EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

Because of my interest in “Disaster Risk Reduction”, I am often asked its meaning.

DRR emerged from the 10^th anniversary of the a deadly Kobe, Japan earthquake, held in early 2005 only a few weeks after the devastating SE Asian tsunami. There was renewed emphasis on reducing the impact of disasters, rather than only the costly response to them. Among other measures, numerous countries pledged that 10% of funds they historically provide in relief and response efforts would now go toward disaster mitigation.  The conference outcomes are known also as the Hyogo Framework for Action.

A few definitions: Disasters only happen when a hazard collides with a vulnerability. If we address either of the two, the disaster does not happen.   First, what is a hazard?   A hazard is an extreme event which has the potential to cause injury to life and damage to property and the environment. The key word here is “potential”.  A hazard is not a disaster. A disaster is the result of a hazard’s impact on a vulnerable person or community — causing life, injury, or damage in a way that exceeds one’s capacity to cope.

How do we reduce or eliminate the hazard? Eliminating the hazard is very difficult, especially natural disasters. We could avoid specific hazards by moving, say, from the Midwestern US’s “tornado alley”, or hurricane states that border the Gulf Coast, or earthquake-prone areas of west coast North America. But “eliminating” the disaster is not practical for most of us. In another blog, I have spoken of human-induced disasters such as civil strife or governmental policies, which should be easier to eliminate. Unfortunately, history shows that these “complex emergencies” are not.  

A more reasonable approach is to reduce the impact of the hazard. This is sometimes called hazard mitigation. Mitigation involves measures that we take in advance of a hazard. We seismically-upgrade our homes to mitigate against an earthquake. We build on higher ground to mitigate against seasonal flooding. We wear seat belts to mitigate the impact of a possible traffic accident. We wash our dinner dishes to mitigate against exposure to a food-borne disease. We mitigate against hazards every day, often without knowing it.

The other half of the equation is addressing our vulnerability to the hazard. Vulnerability is a condition that reduces our ability to prepare for or respond. A parallel concept is capacity, which are the strengths and resources that increase our ability to prepare for, cope with, and recover from a disaster.  This may include training and preparation, such as supplies for “sheltering in place” like a winter storm. A Grab-and-Go kit also increases our capacity. So does getting to know our neighbors, identifying those more vulnerable (i.e. elderly, disabled), and having a local “Emergency Response Group”.

Hazards are a part of everyday life. We cannot eliminate them all – our quality of life would become profoundly poor. The key is to reduce our vulnerability and increase our capacity. In doing so, we can prevent a hazard from becoming a disaster.

Thanks for reading.  

Monty