Community Based Disaster Preparedness: Need for a Standardized Training Module

Learn from the Past, Prepare for the Future: Impacts of Education and Experience on Disaster Preparedness in the Philippines and Thailand

Malaysia has experienced various types of disasters in the last 50 years. Besides natural disasters such as floods (monsoonal and flash floods), landslides, mudslides, earthquakes (especially in Sabah) and tsunami, Malaysia has also experienced man-made disasters such as fires and explosions, vehicle accidents, haze including transboundary haze and others. In almost all episodes of the disasters, the government has played a major role, starting from the formulation of the policy on disasters, disaster preparedness, rescue and relief efforts, and redevelopment of the affected areas. It is vital for the public to participate in each cycle of disaster management (pre-disaster, during disaster and post-disaster). The absence of support and understanding of local community towards disaster risk and preparedness could ruin disaster management risk reduction efforts. In many instances, the role of local communities in Malaysia’s disaster preparedness is somewhat invisible. Thus, the community should be empowered to deal and prepare for disasters to ensure the overall effectiveness of disaster management in Malaysia. In Malaysia’s context, the strength of the faith-based organisations (FBO) should also be utilised in disaster preparedness efforts. This literature review or secondary source-based article examines the current situation in disaster preparedness among Malaysian communities and discusses the challenges that lie ahead in shaping the culture of preparedness in the communities. In conclusion, Malaysia community disaster preparedness needs to be improved. The communities (including FBO), directly or indirectly affected by disasters, should also be empowered to prepare for disaster.

This study evaluates the level of disaster preparedness among first-line nurse managers. The presented study utilizes Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory of Self-Efficacy as a theoretical framework as it emphasizes that individuals' confidence in their abilities, shaped by experience, training, and education, plays a significant role in their performance during disaster management and increased by real-world experience as well as education. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was conducted by using a validated questionnaire based on the International Council of Nurses framework. Data were collected using a convivence sample of 106 first-line nurse managers across hospitals in Jordan between March and May 2023. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. The results highlighted a moderate level of disaster preparedness (M = 3.52, SD = 0.84), with the highest scores in assessment (M = 3.65, SD = 0.92) and intervention (M = 3.58, SD = 0.98). Significant differences in preparedness were observed based on hospital type, leadership role, disaster training type, and education level. Nurse managers with prior disaster training, higher education, and leadership roles indicated a higher level of preparedness. This study highlights the need for increased disaster training programs tailored to nurse managers, integrating theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. Strengthening disaster preparedness in nursing education and hospital policies is essential to ensure effective disaster response and improve patient safety. Findings can guide future strategies for disaster preparedness training and policy development in Jordanian health care settings.

International agencies and scientific research have been calling for the inclusion of children in disaster preparedness and risk reduction, to hear their voices in order to address their specific needs and vulnerabilities and harness their capabilities in terms of building community resilience. This article assesses the roles ascribed to children in policy and education for disaster risk reduction in Portugal. The approach is based on a scoping methodology that encompasses document analysis and interviews with national and local stakeholders and policymakers in the disaster risk reduction field. The research is carried out within the scope of a European funded project, CUIDAR Cultures of Disaster Resilience among Children and Young People. More specifically, the article provides an overview of the discourses on the roles ascribed to children in urban disaster risk reduction (DRR). The authors maintain that although children are often taken as a target group in urban disaster prevention and management, they are seldom considered in terms of active participation in disaster risk reduction programs in the Portuguese context. Nevertheless, our analysis shows that there is a growing awareness of the relevance of active participation by children in order to create successful DRR.

In a disaster pregnant women and children are at a higher risk than other population, because they have special physical and psychosocial needs which require continued care despite the community circumstances. Therefore, it is essential a presence of an experienced health worker, who is more aware of disaster planning and preparedness to serve the needs of the pregnant women and children. Objectives are to assess the knowledge, preparedness and associated factors of Public Health Midwives in 3 mostly affected MOH areas on maternal and child care during disasters. Methods: Between July to September 2016, all PHM in 3 MOH areas, (total of 78) were selected for the study to collect data by a self-administered questionnaire. The participants were surveyed of their personal information, information about their field, history of disasters occurred in their field, knowledge on maternal and child care in disasters, level of disaster preparedness and trainings received on disaster management. The knowledge and preparedness were analyzed in relation to the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the participants. Results: The study results revealed that only 47.3% of PHMs were having a good knowledge on maternal and child care during disasters and especially they need to improve the knowledge in natal care, new-born care and infant care. Relatively they had a good knowledge on antenatal care and child care. There was no significant association between the age, educational level, field experience, MOH area and facing of disasters in the past with the knowledge, which reflects that every one should have a good knowledge in disasters in spite of any circumstances. The preparedness for disasters among the study population was 33.8% and most of them didn’t think of the possible disasters that can happen in their fields and didn’t have a response plan. The level of preparedness was not significantly associated with other factors like age, educational level, field experience, MOH area or previous exposure to disasters. 58.1% of the participants were not learned about disaster management in any instance in their service period and 94.6% not participated in any training programme. Conclusion & Recommendation: The PHM in 3 MOH areas should be promoted to get further educational qualifications to upgrade their knowledge. They should be encouraged to gain more knowledge and preparedness on disasters by giving service appreciation and awards for that field.

Bangladesh is prone to natural calamities, including cyclones, river erosion, flooding, and saline intrusion. At the same time, the country is highly known for its disaster preparedness activities. Disaster preparedness has been defined as the efforts taken before a disaster. It could be tailored to certain demographics by researching the effects of calamity. The goal of this study was to investigate the demographic factors that influence disaster preparedness. This survey was conducted in August 2018. The residents of Borunpara village, Batiaghata Upazilla, Khulna district, who were the main target population, had a household head or responsible person who was at least 18 years old and had higher awareness of disaster preparedness and risk reduction. Total 120 individuals were selected randomly by using Kothari equation of sample size determination for focus group discussion (FGD), key in-depth interview, and questionnaire survey to conduct this study. The findings of this study demonstrate that the socioeconomic attribute like income governs the secondary occupation and education of those area as well as demographic variables like monthly income levels, jobs, educational backgrounds, and gender have a significant impact on disaster risk reduction behavior. The study also found that 49.2% respondents had not done anything to protect themselves from possible future disaster. According to the study it is found that only 44% of the respondents have the indigenous knowledge to identify the risk of disaster. And finally, the 60% community participants have the capacity that represents medium resilience. However, when it comes to disaster risk management, gender, education, and occupation determine the practical factors. Income and age were regulated here as less factors. Most importantly, customary demographic determinants dominate disaster risk mitigation factors. To facilitate disaster preparedness actions, disaster professionals should focus on improving disaster preparedness behaviors for low-income earners, the unemployed, and those living in high-risk areas, especially those who have never experienced a disaster.

The frequency of natural disasters has been increasing for the last 30 years in the world, having caused great damages and losses. Among those damages and losses, about 90 % are concentrated in the Asian region where natural disasters bring about the loss of lives, property, employment and damage to the physical infrastructure and the environment. Disaster management (DM) including disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts aim to minimize or avoid the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. While data, information, knowledge and resources sharing can enhance the process of DM, there is a perceived gap in government collaboration and coordination within the context of natural DM. The objective of this paper is to present the literature findings on success factors that ensure the quality of government information sharing (GIS) in supporting effectively DM. Accordingly the identified factors were classified into major categories, namely political leadership support, inter-agency collaboration, individual agency capacity including ICT, and agency benefits.

Disaster risk management refers to the application of plans and procedures for reducing disaster risk to prevent new disaster risks, minimize current disaster risk, and manage residual risk. This process helps to reduce disaster losses and increase resilience (Disaster Risk Management | UNDRR, 2007). This study explored the experiences of disaster risk reduction and management personnel through a qualitative research method. The participants of this study were the ten (10) participants chosen from the five (5) DRRM sectors in the municipalities of the Province of Guimaras. All participants were subjected to individual in-depth interviews. The findings of this study are described in emergent themes. Four (4) emergent themes described the positive and negative experiences of the participants in the implementation of disaster risk reduction and management programs. For the positive experiences, two (2) emergent themes were developed, namely: Empowering Community Resilience and Satisfaction of Effective Crisis Response. For the negative experiences, two (2) emergent themes were also developed, namely: Hurdles in Promoting Public Compliance and Inadequate Resources and Manpower Constraints. Meanwhile, two (2) emergent themes were formulated to explain how the participants address the challenges encountered in the implementation of disaster risk reduction and management programs, namely: Collaborative Partnerships for Resource Management and Capacity Building through Continuous Training. Finally, two (2) emergent themes were created to express the Aspirations of the Participants to Improve the Quality of Service, namely: Institutional Support and Resource Sustainability and Fostering Proactive Community Engagement. Based on the emergent themes identified, it is advised that the DRRM personnel be provided with consistent resource management and community engagement training to enhance their ability to address constraints more effectively and promote a proactive stance on disaster risk reduction.

Indonesia is among the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters, positioning school preparedness as a strategic priority in national disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives. This study aimed to assess the level of disaster preparedness in schools using a qualitative approach based on a secondary literature review. The data are drawn from peer-reviewed journals, official government publications, and reports from accredited humanitarian organizations published between 2018 and 2024. This study employs a dual evaluative framework, the School Disaster Resilience Index (SDRI) developed by UNESCO, and the indicators of the Disaster-Resilient Education Unit (SPAB), as mandated by Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 33 of 2019. The analysis focuses on six core dimensions: school infrastructure, disaster training, integration of DRR into the curriculum, community participation, use of technology, and cultivation of a safety culture within schools. The findings highlight the significant disparities between urban and rural schools, especially regarding access to resources, institutional support, and technological integration. Although rural schools exhibit strong community engagement and the application of local wisdom, they remain behind in terms of structural and systemic preparedness. The novelty of this study lies in its integration of two evaluative models and its proposal for a disaster risk education curriculum tailored to the local context. These results are expected to contribute to the formulation of more inclusive and adaptive disaster education policies in Indonesia, particularly by informing government agencies such as the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), regional disaster management bodies (BPBD), and non-governmental organizations involved in school-based disaster risk reduction efforts.

Engaging residents from different ethnic and language backgrounds in disaster preparedness

Introduction: In disaster-prone countries, preparedness is a very important factor in reducing the damages of disaster. The aim of this study is to determine the disaster preparedness knowledge level of a university’s medical students and to evaluate the relationships between possible related factors and disaster preparedness knowledge. Material and Method: This study is a cross-sectional study. The subject of research is measuring the level of disaster preparedness knowledge. The working period in which the online survey is applied is December 1-December 31, 2020. It was aimed to participate that attend the first and second grades of the medical faculty studying in the main campus of a University in Turkey. In order to compare the knowledge level of disaster preparedness among medical students, it was planned to include other faculty students as a control group. In the study, 75 medical students and 20 students from other faculties participated. A high score indicates good disaster preparedness. Chi-square, Mann Whitney U, and Kruskal Wallis were used in the statistical analyses. Results: The median value for disaster preparedness level score for all participants was 51.0 (min: 23.0; max: 63.0). Disaster preparedness knowledge level median score (54.0 [29.0-63.0]) was higher in women than men (48.5 [23.0-62.0]) (p<0.05). The median score of disaster preparedness knowledge level (53.0 [23.0-63.0]) of the second and upper grade was higher than the median score (49.0 [29.0-62.0]) of the first-year students (p<0.05). The median score of disaster preparedness knowledge level (55.0 [34.0-62.0]) was higher than the others (49.0 [23.0-63.0]) in those living in the city where their family resides (p<0.05). Conclusion: It can be said that the level of disaster preparedness for all participants is good. It is recommended to conduct a similar study in a larger study group.

Background:Disaster preparedness should be taken seriously as preventive measures and it is one of the elements in the disaster risk reduction framework but the status the country is unknown. Methods and materials: A cross-sectional study was done using Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool to investigate the relationship between factors contributing to disaster preparednessof on 125 critical care nurses toward their preparedness in a disaster. Findings:Thefacility where the nurses workshowed significant contributionto disaster preparedness (p <0.05). Variables that shows strong relationship and positively correlated are knowledge (r = 0.654, p = 0.001), skills (r = 0.727, p = 0.001) and perception: r = 0.737, p = 0.001). Discussion: The finding is similar to (Tzeng et al., 2016) that found disaster preparedness to have a significant association with participants’ educational level, emergency or intensive care experience, number of years in nursing and their background. Disaster experience was found to be influencing the willingness to respond (Goodhue, et al., 2012; Baack and Alfred, 2013). (Sonneborn, Miller, Head, and Cross 2018) also emphasized the nurses' required disaster training annually.Conclusion:Overall, there was a significant association between the level of knowledge, skills and perception toward disaster preparedness with the level of disaster preparedness. Training is needed to create awareness and preparedness.

Objective: Within the scope of medical services provided during disasters, the aim is to reduce fatalities as much as possible. Therefore, it is crucial to assess, through pre-disaster training for volunteers currently involved or with high potential for involvement, their willingness to volunteer in disaster situations and their sense of preparedness for emergencies. This study investigates the disaster awareness level, perceived preparedness for disaster events, thoughts on the safety of their living environments against disasters, reasons for willingness or unwillingness to volunteer in disasters, and the level of disaster preparedness among healthcare personnel working in emergency medicine clinics of public hospitals on the European side of Istanbul, who are either currently involved or have high potential for involvement in disasters. Methods: The study included personnel working in emergency medicine clinics of public hospitals affiliated with the Istanbul European Side Public Hospitals Association. Personnel working in the emergency medicine clinics of these hospitals were asked to voluntarily answer the questionnaire provided in Appendix 1. The data obtained were recorded in an Excel file. Results: Of the 338 participants, 196 (58%) were male and 142 (42%) were female, with a mean age of 29.49 ± 8.11 years. 185 participants (54.7%) were single. Participants informed about the hospital disaster plan had greater belief that the hospital's disaster response plan administrators could report to their posts very quickly. Those who had previously lost a close relative had received disaster training at a higher rate. It was found that those who had received training before had a stronger belief in their own adequacy. Conclusion: Recent pre-disaster training programs have shown an increase in the willingness to volunteer during disasters and the sense of preparedness for emergencies. Our study predicts that the level of disaster awareness and preparedness is directly proportional to the willingness to volunteer during disasters. bunu tıbbı dılde turlceye cevır

The aim of this paper is to discuss the higher institutions level of man-made disaster preparedness. It is based on a study carried out in educational institutions in Nairobi County Kenya. The study sought to answer the questions: How are the universities prepared for all existing and potential man made hazards? Are there any risky areas and practices in the universities? And do the universties have a practical disaster preparedness and emergency action plan? With the view of gaining more insight on this matter a descriptive survey design which focused on the level of disaster preparedness in the institutions was used. The assessment was conducted between October 2015 and January 2016. The sample size constituted four universities; 3 public universities and 1 Private University with a total of 452 respondents. The universities were purposively sampled due to their location within Nairobi city. The respondents were proportionately sampled from the universities using simple random sampling technique. Data was collected through use of questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observations and secondary data were also used. The research established that 59.9% of the respondents professed that the target institutions were not prepared with respect to man-made disasters while, 41.1% perceived otherwise. About half of the respondents 49.73% reported having low level of awareness on responding to man-made disasters. The assessment concludes that there exist unsafe prevailing circumstances in the target institutions premises that increase the vulnerability of their population to man-made disasters. The target institutions are unprepared to handle potential man-made disasters and the situation could be worsened due to the low levels of awareness among their population. The study recommends that the institutions endeavor to establish operational emergency preparedness/action plans for common man-made disasters and invest in man-made disaster preparedness training to enhance awareness among the population at the institutions.Key Words: Disaster, Preparedness, Assessment, Hazards, Institutions and Education

The aim of this paper is to discuss the higher institutions level of man-made disaster preparedness. It is based on a study carried out in educational institutions in Nairobi County Kenya. The study sought to answer the questions:How are the universitiesprepared for all existing and potential man made hazards?Are there any risky areas and practices in the universities?And do the universties have a practical disaster preparedness and emergency action plan?With the view of gaining moreinsight on this matter a descriptive survey design whichfocused on the level of disaster preparedness in the institutionswas used.The assessment was conductedbetween October 2015 and January 2016.The sample size constituted four universities; 3 public universities and 1 Private University with a total of 452 respondents.The universities were purposively sampled due to their location within Nairobi city. The respondents were proportionately sampled from the universities using simple random sampling technique. Data was collected through use of questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observations and secondary data were also used. The research established that 59.9% of the respondents professed that the target institutions were not prepared with respect to man-made disasters while, 41.1% perceived otherwise. About half of the respondents 49.73% reported having low level of awareness on responding to man-made disasters. The assessment concludes that there exist unsafe prevailing circumstances in the target institutions premises that increase the vulnerability of their population to man-made disasters. The target institutions are unprepared to handle potential man-made disasters and the situation could be worsened due to the low levels of awareness among their population. The study recommends that the institutions endeavor to establish operational emergency preparedness/action plans for common man-made disasters and invest in man-made disaster preparedness training to enhance awareness among the population at the institutions. Key Words: Disaster, Preparedness, Assessment, Hazards, Institutions and Education