Disaster Response Preparedness An Overview of OCHA’s Role & UNDAC Response Preparedness Missions

United NationsDisaster Assessment and CoordinationFCSS

Disaster Response Preparedness

An Overview of OCHA’s Role & UNDAC Response Preparedness

Missions


Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015Building the resilience of nations & communities

to disasters

• Governments around the world have committed to take action to reduce disaster risk and have adopted a guideline to reduce vulnerabilities to natural hazards called the Hyogo Framework for Action. The Hyogo Framework assists the efforts of nations & communities to become more resilient to, and cope better with the hazards which threaten their development gains.


Hyogo Framework for Action

5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels… impacts and losses can be substantially reduced if authorities, individuals and communities in hazard-prone areas are well prepared … and equipped with the knowledge and capacities for effective disaster management.


http://www.unisdr.org


Terminology

Disaster response preparedness :

Minimizing the impact of a disaster by strengthening the capacity to provide a timely and appropriate humanitarian response to the needs of affected populations.


TerminologyPrevention/ Mitigation :

Prevention : Activities designed to provide permanent protection from disasters (example : constructing a dam)

Mitigation : Any structural (such as flood defences, strengthening physical structures) or non structural (such as building codes, regulation of land use) measures undertaken to limit the impact of a disaster


Disaster Response Preparedness within the Disaster Risk Reduction Cycle

Disaster strikes

Mitigation

Reconstruction

Prevention

Mitigation

Preparedness

Response

Recovery


The Stages of Response Preparedness

1- Assess And Monitor Vulnerability & Risks • Risks depend on:

• Probability of a hazard• Vulnerability of the population• Response capacity

• Therefore, a risk assessment should: • map the hazard • take into account the degree of vulnerability focusing on

the likely effects of the potential hazard, relief needs and available resources.

This data should be regularly updated = monitoring


The Stages of Response Preparedness2 - Set Up Or Enhance Early Warning Systems• Early warning systems empower individuals & communities

threatened by hazards to act in sufficient time and appropriate manner to reduce the possibility of personal injury, loss of life, etc.

• To be effective, they must integrate 4 elements– knowledge of the risks faced; – technical monitoring and warning service; – dissemination of meaningful warnings to those at risk; – and public awareness and preparedness to act.

• Failure in any one of these elements can mean failure of the whole early warning system.


The Stages of Response Preparedness

3 - Build An Efficient Response Capacity

• Through Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Plans

• Objective : strengthen regional, national and local response

capacity as well as international humanitarian response

capacity by defining tasks and responsibilities for each actor

and indicating systematic sequences of activities that need to

be undertaken in case of a disaster


OCHA’s Disaster Response Preparedness Role

Strengthening Disaster Response Preparedness at all levels:– Preparedness of OCHA to respond

– Preparedness of the international humanitarian community to respond

– Preparedness of regional and national authorities to respond (in collaboration with UNDP and ISDR)

With a focus on high-risk, low capacity countries


How

• Common risk analysis, clarifying roles and responsibilities

• Advocacy for effective disaster preparedness• Guidance for preparedness and contingency planning

within the HFA framework • Supporting readiness of humanitarian community and

national authorities• Facilitating implementation of national and regional

level preparedness activities


UN Partners in the Disaster Risk Reduction Cycle

• ISDR Secretariat: The coordination body for the implementation of overall disaster risk reduction policy in accordance with the Hyogo Framework for Action• Core function: advocacy for disaster risk reduction;

international clearinghouse for information on disaster reduction strategies

• UNDP: Support the implementation of disaster risk reduction policy at the country-level• Core function: building national capacities for disaster

risk management, technical expertise in support to capacity-building efforts (Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery)


Main actors dealing with disaster response preparedness in OCHA

At regional and country level :• Regional Offices (ROs) – Dakar, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Bangkok,

Dubai, Panama• Regional Disaster Response Advisors (RDRAs) – Dakar, Nairobi,

Bangkok, Dubai, Panama, Alma-Aty, Fiji • Field Offices • National Disaster Response Advisors (NDRAs) – in high-risk, low

capacity countries

At Headquarters :• All units are involved and particularly :• The Emergency Services Branch (ESB)• The Emergency Preparedness Section (EPS)


Role of OCHA Regional Office & RDRA

For example:

• Assist UN Resident Coordinators, the UN Disaster Management Teams and Governments in the region in strengthening disaster management capacities and in further promoting regional cooperation to ensure effective response to disasters.

• Facilitate and optimize the humanitarian response in countries where there is a risk of or ongoing emergency situation through regional advocacy activities, early warning, donor liaison, monitoring, information gathering and analysis and rapid response mechanisms.


Role of OCHA Field Offices

For example:• Promote common understanding of disaster risks• Strengthen/set up disaster coordination structures at the inter-

agency level and with governments• Support the development of inter-agency and governmental

contingency planning• Promote awareness of OCHA’s and international disaster response

tools• Support as appropriate, civil society’s preparedness activities)


OCHA’s Emergency Preparedness Section (EPS - created on 1 January 2007)

• Provides guidance on OCHA’s disaster preparedness activities (supports ROs and RDRAs and provides preparedness training)

• Facilitates implementation of country and regional level preparedness activities (according to HFA priority 5)

• Promotes inter-agency coordination on disaster preparedness activities (acts as key OCHA Geneva counterpart for UNDP/BCPR, ISDR and IFRC ; facilitates IASC mechanisms and CADRI)


OCHA’s Emergency Services Branch (ESB)

• UNDAC, INSARAG, civil-military coordination training• UNDAC disaster response preparedness missions• Establishing and running of tools such as GDACS, virtual

OSOCC• Assessment and response tools for environmental

emergencies • Preparedness training and response tools related to

military and civil defence support to humanitarian operations

• Internal stand-by capacity and stand-by arrangements with external partners for emergency deployment


UNDAC Response Preparedness Missions

• Evaluation of national preparedness for response to natural disasters– Evaluation of national action plans and response capacities

by UNDAC experts and associate experts (e.g. from IFRC, UNDP, donors, etc.)

– Recommendations on developing/improving national preparedness systems

– National Government responsible for implementing the recommendations

– UNDAC follow-up mission one year later to review developments/actions taken


UNDAC Response Preparedness MissionsPre-Mission Activities – on

receipt of request• TORs, duration & scope of

mission• UNDAC team composition –

special skills needed, nationalities

• Collection of available material on the subject – use of Virtual OSOCC

• Analysis of the Terms of Reference

• Sub-division of UNDAC team into groups

• Planning mission schedule on arrival in country

• Discussion / sub-group brainstorming, questions to be asked

• Provisional outline of report based on TORs


UNDAC Response Preparedness Missions

Methodology• Interviews with all

stakeholders• Visits to institutions• Field visits• Constant interaction with

Government


UNDAC Response Preparedness MissionsPlan of ActionThe first week• Meet UN RC and National Disaster

Management Authority on first day• Institutions / people to be met in

Capital city. Collection of documents and data

• Analysis of allotment of UNDAC members to task - time available

• Initial field visits – purpose, logistics , time and space constraints

• Representatives of all sub-groups should go

• The final product – start putting the report together

The second week• Second round of field visits• Discuss initial conclusions

with Govt, UN RC, UN Country Team, NGOS, donors, World Bank, etc

• Concentrate on the Report. Clear recommendations

• Final report presentation to Govt and UN Country Team – printed copies


UNDAC Response Preparedness MissionsPossible Contents of UNDAC Mission Report• Natural Disasters in Country• Analysis of Disaster Management Framework• Working of National Disaster Management Agency• Disaster Response Capacity in country• Disaster Contingency Planning, Monitoring, Damage Assessment

and Needs Analysis Capacity• Public Awareness and Education• Implementation schedule• Annexes

+ Follow-up one year later


Benefits to Participating Governments• Countries get experienced, multi disciplinary expert

analysis and advice on disaster response systems• Free of cost• Rapid results ( 2 weeks)• Follow up missions after one year also free of cost• The report is perceived as impartial• Response preparedness missions increase donor awareness

and willingness to consider funding gaps identified• Receiving and dealing with such a analytical mission

builds capacity in country’s disaster management organisation

Documents

Disaster Response Preparedness An Overview of OCHA’s Role & UNDAC Response Preparedness Missions