Community based disaster management1

1. Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM):
 Community based disaster management can be seen as risk reduction program
designed primarily by and for the people in certain disaster prone areas.
 Disaster mitigation using government and institutional interventions alone is
insufficient because they pay little attention to addressing the community
dynamics, perceptions or priorities.
 The aim of CBDM is to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen people’s capacities
to cope with hazards.
 A thorough assessment of a community’s exposure to hazards and an analysis of
their specific vulnerabilities and capacities is the basis for activities, projects and
programs that can reduce disaster risks.
2. Reasons of Community Disaster Risk Reduction through Groups :
Communities need to be prepared for natural and human made disasters because these
can strike anywhere regardless of location, culture and history. Local organizations
are able to react immediately and stay long after agencies have come and gone. The
goals of community organizing, particularly neighbours-hood based organizing, varies
but generally includes forming groups, bringing about social justice, obtaining
maintaining or restructuring power, developing alternatives institutions and
maintaining or revitalizing neighbourhoods. Communities that are well trained
culturally, socially and psychologically are better prepared and more effective in
responding to the aftermath of disasters.
3. Importance of Community Initiatives in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management:
When the capacities of a community are recognized the solutions come from within
the community itself, making them stronger and self reliant. The solutions are realistic
and the community feels responsive and involved in the disaster mitigation process,
this leads to more effective and sustainable mitigation that is integrated as part of
development process There is need for community capacity building that encompass
consideration, that cover housing conditions and income generation while raising
awareness and educating the about consequences. Sustainable development can
reduce vulnerability by addressing the root causes of disasters and the lack of access
to economic and political tools.
4. Community Based Disaster Management Approach:
It is important to adapt a new strategy which directly involves the vulnerable people
themselves in planning and implementation of mitigation measures. A bottom-up
approach is likely to receive acceptance because considered communities are the best
judges of their own vulnerability and can make the best decisions regarding their well
being. Because a community is involved in the whole process, their felt and real needs
as well as inherent resources are considered, therefore there is a greater likelihood that
problems will be addressed with appropriate interventions. People’s participation is

not only focused in process but on content, the community should be able to directly
gain resulting from improved disaster risk management.
5. Main Characteristics of Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM):
 One promising model that incorporates the principals of community mobilization
and organization is community based disaster management (CBDM)
 Community has a central role in long term and short term disaster management.
 Disaster risks or vulnerability reduction is the foundation of CBDM, the primary
content of disaster management activities revolves around reducing vulnerable
condition and the root cause of vulnerability.
 To enrich the community involvement in risk reduction, it is important to first
assess the risk with the help of a community.
6. Role of Local Community Groups in Disaster Management:
 Informal organizations are usually locally based and managed by volunteers and
may provide self help or mutual aid.
 The inclusion of grassroots and informal organizations can improve citizens’
participation in disaster responses particularly in isolated or marginalized
communities.
 This inclusion of these organizations can be empowering and improve access to
services for such population.
7. Role of Social Workers in Community Disaster Management:
 Engage in public awareness campaign about disasters.
 Coordinating disaster management and development activities.
 Community capacity building at the social, economic and environmental levels.
 Enhancing community preparedness for disasters and in building social capital.
 Educating people on how to mitigate the consequences of disasters during relief,
recovery and reduction preventive strategies periods.
 Playing a monumental role in providing psychological support e.g. counseling for
disaster survivors.
 Tracking people down for family reunions after disasters.
 Communication particularly utilizing interpersonal communication for
disseminating warning signals.
 Recruiting local volunteers who are familiar with the local logistics, resource and
coordination plans.
 A contingent of trained community organizers and policy advocates is the group
most capable of promoting the needs of marginalized citizens who are displaced
or who have returned but are living in substandard conditions.
8. Training and Capacity Building: The effective utilization of social capital is crucial in
the building of community and institutional capacities in disaster management

projects. Social capital consists of social concepts as social networks, social conflicts,
social cohesion, and social interactions and solidarity. One tool used in disaster and
complex emergencies that incorporate an understanding of local community
knowledge and capacity building, one such example is PRA, an action research tool
that involves community members in defining and working to solve local concerns.
9. Training Requirement / Training Areas: Training on intervention techniques, loss and
grief counseling and disaster preparedness. Disaster management. Crisis counselling.
Resilience. Disaster prevention and mitigation. Conflict management. Crisis
intervention. Stress management. Grief bereavement counselling. Problem analysis.
Data collection and research. Case management. Networking, advocacy and
leadership.
10. Challenges Generally Encountered By Groups: Inadequate resources. Poor quality
leadership. Dependency syndrome. Lack of inertia. Internal conflict. Lack of
transparency. Inadequate organizational and management capacity. Conflicting
government and stakeholder policies especially on cost sharing, handout and technical
support.
11. Way Forward and Recommendations:
 Groups can be used and important vehicle for disaster risk reduction and
management due to their unity of purpose.
 Volunteers and social workers can form groups which will be available and very
useful in times of disasters
 Vulnerable communities and disaster victims can form their own groups for their
psychological support, tracing the lost relatives, sharing of grief and assisting the
most affected.
 Community groups can be used to initiate small scale enterprises by the victims of
disasters in order to restore their economic power.
 Community groups can be used by the vulnerable and disaster groups to mobilize
savings and give credit to their members.
 Groups can be supported to assist disaster victims in conducting funerals and
assisting the orphans and vulnerable children's .
 Government, development partners and other stake holders can establish
community enterprise funds which can be channeled through groups

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