Principles of Disaster Management

Abstract

Disasters can be categorized into natural, man-made, or hybrid disasters, which can cause major loss of life and property. Natural disasters can be geophysical, hydrological, climatological, meteorological, and biological. Man-made disasters can occur due to faulty technique, wrong construction/site, act of terrorism, and warfare of human beings. Hybrid disasters are the events occurring due to unleashing of natural forces, but some human intervention is present. Disaster management has an important role to check or reduce losses due to these disasters. It includes planning for preventing/reducing the effects of disaster, having preparedness and steps for prevention for specific disaster, planning of relief and response during the disaster, and assessment of the strategy adopted after disaster to modify and improve response in case of recurrence. The establishment of Incident Command System is a standardized approach for the command, control, and coordination of effective emergency response involving multiple agencies. Command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) has evolved now in digitalized world. There are globally accepted Sphere minimum standards focused on water supply, sanitation, hygiene promotion, food security, nutrition, shelter, settlement, non-food items, and health. These also make humanitarian agencies accountable. The Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) has been given official companion status to the Sphere Handbook to promote right to food and right to a standard of living for livestock for animal welfare. Veterinarians have to play an important role to protect and rebuild livestock assets in disasters by providing clinical veterinary services at the time of disaster and working in areas of veterinary public health and livestock disease surveillance afterward.