.g., communications, commuter transportation,
electricityforhomes),infrastructure (e.g.,roadsandbridges,schools),andlivelihood.The goal
of this phase is not only to restore what existed previously but also to set communities on a
better and safer development path and to facilitate resilient recovery.
b) Community-Based Needs Assessments In order to come up with a proper and acceptable
program for recovery and rehabilitation, it is also important to understand the felt needs of
affected communities. Consulting affected populations through interviews prior to any
recoveryprogramensurespublicacceptance andsupportof anyplanned endeavour. A needs
assessment helps prioritize particular areas that need the most immediate action for
rehabilitation.a.Infrastructure andServicesb. Community Livelihood c. Priorities for Habitat
Restoration
c) Social and Community Development
Reconstruction of hospitals, community health centers, primary health centers primary health
sub-centers reconstruction and repair of primary and secondary schools social protection for
orphans, widows, handicapped and marginalized groups repair and reconstruction of institutions
of higher education and technical Improved infrastructure rehabilitation of buildings and private
conservation and heritage buildings.

12. References
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o Green Paper on Disaster Management, Department of Provincial and Local Government, South
Africa
o Adi Fahrudin, Beddu Salam, Baco Mohd Dahlan, Hj Abdul Malek, Mohammad Haji-Yusuf.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND POST·DISASTER SOCIAL SERVICES: THE NEED TO
PREPARE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS TO PRACTICE IN DISASTER SETTING
o DISASTERS & EMERGENCIES DEFINITIONS. WHO/EHA Panafrican Emergency Training
Centre, Addis Ababa Updated March 2002 by EHA
o SOCIAL WORK AND DISASTERS . Michael J. Zakour, Ph.D.School of Social Work. Tulane
University
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