We hear about ‘Disaster Risk Reduction’ (DRR) all the time. The ODPM, TEMA, State agencies, Universities, Disaster Management Units…they all refer to it, but how important is it and how can we play a part in it?
Firstly, what is Disaster Risk Reduction? Let’s look at a definition from a recognized world organization. ‘There is no such thing as a ‘Natural’ Disaster, but only ‘Natural’ Hazards. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aims to reduce the damage caused by Natural Hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones through the ethic of prevention’ (UNDRR, 2019). Note the word ‘ethic’.
Now that we have some idea of what DRR is, let’s look at how we can get involved. We are hearing about it more now than before because of our access to social and digital media. It is at our finger tips so we can get involved. It’s everyone’s business. Yes, we can make a difference in lessening the impact of a natural hazard on ourselves and, in turn, on our environment. We must begin to understand that this has to become part of our culture and that there is no reasonable other choice. We simply MUST take the steps at making it happen. The hazards WILL come. How severely we are impacted is up to each of us.
We have a choice…either take the steps of preparedness and mitigation or suffer the long and tedious road to recovery which, if there was no preparation, would change our lives forever. IT IS NOT ONLY THE STATE’S JOB TO BE PREPARED, The job belongs to each of us in our own capacity.
The key agencies have been giving us the steps we need to take within our own environments to get ready: - check our roofs, remove or secure all things that can act as projectiles, amend and keep our insurance policies current and paid, clear all waterways for the free flow of water, check our vehicles to ensure they are ready for any circumstance, protect all official documents, have our Go Bag ready, and so on. WE SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR THE CALL, just get it done now! Not all hazards give us a warning and we need to be as ready as we can be at any given time.
The key in DRR is to get our base properly prepared and ready so as to lessen the impact to our personal space. This will allow us to recover from the impact as smoothly as possible, all things considered. We want to have as much continuity of life as possible. Hazards can have devastating impacts on everyone’s life and as we have all witnessed, it is only with preparation that we can restore our environments effectively. We MUST maintain our own.
Be part of the process…
LISTEN, LEARN, ACT AND MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!!
Reference: https://www.unisdr.org/who-we-are/what-is-drr. UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (7/6/2019, 9.31am)
Comments