Measures to check disasters

Disaster Management is the body of policy and administrative decisions and operational activities which pertain to various stages (pre-disaster, disaster occurrence & post-disaster) of disaster at all levels.
Disaster management aims to reduce, or avoid, the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. The Disaster management phase illustrates the process by which governments, businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the impact of disasters, react during and immediately following a disaster, and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred. Appropriate actions at all points in the phases lead to greater preparedness, better warnings, reduced vulnerability or the prevention of disasters during the next iteration of the cycle. The complete disaster management cycle includes the shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.

The process of disaster management involves the following phases: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.


Prevention
The Phase of prevention involves active participation of all groups of society- governmental as well as non governmental organizations. All type of consensus developmental planning like early warning of impending disasters and their effective dissemination by using various alternative communications are the key factors for the effective prevention and preparedness. Involvement of educational & training institutions, corporate sectors and non governmental organizations to generate knowledge on Disaster Management by conducting various training and awareness programmes are long term key factors for the prevention and preparedness.
Mitigation
Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk. The implementation of mitigation strategies can be considered a part of the recovery process if applied after a disaster occurs.
Preparedness
In the preparedness phase plans of action are developed for when the disaster strikes. Common preparedness measures include: communication plans with easily understandable terminology and methods, proper maintenance and training of emergency services, including mass human resources such as community emergency response teams, development and exercise of emergency population warning methods combined with emergency shelters and evacuation plans., stockpiling, inventory, and maintain disaster supplies and equipment and develop organizations of trained volunteers among civilian populations.Disaster preparedness is an effective way of lessening the impact of disasters which link emergency response and rehabilitation. As UN disaster Relief office defines Disaster Preparedness as measures designed to organise and facilitate timely and effective rescue, relief, rehabilitation operations in case of disaster; setting up disaster relief machinery, formulation of emergency relief plans, training of specific groups to undertake rescue and relief, stockpiling supplies and earmarking funds for relief operations.
Response
The response phase includes the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and first responders in the disaster area. This is likely to include a first wave of core emergency services, such as firefighters, police and ambulance crews. Response phase is the first stage of disaster which has occurred immediately that includes events like setting up control rooms, putting the contingency plan in action, issue warning, action for evacuation, taking people to safer shelters, providing medical aid to the affected people and coordination, communication, situation assessment and resources mobilization are the key factors. Response includes three phases ie pre, during and post response phase. Pre disaster response plan intended to reduce the impact of disaster on the life and property of the society by setting up control room, evacuation of people etc. Response phase during disaster is to ensure that steps are being taken to alleviate and minimize the loss of life and property while post response phase is to achieve rapid, durable and sustainable recovery
Recovery

The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are primarily concerned with actions that involve disaster assessment, damage clearance, immediate rehabilitation, reconstruction planning and implementation. Besides counseling and psycho social support to the disaster survivors is a vital part of the recovery phases.