Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Plan

Objectives

• Understanding the key concepts, principles, and elements of a Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plan.
• Recognizing the importance of DRR in one's life.

Knowledge Check

• Disaster risk is influenced by components such as hazards, exposure, and vulnerability.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)

• Its an organized system with strategies that prevent disasters.
• Reducing disaster risk minimizes the probability of a hazard event becoming a disaster.
• DRRM involves plans and actions implemented in a community to minimize risks of damage and disasters from specific hazards.
• It includes systematic efforts to analyze and manage the causal factors of disasters.
• This involves reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability, managing land and the environment wisely, and improving preparedness for adverse events, according to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster.
• Disasters can be prevented or mitigated, reducing disaster risk and impact with a well-planned DRRM.

4 Components of DRRM

• Mitigation
• Preparedness
• Response
• Recovery

Mitigation

• Mitigation refers to sustained actions to reduce the severity or likelihood of a disaster.
• Examples include hazard assessment, vulnerability analysis, risk assessment, risk evaluation, vulnerability reduction, and maintenance of public infrastructure.

Preparedness

• It is a set of actions geared toward the readiness of key stakeholders or any person, group, or sectors of the society that have interest or concern, that may be affected.
• Examples of preparedness: trainings, workshops, education, simulations, and the development of an early warning device system which are considered preparatory programs, or emergency/contingency plans.

Response

• Response involves activities done after a hazard event.
• Rescue teams are needed to mobilize quickly and efficiently to save human lives and properties.
• Examples of response are rescue and evacuation, plus provision of emergency supplies and support.

Recovery

• Recovery includes the post-disaster actions that lead to community resiliency.
• The recovery encompasses the phase when the community is able to get back to its normal functioning.
• Include rehabilitation, reconstruction, psychological debriefing, relocation, and long-term assistance to victims.

Importance of DRRM

• The Philippines ranked third in the World Risk Report (2018) for having the highest risks from natural and man-made hazards.
• At least 60% of the country's total land area is exposed to multiple hazards, and 74% of the population is susceptible to their impact (Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, 2017).
• It is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire and also situated at the boundary of tectonic plates.
• The Philippines experiences seismic movements from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
• The country experiences frequent tropical cyclones, flooding, and storm surges due to its location along the typhoon belt and surrounded by water bodies.
• The Philippines, as a developing country, may lack sufficient resources to address disaster needs and recover from damage.
• Countries with economic challenges and poor governance face a higher disaster risk, with survivors struggling to live.
• Hunger encompasses the accessibility, stability of supplies, and nutrition of food.
• Victims may not survive due to lack of food in the area if disaster strikes in a remote area.
• Leaving a disaster site in disarray may be hazardous physically and pathologically.
• Stagnant pools of water breed mosquitos, and tetanus may enter punctured wounds.
• Psychological disturbance and shock, coupled with limited nutritious food and sanitation, can lower illness resistance in victim communities, making them more vulnerable to disease.
• It is hard to recover from a disaster if a country has no sufficient resources to assist in rehabilitation, because the cost of damage may exceed allocated funds.
• Loss that are brought on by disasters affects the livelihoods in the communities and development prospects long-term.
• DRRM programs make the community aware of possible specific damage and loss, stronger DRRM programs help communities cope and adapt to post-disaster conditions.

Key Principles of DRRM

• Development can increase or decrease disaster risk as Urban development brings about questions on the utilization of natural resources.
• DRRM policies, laws, and regulations won't save lives unless implemented in communities after conducting simple drill practice to provide basic feedback.
• The community is the frontline of disaster risk management, ensuring it is created based on the community's needs.
• DRRM encompasses even sectors that may be affected indirectly, as communities extend to a network and can have inevitable reactions.
• Building a resilient community that can recover quickly from hazards is the main objective of DRRM.