Disaster Response

Disaster Response

• Disaster Response is defined as the immediate action taken after a disaster occurs such as search and rescue operation, firefighting, providing relief like food, water, and shelter etc. Actions planned during preparedness are executed in response phase.

• Disaster response is predominantly focused on immediate and short-term needs and is sometimes called “disaster relief”. The division between this response stage and the subsequent recovery stage is not clear-cut. Some response actions, such as the supply of temporary housing and water supplies, may extend well into the recovery stage.

• Search and Rescue: Deployment of search and rescue teams to find the trapped people at the location of the disaster and take them to safe places. The escape route should be identified at the earliest to evacuate the stranded people.

• Relief: Relief is immediate support provided to minimize suffering and provide basic human needs such as food, water and shelter. Recovery is focused on restoring quality of life and community services to pre-disaster levels.

• Response: It is defined as the provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.

The focus in the response phase is on meeting the basic needs of the people until more permanent and sustainable solutions can be found.

Humanitarian organizations are often strongly present in this phase of the disaster management cycle.