1. What is a Disaster?

A disaster is a natural or man-made hazard that has come to fruition, resulting in an event of substantial extent causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of life, or drastic change to the environment. A disaster can be ostensively defined as any tragic event with great loss stemming from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions. It is a phenomenon that causes huge damage to life, property and destroys the economic, social and cultural life of people.

2. What is community based disaster management?

CBDM is described by the International Institute for Disaster Management as an approach that involves direct participation of the people most likely to be exposed to hazards, in planning, decision making and operational activities at all levels of disaster management responsibility." The past experiences reveal the fact that the pre and post disaster management strategies can be carried out effectively only with peoples participation and public awareness. Community based disaster management programs helps to prepare people and respond to disasters and recover from emergencies. Coordination between different government departments, local bodies, volunteers and NGOs with the people is a felt necessity.

3. What is a village disaster management plan?

At the village level, the Village Disaster Management Committee headed by the Sarpanch/ Village Headman is responsible for preparing the Village Disaster Management Plans and also coordinating with various agencies for providing training to the Disaster Management Teams. The members should see to it that mock drills are carried out by the villagers at regular intervals by the villagers for various hazards. It is accepted that the Government alone cannot take on the entire responsibility of Disaster Management. Apart from national, state, district and local levels there are various institutions who are involved in disaster management at various levels in the country. This includes the police and Para-military forces, Civil Defence and Home Guards, fire services, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Youth Organizations, UN agencies, International and National voluntary groups, public and private sector enterprises, media etc. play a major role in managing disasters. Functions of some of the organizations have been mentioned below. A. UN DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM (UNDMT) INDIA UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), has been made responsible by the UNGeneral Assembly mandate for all International disaster response. In India, UNDMT represents various UN agencies to implement disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts and strengthen Governments capacities on disaster risk management. The UNDMT has representation from various UN Agencies such as FAO, ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO which act together whenever there is a disaster. The primary purpose of the UNDMT is to ensure prompt, effective and concerted country level disaster preparedness by the UN system, and the response when appropriate. B. INDIAN ARMED FORCES: The Armed Forces are the core of the governments response capacity. They intervene and take on specific tasks only when the situation is beyond the capacity of civil administration. Due to their ability to organize action in adverse ground circumstances, speed of operational response and the resources and capacities at their disposal, the armed forces have

historically played a major role in emergency support functions such as communications, search and rescue operations, health and medical facilities, transportation, power, food and civil supplies, public works and engineering, especially in the immediate aftermath of disaster. C. NATIONAL CADET CORPS (NCC) The National Cadet Corps, a body formed in 1948 aims at: developing qualities of character, courage, comradeship, discipline, leadership, secular out look, spirit of adventure and sportsmanship and the ideals of selfless service among the youth to make them useful citizens. This it does by creating a human resource of organized, trained and activated youth. Providing leadership in all walks of life including the Armed Forces and making themselves available for the service of the nation. D. CIVIL DEFENCE Civil Defence aims at saving life, minimizing damage to the property and maintaining continuity of industrial production in the event of a hostile attack. The two war emergencies faced by the country in 1962 and 1965 compelled the Government of India to reorient its emergency training activities from natural disasters to those concerning protection of life and property against enemy action. The National Civil Defence College was founded on 29th April 1957 at Nagpur as the Central Emergency Relief Training Institute (CERTI) to function as the training wing of the Emergency Relief Organization of the Government of India. This Central Institute focuses on advanced and specialist training to the leaders of relief services, which was essential for efficient conduct of relief operations during natural disasters. Today there are around 500,000 Civil Defence Volunteers throughout the country. E. NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME (NSS) Ever since independence there has been growing awareness of the desirability of involving students in national services. The first Education Commission (1950) recommended the introduction of national service by students on a voluntary basis. Ministry of Education introduced the National Service Scheme during 1969-70. The motto of NSS is NOT ME BUT YOU. It underlines that the welfare of an individual is ultimately dependent on the welfare of the society as a whole. The NSS symbol is based on the Rath Wheel of the Konark Sun Temple of Orissa. It stand for dynamism and progressive outlook of youth. Any student enrolled as a NSS volunteer, as per NSS Manual should put in atleast 240 hours of useful social work in a continuous period of two years (i.e. 120 hours per year). A work diary is to be maintained by each NSS volunteer, which will help him/her in the assessment in his/her performance. Such volunteer is eligible to get NSS Service Certificate from the colleges. The Service Certificate given in the NSS Manual should be strictly adhered. Each NSS unit in the college is expected to adopt a near by village/slum and work for its all-round development. Regular activities and special campus should preferably be organized in the adopted village/rural unit/slum for this purpose. F. NEHRU YUVA KENDRAS: The Nehru Yuva Kendras were launched in the year 1972 as part of the Silver Jubilee celebration of Indias Independence. This was on the recommendation of the National Advisory Board on Youth with the objective of providing the non-student rural Youth avenues to take part in nation building activities and also to provide opportunity for the development of their own personality and skills. As volunteers the members have helped the community at times of crisis. Today, it functions under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. NYKS is a registered society and is governed by a Board of Governors headed by the Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports. 7. HOME GUARD Home Guard is a voluntary force, first raised in India in December 1946, to assist the police in controlling civil disturbance and communal riots. Subsequently, the concept of a voluntary citizens force was adopted by several States. In the wake of Chinese aggression in 1962, the Centre advised the States and Union territories to merge their existing voluntary organization into one uniform voluntary force known as Home Guards. The function of Home Guards is to

Serve as an auxiliary to the police in maintenance of internal security Help the community in any kind of emergency such as air raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic etc. Help in maintenance of essential services Promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections Participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and perform Civil Defence duties.

4. The Role of Government in a Disaster

Government agencies play a critical role during times of disaster, but the exact role of government is often unclear to disaster victims. Even more difficult to decipher are the complex relationships between various government programs, from local to national levels. This document will attempt to make the roles and relationships a little more understandable.

The Basic Scenario

In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, federal assistance is made available only after a formal request has been made by a states governor. The extent or the impact of a natural or man-made event can qualify a region of a state to be declared a disaster. The President makes this declaration, and once made, it initiates the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA. FEMA reacts as quickly as possible to the devastation caused by a disaster to provide immediate aid and relief to those affected; this is known as the disaster response phase. After the disaster is over and it is time to rebuild, the recovery phase begins, and with it come additional sources of aid. Now, we examine the elements of this scenario in more detail.

Declarations of Emergency and Major Disaster Status

A state's governor orders a preliminary disaster report to be completed, usually after a disaster has struck. Once this report is finished, the governor can then request from the President a major disaster or emergency declaration for affected areas. This request can be transmitted as soon as it is obvious that the destruction is significant, often while a large scale weather event is still in progress. y Declaration of an Emergency This allows the President to send supplementary funds to state and local efforts to save lives and protect property. Total assistance provided in a given declared emergency may not exceed five million dollars. y Declaration of a Major Disaster This declaration indicates that the disaster is of significant scope beyond the abilities of state government to manage on its own. Assistance is offered to both the public and private sectors. Once the declaration has been issued, the FEMA is authorized to engage the services of twelve federal departments, two agencies, one commission, one corporation, and one authority.

Types of Assistance
A state governor may request three types of federal assistance: y Individual Assistance For individuals, families, farmers, and businesses, in the form of loans, grants, emergency housing, tax relief and unemployment assistance. y Public Assistance Funds for states, local communities and nonprofit groups to restore public systems and facilities. y Matching Mitigation Funds For states and local communities, for projects which eliminate or reduce an areas vulnerability to a hazard.

Federal assistance for state and local governments may include the following: 1) provision of equipment, supplies, facilities and personnel; 2) technical assistance; 3) loans and sometimes grants. Private nonprofit institutions that provide educational, utility, medical and other essential services are also eligible for federal aid. The federal government also provides matching "mitigation funds" to reconstruct buildings or utility systems to withstand future disasters.

FEMA
FEMA is an independent federal agency with more than 2,600 fulltime employees. These employees work at FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C.; at regional and area offices across the country; at the Mount Weather Emergency Assistance Center; and at the FEMA training center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. FEMA also has nearly 4,000 standby disaster assistance employees who are available to help after a disaster strikes. Often FEMA works in partnership with other organizations which are part of the nation's emergency management system. Partners include state and local emergency management agencies, twenty seven federal agencies, and the American Red Cross. There are ten FEMA regional offices and two FEMA area offices. Each region serves several states. Regional staff works directly with states to plan for disasters, to develop mitigation programs, and to meet needs when major disasters occur. The complete list of FEMA regional offices is given in the Resources section of Chapter 1.

Response versus Recovery: A Critical Distinction

The kind of relief needed in an emergency depends very much on the immediate goal of the affected people. Their most immediate needs during or soon after the event are food, rescue, communications, etc. After the direct dangers of the disaster have passed, the focus of victims shifts to rebuilding. Therefore, relief agencies distinguish between Response and Recovery. Response begins as soon as a disaster is detected or begins to threaten an area. Response involves mobilizing and positioning emergency equipment; getting people out of danger; providing needed food, water, shelter and medical services; and bringing damaged services and systems back on line. Local responders, government agencies and private organizations also take action. When destruction goes beyond local and state capabilities, federal help is needed. Recovery is the task of rebuilding after a disaster. This can take months and even years to complete. The disaster may well affect the following areas: 1) community, regional and state services and infrastructure; 2) community, regional and state facilities and operations; and 3) the lives and livelihoods of many thousands of people. During the recovery stage, federal loans and grants can help enormously. Recovery costs can be well beyond the capabilities of local and state governments to repair expensive water, sewage and other essential services. Loans and grants also help communities rebuild homes, businesses and public facilities, clear debris, and repair roads and bridges.

The Federal Response Plan

The Federal Response Plan implements the provisions of the Stafford Act (Public Law 93-288, as amended). This act defines the events that may be considered disasters, describes the basic mechanisms and structures through which federal aid and assistance will be provided, and outlines the coordination of various federal agencies to fulfill twelve Emergency Support Functions (ESF). More specifically, the Stafford Act:

1. Identifies natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and typhoons, tornados, and volcanic eruptions. Also applicable to technological emergencies such as radiological or hazardous material release or other incidents requiring federal assistance under the act. 2. Describes basic mechanisms and structures by which the federal government will mobilize resources and conduct activities. These efforts augment state and local responses. 3. Facilitates provision of the types of federal assistance a state is likely to need, based on twelve Emergency Support Functions (ESFs).

Activating the Federal Response Plan

The Federal Response Plan begins to operate when a series of actions have been taken. Generally the process follows these steps: 1. Contact is made between the affected state and the FEMA regional office. This contact may take place prior to or immediately following a disaster. 2. If it appears that the situation is beyond state and local capacity, the state requests FEMA to conduct a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment, or PDA. Participants in the PDA include FEMA, state and local government representatives and other federal agencies. 3. Based on the PDA, the governor submits a request to the President through the FEMA regional director for either a major disaster or an emergency declaration. 4. The FEMA regional office submits a summary of the disaster "event" along with a recommendation based on the results of the PDA. The summary and recommendation are submitted to FEMA headquarters, accompanied by the governor's request. 5. Once Headquarters receives these documents, senior staff meets to discuss the request and determine what recommendation they will make to the President. 6. FEMA's recommendation is forwarded to the White House for review. 7. The President declares a major disaster or an emergency. Assistance is provided to the affected state via the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO), appointed by the Director of FEMA on behalf of the President. The FCO is charged with overall Coordination of federal assistance programs to affected regions.

Emergency Support Functions

The twelve ESFs form the primary mechanism through which federal response assistance will be provided. Each ESF is headed by a primary agency selected based on its authorities, resources and capabilities. Other agencies are designated as support agencies for one or more ESF based on their resources and capabilities. The Emergency Support Functions are: 1. Transportation Provides civilian and military transportation. Lead agency: Department of Transportation. 2. Communications Provides telecommunications support. Lead agency: National Communications System. 3. Public Works and Engineering Restores essential public services and facilities. Lead agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense. 4. Fire Fighting Detects and suppresses wild land, rural and urban fires. Lead Agency: U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. 5. Information and Planning Collects, analyzes and disseminates critical information to facilitate the overall federal response and recovery operations. Lead agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency. 6. Mass Care Manages and coordinates food, shelter and first-aid for victims; provides bulk distribution of relief supplies; operates a system to assist family reunification. Lead agency: American Red Cross. 7. Resource Support

Provides equipment, materials, supplies and personnel to federal entities during response operations. Lead agency: General Services Administration. 8. Health and Medical Services Provides assistance for public health and medical care needs. Lead agency: U.S. Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services. 9. Urban Search and Rescue Locates, extricates and provides initial medical treatment to victims trapped in collapsed structures. Lead agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency. 10. Hazardous Materials Supports federal response to actual or potential releases of oil and hazardous materials. Lead agency: Environmental Protection Agency. 11. Food Identifies food needs; ensures that food gets to affected areas. Lead agency: Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture. 12. Energy Restores power systems and fuel supplies. Lead agency: Department of Energy.

5. Mock Drill
It is important to conduct live disaster situation drills/rehearsals. Mock drill is an integrated part of the disaster preparedness plan, as it is a preparedness drill to keep the community alert. The drills are basically a series of actions according to the plan and are usually tried out as a dummy exercise by keeping the people informed of the exercises. If practiced several times the community would be well prepared to respond to the situation. This is usually done keeping in mind the real time situation. In case of areas prone to cyclone or flood the drills shall be conducted twice a year, one immediately before the cyclone/ flood season and other after 6 months time. The drills should be conducted at least twice a year. The plans should not just remain on paper rather it should be dynamic and working. The plan should ensure that it addresses the responsibilities of the task force members as well as the families/ individuals living in that area. Over a period of time there could be many changes/developments in an area for which the contingency plan has been prepared. Hence it is very important that the plan is revised every six months or at least once in a year with updated information. The working plan prepared by the community should be aimed towards the development in the region. It is also important to note that there should be an effective convergence of the plan prepared by the community with the lager programmes/development plans of the region.