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Disaster preparedness and disaster response
are two of the four core areas of Strategy
2010. The International
Federation’s disaster preparedness policy requires
that all National Societies recognize disaster preparedness
as a primary activity, since it is the “most effective
way of reducing the impact of both small and localized as
well as large-scale disasters”.
In 2001, staff of several National Societies
and Federation disaster preparedness delegates defined the
characteristics of a Well-Prepared National Society (WPNS), with
the aim of creating a simple tool for disaster preparedness
planning. Based on that initial checklist, the well-prepared
National Society self-assessment questionnaire is a mapping
exercise that helps National Societies assess and analyse
their preparedness status. From this, they can better identify
areas for improvement in their disaster management work. The
tool also provides practical indicators for overall planning
and monitoring. It offers a global baseline and an opportunity
for benchmarking and comparison at sub-regional, regional
and global level.
The exercise is a precursor to more comprehensive
tools, such as vulnerability and capacity
assessment, used for community preparedness and risk reduction
activities, and the mapping of hazards, risks and capacities
at National Society level.
The well-prepared National Society tool
aims to:
- help the National Society assess
its preparedness status, identify strengths and weaknesses
and prioritize actions in line with Strategy 2010;
- provide a baseline and indicators
by which the effectiveness of global and/or regional disaster
preparedness support can be compared over time;
- identify the key areas where disaster
preparedness support is required at global, regional and
national levels for inclusion in the planning/drafting
of annual and emergency appeals;
- provide input to negotiations with
partner National Societies and other donors or potential
partners;
- identify National Societies and
regions that have specific expertise and resources that
can be shared with others;
- identify short-, medium- and long-term
trends in relation to disaster preparedness;
- enable National Societies to assess
their status in light of global, regional or sub-regional
trends.
The first round of assessments took place
between 2002 and 2004, during which 134 out of the 181 (now
186) National Societies responded to the well-prepared
National Society questionnaire, an overall response rate
of 74 percent. The second round of assessments is under way
and will be completed by end-2007.
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Disaster management
