What is Disaster Management?

 

Disaster Management is the process of effectively responding to natural hazards or accidents.  It is a strategic approach to  handle any sudden disasters, providing rescue and relief to the suffering humanity.

 

The five steps of disaster management are:

•  Prevention

• Mitigation(or reducing the severity of seriousness of hazard)

•  Preparedness

•  Response

•  Recovery 

 

How to prevent and mitigate the effects of disasters

Even in this era of highly advanced technology, we cannot completely prevent disasters. But by the following steps we can surely reduce the suffering and loss of people due to sudden disasters.

• Effective Use of Predictions and Warning Systems
• Awareness of potential hazards and threats
• Abiding by laws in construction of buildings and infrastructure

 

 Preparedness

As a Muslim majority community, it is our duty to give due importance to ‘tadbeer’ or planning, or scheme to adopt a strategic approach to handle any kind of problems. Policies have to be made keeping in mind the potential risks and threats faced by the area.

 

Importance of Accountability and Merit

It is very important in any community that leadership is given on basis of merit and a culture of accountability is set up. This is the only way people will be able to make right policies in right time. It is one of most important steps of disaster prevention.

 

Role of Local Leadership, Media and NGOs

It is very important to keep the issue alive until all the relief operation is complete and disaster hit people are settled in. It is the role of media and social media; people in far-flung areas are reminded of the ordeal of their brothers and sisters. The awareness campaign can engage more people and motivate them how to help, how to donate and trust building with donors can help raise more funds and gather more help.

 

Coordinated Response

It is imperative that the response is coordinated and efforts are made in a productive way. It is a common observation that whenever there is a disaster or accidents lots of people want to help but due to lack of coordination, the response is not as effective as it could be.

 

Trainings and Skill Building in times of peace

In times of peace, it is responsibility of a community to gain knowledge and educate themselves (which does not confine to degrees but actual knowledge of how the world is changing - wars, conflicts, threats posed by global warming induced climate change, rise of robotics, artificial intelligence and concept of metaverse to name a few) and equip them with recent studies to keep up with the pace of the world. The youth should be prepared with education and skills, organizations and institutions should update them with state of the art equipment, weapons and technologies.