1. INTRODUCTION

Community leaders would be responsible for ensuring the following community behaviour :
· People stay calm and panic behaviour is not encouraged. Regulate helter-skelter running or
crowding of people.
· Encourage people to stay at a secured place and protect themselves from injuries.
· People do not enter damaged buildings or structures or even their own houses
· People do not touch electric poles, utility wires/cables
· People do not use telephones except in life-threatening situations
· Preparedness of community for recurrence of the disaster, increase in severity, or
consequential emergencies
· Check for injuries. Do not attempt to move seriously injured persons unless they are in
immediate danger of death or further injury.
· Undertake first-aid activities as per the guidelines given in preparedness and mitigation
document of DDMAP
· Visually inspect utility lines and appliances for damage.
· If water pipes are damaged, shut off the water supply at the main valve.
· People stay away from damaged areas, unless their assistance has been specifically
requested by police, fire or relief organizations.
· Mobilise people to put out small fires and people inside are made to evacuate.
· People do not throw away any damaged goods until an official inventory has been
taken.
· Help police, if requested, to maintain law and order and watch the evacuated property
during the disaster
3 During Relief and Rehabilitation
Immediately after the disaster, the members of the community may look depressed and
helpless, but very soon gets euphoric when they find that after all everything is not lost.
Participation of community at this stage helps in early recovery and promotes mental health.
It is necessary to see that member of the community are continuously engaged in some sort
of helping activity to draw them out of their depression.
Relief authorities at the site would therefore:
· Encourage self-help in every activity of their day-to-day living.
· Encourage assistance for location and identification of dead, disposal of dead bodies,
disposal of carcasses and disposal of damaged food stocks
· Encourage contribution of labour (loading, unloading, distribution, temporary
constructions, salvage and restoration of water supplies, Food distribution, relief camps,
cattle camps etc.)
· Enlist assistance for updating records of damages and losses.
· Enlist assistance in maintenance of law and order
· Enlist assistance in maintaining sanitation standards and disposal of waste
· Promote cultural and recreational activities in order to protect the mental health and
sustain the ethical and moral values.
C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\C.Lotus.Notes.DataRevised Grain Bank