Disaster risk reduction must begin before disaster strikes
By Keyvan Akraminia
Natural hazards expert
October 12, Iran’s National Day for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction, offers an opportunity to reconsider one of the most pressing challenges facing societies today: a challenge that can no longer be addressed simply by providing relief after disaster strikes. A substantial share of disaster losses stems from social, economic, structural and environmental vulnerabilities that develop long before a hazard turns into a crisis.
Earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms and other natural hazards do not inevitably lead to disasters. What turns a hazard into a destructive event is the extent of a community’s exposure and vulnerability, together with its level of preparedness. From this perspective, reducing disaster losses depends less on what happens when a disaster strikes than on decisions made years beforehand.
Experience around the world has shown that investing in prevention, risk reduction and preparedness costs far less than compensating for losses after a disaster. Strengthening infrastructure, enforcing building standards, managing water and soil resources responsibly, preserving vegetation, developing early warning systems, educating the public, fostering a culture of safety and conducting regular drills can all significantly reduce the impact of disasters.
A key element of disaster risk reduction is strengthening community resilience. A resilient community is not one that never faces a disaster. It is one that can identify risks, plan for them, respond effectively when an emergency occurs and recover as quickly as possible.
Public participation is equally important. Public education should go beyond a few basic recommendations issued when disaster strikes. Every household needs to understand the hazards it faces, identify safe and high-risk areas in its surroundings, have an emergency plan and learn essential skills such as first aid, firefighting and safe evacuation. Schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and families are four vital links in the chain of community preparedness.
Effective disaster management also requires coordination across institutions. No single organization can manage a major disaster effectively on its own. Cooperation among government agencies, emergency services, municipalities, healthcare facilities, the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organizations, the media and the public is essential to reducing casualties and damage. Clear operational plans, a proper division of responsibilities, emergency communications and joint exercises are crucial to making that cooperation work.
Climate change, uneven urban development, population growth in hazard-prone areas and ageing infrastructure have made disaster risks more complex. Policy must therefore move beyond a purely reactive approach towards comprehensive risk management. Under this approach, hazard identification, risk assessment, vulnerability reduction, preparedness, response and recovery form an interconnected chain.
Iran’s National Day for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction serves as a reminder of a fundamental truth: while hazards cannot always be prevented, many of their devastating consequences can be reduced. Investing today in understanding risks, reducing vulnerabilities and improving preparedness can substantially lower the human and economic costs when disaster strikes.
Disaster risk reduction is not the responsibility of a single agency or group. It is a national and social responsibility. A safe society does not wait for disaster to strike before trying to repair the damage. It recognizes risks in advance, prepares for them and strengthens its resilience.
This day should be more than a date on the calendar. It should prompt a fundamental question: if a major disaster struck today, how prepared would Iran be?