Characteristics of a Disaster-resilient Community A ... - PreventionWeb

Thematic Area 5: Disaster Preparedness and ResponseComponents Characteristics of a Disaster-resilient Community Characteristics of an Enabling Environmentof Resilience4. Emergency 4.1 Community organisations capable of managing crises and ➣ Local emergency services (facilities, structures, staff, etc.)resources and disasters, alone and/or in partnership with other organisations. capable of managing crises and disasters, alone and/or ininfrastructure 4.2 Safe evacuation routes identified and maintained, known to partnership with other organisations.community members. ➣ Higher-level emergency services with structure, capacity,4.3 Emergency shelters (purpose built or modified): accessible to facilities and procedures that enable them to support localcommunity(distance, secure evacuation routes, no restrictions level actions effectively.on entry) and with adequate facilities for all affected population. ➣ Emergency contingency funds and stocks that can be made4.4 Emergency shelters for livestock. available quickly to those in need, with established4.5 Secure communications infrastructure and access routes for procedures for releasing them.emergency services and relief workers. ➣ Pre-arranged agreements signed with donor agencies for4.6 Two-way communications systems designed to function access to funding or loans at the international or regionalduring crises. level as part of emergency and recovery plans.4.7 Emergency supplies (buffer stocks) in place, managed bycommunity alone or in partnership with other local organisations(incl. grain/seed banks).4.8 Community-managed emergency/contingency funds. 45. Emergency 5.1 Community capacity to provide effective and timely emergency ➣ Civil protection and defence organisations, NGOs andresponse and response services: e.g. search and rescue, first aid/medical volunteer networks capable of responding to events inrecovery assistance, needs and damage assessment, relief distribution, effective and timely manner, in accordance with agreed plansemergency shelter, psychosocial support, road clearance. of co-ordination with local and community organisations.5.2 Community and other local agencies take lead role in ➣ Capacity to restore critical systems and infrastructure (e.g.co-ordinating response and recovery. transport, power and communications, public health facilities)5.3 Response and recovery actions reach all affected members of and agreed procedures for action.community and prioritised according to needs. ➣ Support programmes for livelihood-focused recovery (e.g.5.4 Community psychosocial support and counselling mechanisms. cash for work, replacement of productive assets, emergency5.5 Community knowledge of how to obtain aid and other support loans or start-up capital).for relief and recovery. ➣ Resources (human, institutional, material, financial) available5.6 Community trust in effectiveness, equity and impartiality of for long-term reconstruction and recovery.relief and recovery agencies and actions. ➣ Government relief and recovery resources inventoried;5.7 Community/locally led recovery planning and implementation information on resources and how to obtain them madeof plans linking social, physical, economic and environmental available to at-risk and disaster-affected communities.aspects and based on maximum utilisation of local capacities ➣ Official agencies willing and able to guarantee public safetyand resources. 5 after disasters and to protect highly vulnerable groups.5.8 Agreed roles, responsibilities and co-ordination of recovery ➣ Official continuity and recovery plans in place or capable ofactivities (involving local and external stakeholders). being developed, supported by appropriate systems and5.9 Incorporation of DRR into community and local recovery plans. capacities.35