Natural Hazards: Causes and Effects - Disaster Management Center ...

take steps to prevent the disaster, or prepare for the disaster and substantially reduce, or
mitigate, its impact. These actions are known as pre-disaster planning.
Frederick Krimgold pioneered the early conceptualization of pre-disaster planning, which he
describes as follows:
Planning may be defined as the process of preparing a set of decisions for action in the
future directed at achieving goals by optimal means. The stated goals of disaster relief are
the reduction of human suffering, the improvement of material well-being, and the increase
of personal security. It goes without saying that these goals are best served if disaster, in
the first place, can be avoided or reduced. Thus, the primary goal of pre-disaster planning
may be seen as the prevention or mitigation of disaster. If we refer to the definition of
disaster in terms of the need for outside help, we may describe the goal of pre-disaster
planning as the creation of self-sufficiency in dealing with natural phenomena. In those
cases where prevention is not possible, the goal must be to plan for the effective application
of aid... (1974) 13
Disaster prevention and mitigation should be in the forefront of the reader’s mind throughout this
course. Indeed, all disaster managers, whether full-time professionals or part-time volunteers,
are challenged to accept disaster prevention and mitigation not only as a role to play but as their
responsibility to their society, constituency, or clientele. One of the primary objectives of this
course is for its students to become advocates for programs in disaster prevention, mitigation or
improvements in the disaster response system.
Individuals working within government will have opportunities to increase their country’s safety
by promoting several activities. The most appropriate activity will obviously depend on their
position in government. By the end of this course, each individual will no doubt be able to
identify opportunities for personal and official involvement. For example, a person within a
ministry devoted to natural resource development will see the need to conduct hazard mapping
of seismic risk areas, flood prone areas, and perhaps zones subject to landslides. An employee
within a ministry in charge of communication will see the need to integrate a complete disaster
warning system with the national communication networks and to develop guidelines on
communicating disaster emergencies to the central government and the public.
An official of a national bank will become aware of the need to include disaster mitigation
measures and also criteria for the financing of projects that take into account disaster risks.
Non-government organizations including private voluntary organizations (volags) have other
possible opportunities to implement improved disaster management programs. The traditional
role of these groups is to react to disasters in the form of emergency relief and sometimes longterm
recovery programs. As other courses offered by the Disaster Management Center will
show, there are many areas where other professional and effective disaster response is
achievable. It is also expected that the volags who are aware of disaster issues will support
projects that improve a community’s disaster risk awareness, promote economic or social devel
opment in ways that encourage disaster prevention or mitigation, and train their own staff and
local individuals in disaster management.
The objectives for all participants in effective hazard management are many. Some, such as
the reduction of loss of life, injury and property, have already been mentioned. Beyond those
primary concerns are the related benefits of the maintenance of economic and social stability
and the utilization of scarce resources for development instead of disaster recovery.