Designing

a Disaster Management Plan

ISSAAC
A Plan is a Blueprint that covers the following aspects:

• The organisation/ place for whom the plan is applicable.

• The scope covered by the plan – *Circumstances for which the plan is
made,
* Conditions under which it would
operate,
* The plan operating agency/ structure,
* Geographical/ operational area where
the authority and responsibility of
the owner of the plan would be
• Objectives to be achieved.
• Authority to Modify or Change the Plan and the circumstances under which
it must be changed.
• People and Organisations covered by the plan.
 Hazard Intensity x Vulnerability
Risk =
Capacity

A Plan is made to:

Reduce the Risk before, During and After a disaster.

It involves:

• Hazard Reduction, Vulnerability Reduction and Capacity Building during

all phases.
• Making Resources Available to be used prior to and during a disaster.
Reduction of Hazard Intensity and probability - Before a Disaster:

• Prevention – through Actions that would help prevent triggering of an

incident e.g. Fire Prevention, Prevention of spread of an Epidemic,
Accident Prevention.
• Mitigation – Structural and Non- structural

Construction
Design and Methods

Laws, Checks, Maintenance

Communications for warning and
passage of information.
Reduction of Vulnerability Before a Disaster Strikes:
• Structural Mitigation Measures: Strengthening of Constructed Buildings/
Infrastructure.
• Designing.
• Making Procedures.
• Making Laws.

Building Capacities:
• Awareness.
• Response Organisations.
• Availability of Resources and their judicious Pre-Deployment.
• Communications for passage of information and intelligence.
During Response Phase:
• Planning to Save People through employing resources and taking
tactical actions.
• Planning for evacuation of threatened population and animals. –
routes, organisation, admin during evacuation and resources to
be committed.
• Planning the Relief – medical, essential commodities, food and
water, shelters, security.
At the End of the Considerations, a
Plan must emerge that should
spell out who should do what,
where and when and using what
means and the methods of actions/
SOPs.
 Ingredients of a Plan
1. Location, Geographical conditions, structural status, Economic
Conditions that are obtainable at the location of the place/
organisation/ institution.
2. Natural Hazards and possible man-made hazards existing, their past
records and effects.
3. Vulnerability and Risk Analysis.
4. Possible Preventive and Mitigation measures and resources required
to institute such measures and in what time frame – the cost analysis.
5. Response Plans:
* Organisational structures for response.
* Warning systems required and methods.
* Resources for Response – Rescue and Relief and their deployment
and responsibilities.
* Command and Control Mechanism.
* Communication aspects.
* Outside Agencies to be co-opted.
* Reporting and Documentation.
* Financial aspects..
* Trigger mechanism.
* Close out.
* Legal provisions.
* Safety aspects.
* Liaison Aspects.
* Mock and Simulation.