Disaster Response and Relief

The response and relief phase of disaster risk management is concerned with the implementation of the preparedness plan effectively. The chief aim of disaster response is to immediately press in the emergency services to maintain or improve the life, health, and property of the community. Such support not only provides a material benefit to the community but also boosts the morale of the affected people during the crisis.

Response measures are taken in anticipation of, during and immediately after a disaster

to minimise its adverse impact. It has the following main elements:

• Evaluation: The overall situation after the disaster must be assessed quickly to get clear and accurate information about the disaster situation so that an adequate strategy is built for relief services. The affected people must be rescued and taken to safer locations. The primary concern for any response activity is to save the lives of people and provide medical aid to required people.

• Activate the emergency operation centres: Key information related to the disaster, including information regarding secondary hazards like fire, aftershocks of earthquakes, etc., must be quickly disseminated so as to prevent further damage.

• Search and Rescue: Deployment of search and rescue teams to find the trapped people at the location of the disaster and take them to safe places. The escape route should be identified at the earliest to evacuate the stranded people. Search and rescue operations are carried out in all kinds of disasters, including tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, collapsed buildings, etc.
• Relief: There should be no delay in providing relief services like medical support, food, water, clothing, transportation, etc., till the situation abates.
• Logistics: In order to dispense relief aid, adequate logistic facilities will be required. Logistic facilities include procurement of necessary materials, storage and transportation for distribution to the victims.
• Communication: Communication is an important aspect of accomplishing a task, especially which requires multiple stakeholder involvement. Information management is necessary during disaster response as a concerted effect of multiple players is required to overcome the effects of the disaster. Essential equipment for information flow includes radio, TV, telephones, mobiles, internet and their supporting systems. The IT tools like cell phones and the internet have proved to be extremely useful in the dissemination of information. Text messages can be sent to the general public about an impending threat, and social media networking can be used as a channel of communication.
• Security: After the onset of a disaster, the protection and safety of people and property can be extremely important and may require monitoring. Often opportunists try to take advantage of disaster situations as there is chaos and restlessness in the general public. This creates a law and order situation. To avert any untoward situation, the police department must remain on constant vigil.
• Set up medical camps and provide temporary shelter, food, water medicines,transportation facility, evacuation to safer places, repairs of damaged infrastructure, etc. In the response phase, the focus is on meeting the basic needs of the affected people till long term and permanent solutions are found.

Response Activity:

Response activities should be promptly initiated to provide vital services to affected people otherwise the suffering of people will increase. To avoid delay, a response plan should be made prior to the occurrence of the disaster. A properly executed response plan helps to re-establish the self-sufficiency of the community quickly. Some of the key activities of the response mechanism include:

Reconstruction and Recovery: Reconstruction works require that the utility services resume functioning as quickly as possible, repair houses and shelters and revive economic activities. It also includes incorporating such changes in the system to avert future disasters which may not have been possible to be implemented during normal times. Reconstruction and rehabilitation activities may also require external assistance in kind or cash. To arrange for external assistance, adequate partnership and networking must be established.

Emergency relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction are all parts of the recovery process. Recovery measures are initiated to undertake the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure and restoration of economic and emotional well-being. The main elements are

as follows:

• Community awareness of health and safety measures.
• Counselling programme for those who have lost their near and dear ones.
• Restoring the essential services -roads, communication links, electricity etc.
• Providing shelters.
• Collecting usable materials for construction from the rubble.
• Providing financial support Finding employment opportunities.
• Reconstructing new buildings.

The organisations that can efficiently give first assistance may be a combination of global and local groups, depending on the type and location of the disaster: Large, worldwide organisations contribute supplies and experienced employees with particular talents from all over the world who have experience working in disasters.  The disaster relief phase entails offering immediate support by taking steps to lessen suffering and frequently by offering monetary aid to those who are affected. Relief is important because it’s important to interact with the affected community when they are most vulnerable.