Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis - Adpc
Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis - Adpc
Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis - Adpc
Second Draft
Post-Disaster
Damage Assessment
and
Need Analysis
1. Introduction 2
2. Types of Assessment 2
3. Reports 3
4. Format of Reports 4
5. Quantifying Needs 5
6. Terminology 6
7. Resources 6
8. Priorities 6
9. International Donors 7
10. Training 7
Annexes:
Acknowledgements
INTRODUCTION
3. Some of the data required is already available in the form of baseline data
(maps, population statistic etc.), which must however be accessible, but this
baseline data must be supplemented by real-time information (mostly in the form
of incoming reports from various sources after the disaster).1
• Information “in”
• Sorting (grading, collating, discarding what is unreliable)
• Evaluation
• Decision making
• Information “out” (dissemination)
• Action
TYPES OF ASSESSMENT
1
Data is a structured collection of words, figures and other characters; information is useful data.
REPORTS
8. An INITIAL Report should follow the flash report as soon as possible (within a
matter of hours). Its purpose is to inform the recipients of the severity of the
disaster and, more importantly, by relating the severity of the disaster to coping
capacities, provides the information needed to start mobilizing resources from
outside the affected area to help. The report should therefore briefly summarize:
10. The situation, needs and priorities will change over time. An assessment only
describes the state of affairs at the time that the assessment is made. An initial
assessment should, therefore, also establish the system for subsequent reports.
11. An Interim Report should build on earlier reports providing additional and more
precise information. To begin with interim reports should be submitted every 24
hours at the same time every day (the time being determined by the recipient
according to his needs) and thereafter at intervals decided by the recipient. As
time goes by, the emphasis of interim reports will shift from the needs for relief
to the needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction (e.g. repairs to damaged
structures, restoration of agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and industrial
production). It is not necessary to repeat what has already been said in earlier
reports unless the earlier details require updating. Interim reports should
provide forecasts (with inputs from specialists and people who have experience
of previous disasters) and highlight information which may not otherwise be
obvious to the recipients e.g.:
• potential problems;
• changes, patterns, trends and indicators;
• particulars of especially vulnerable groups, and any other special
concerns.
• What happened
• How the response was managed
• Lessons learned
14. In preparing a report the writer should put himself in the position of the people to
whom he is reporting and ask himself “What do they need to know in order to
meet their responsibilities and to make the right decisions?”
15. A report should not be packed with unnecessary data, nor should it be delayed
because of insufficient information. It is better to say “We do not have as much
information as we would like but, on the basis of what we do know and our
experience, in broad terms the situation is as follows and we estimate the needs
to be in the following range… We shall provide more details as soon as we
can”.
16. The details provided in reports should be as consistent. Conflicting reports from
different sources can cause confusion. Desirably, reports from one level of
administration to another should be consolidated.
FORMAT OF REPORTS
17. Given that reports will be received from many sources, it is essential that their
formats are standard so as to facilitate the process of analysis and collation.
Likewise, there should be common understanding of the terminology used. It is,
therefore, better that the recipients rather than the writers design the formats.
This will ensure that the information is presented in the way that is most helpful
to the people who have to act upon it. Reports should be a balance of narrative
and tables and they should be formatted so that they can be transmitted
electronically.
18. Formats should be as simple as possible and should, like check lists, guide the
reporter (who may be inexperienced in organizing disaster response operations)
through the sequence of stating the problem è identifying the current status of
response è identifying unmet needs (shortfalls or gaps) è decision-making.
19. To keep the formats simple it is better that they are presented in a series of
separate parts. This will also make it easier for the recipient to distribute the
parts for action by different desk officers. Suggested parts might include:
20. The person responsible for completing each part should be clearly designated.
Each part should indicate the need for relief workers, supplies and relevant
logistical requirements. Unless otherwise stated, the provider should assume
that the relief he supplies must be self-sufficient (e.g. food and accommodation
for relief workers, transport and drivers, fuel, storage, maintenance, etc). It is
often helpful to indicate what is not needed (which also shows that that particular
item has not been overlooked).
QUANTIFYING NEEDS
21. At some stage it will be necessary to quantify needs. Do not assume that
everybody is a “helpless victim” requiring every sort of assistance. Helping
people to help themselves is an important part of their rehabilitation. Initial
assessments should concentrate on the effects of the disaster and not attempt
to rectify chronic needs2. In quantifying needs it is sometimes appropriate to
use internationally accepted standards3 and planning factors. Examples of
planning factors are:
22. With Flash and Initial Assessments speed of reporting is more important
than precise figures.
2
subsequent reports may help to identify unacknowledged problems in society which can be
addressed later during rehabilitation.
3
Examples of international standards are to found in UNHCR’s Emergency Training Program “Tools
and Resources” and the SPHERE Project.
TERMINOLOGY
23. Imprecise terminology, or different interpretations of it, can cause confusion.
After a disaster terminology relates primarily to the classification of the victims
and the damage to structures and/or services. What is an “affected” person?
What does “damaged” mean? The meaning of terms to be used in reports must
be clearly defined and standardized in the pre-disaster planning period.
24. Victims. It is not necessary to give the total populations of the towns/villages in
the affected area since these figures will already be known with sufficient
accuracy from population censuses. It is better to describe victims in terms of
needs e.g. those in need of evacuation, shelter, water, etc.
% Damaged Meaning
> 75 Major structural damage. Unsafe for use. Repairable within 1 month.
> 50 Significant structural damage. Unsafe for use. Repairs will take more than
1 week.
> 25 Some structural damage but safe for limited use. Repairable within 1 week.
PRIORITIES
27. Experience has shown that there is a consistency of priorities for relief items
after certain types of natural disasters. These are shown at Annex D.
INTERNATIONAL DONORS
28. Consideration must also be given to the needs of the providers of international
relief. They will be pressing to be told what has happened and what they can do
to help. For them timing is critical. They will also require assistance in
facilitating immigration, exemption of taxes on relief supplies, and help in
integrating their relief personnel into the overall relief effort (interpreters,
methodologies, equipment and administrative support).
TRAINING
29. Officials responsible for conducting assessments and acting on them require
regular training.
***
ANNEX A
PART 1 – SITUATION
2.1. Dead
2.2. Injured
2.3. Missing
2.4. In need of shelter and/or clothing
2.5. In need of food
2.6. In need of water
2.7. In need of sanitation
2.8. Damage to lifeline systems
The next report, with more details, will be sent at ……………… (date/time).
ANNEX B
PART 1 – SITUATION
1.1. Type of disaster
1.2. Date and time
1.3. Affected area
1.4. Number of dead (approx)
1.5. Next Report will be sent at (date/time)
PART 3 – EVACUATION
See page 12
PART 7 – FOOD
PART 8 - WATER
PART 9 - SANITATION
See page 13
ANNEX C
INVENTORY OF RESOURCES
(personnel, materials, financial)
Serial Contact
Number Resource Location Address Available? Committed to Notes
ANNEX D
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