Phases of Disaster

What is Disaster Prevention?

While natural phenomena cannot themselves be prevented from happening, disaster prevention refers to actions that ensure they are not disaster- or emergency-level events. Preventative measures aim to permanently reduce the risk of the impacts of disaster. There are multiple types of preventative measures that can work together to reduce risk.

Types of Preventative Measures

WHO’s Emergency Training guide gives multiple examples types of preventative measures, which include:

• Planning measures: Cities and locales can be planned and built in the safest way possible. Houses and workplaces should be built away from the areas that are most vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters. Infrastructure should be built with the risk of natural disaster in mind. For example, Japanese skyscrapers contain a multitude of safety measures, such as shock absorbers and hydraulic dampers, to minimize the risk of collapse due to an earthquake.
• Economic measures: Local economies should be structured to minimize disaster vulnerability and incentivize safety. For example, a diversified economy that is less dependent on agriculture will be more resilient against flooding. Locales should offer incentives such as loans for constructing more resilient infrastructure, housing, and buildings.
• Societal measures: It is important that community members are taught the best practices for staying safe during a disaster. If the community does not know what to do in the face of a natural disaster, there is a risk of widespread panic that derails response efforts and creates unsafe conditions such as overcrowding.