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PrintPreparing for disaster
Oxfam Australia believes that we must do more than respond to emergencies when they hit. That's why we also work in many countries on disaster management, helping communities to become better equipped for natural or political emergencies.
What is disaster management?
A disaster is any event that is beyond the means of the individual, family or community to respond or cope. All disasters are complex events. If this complexity can be reduced, a disaster becomes less severe and thus less traumatic, disruptive and damaging.
Broadly, there are two separate but closely related aspects of disaster management: general disaster preparedness, and emergency response and rehabilitation. Oxfam Australia tries to consider both of these aspects in our local, country or regional planning or review processes.
Disaster management involves either trying to eliminate or diminish the hazards likely to be caused by a potential disaster, or trying to make a community less vulnerable to disaster including by developing early warning systems. In planning disaster preparedness, Oxfam Australia analysis the risks in any situation and plans programs accordingly.
Why do we need to do disaster management?
Global warming, land degradation, globalisation and increasing populations are only a few of the issues which are forcing more and more people to live in increasingly marginal areas. This makes communities increasingly vulnerable to the hazards of natural disaster – cyclone, floods, droughts – or political disaster, such as war. There is also considerable evidence that factors like global warming are making natural disasters more frequent and more severe.
When does disaster management happen?
The most important time to implement effective disaster management is when there is no disaster. Emergencies and local coping strategies must become an integral part of long-term development work. Every aspect of our long-term development program is involved: planning, management, finance, administration, other stakeholders and partners.
When a disaster strikes, it is vital that we have a thorough understanding of every aspect of the disaster's events. If we don't have a handle on what is happening, it does not matter what stage the disaster is at, it will not be possible to organise an effective or appropriate response. The result of poor preparedness is often an international intervention by the UN or other non-government agencies.
Bringing together emergencies and long-term development
The Red Cross Code of Conduct states there is not to be a clear differentiation between emergency and development work. The fact is that in many countries where Oxfam Australia works, periodic "emergencies" are a way of life, and "development" programs – which aim to improve people's quality of life – must come to terms with "emergencies".
Oxfam Australia's emergency programs draw on many differing resources available. However we believe that our emergency programs must incorporate, and not undermine, local communities' capacity to fulfill their own needs. All people and communities – even in an emergency – possess capacities as well as vulnerabilities. If local communities are prepared and have viable contingency plans, they will be in a stronger position to respond to an emergency.