resilience and vulnerability

Integrated Emergency Response:From Vulnerability to Resilience

Prof. David AlexanderUniversity of Florence, Italy

• definition: readily recovering from shock, buoyant

• the term is derived from rheology, the science of the deformation of matter

• as with materials, so with society: aim for the optimum combination of ability to resist and absorb shocks

• resilience is an amalgam of attitude, preparedness and redundancy.

Resilience [Resiliency]:

Attitude:• positive outlook• ingenious approaches• searching for solutions• involving other people

RESILIENCE

Preparedness:• emergency plans• monitoring & forecasting• warning & evacuation• public information

Redundancy• expensive but worthwhile• alternative solutions• extra capacity

Absorbing the shock throughthe human ecology of

adaptation to hazards:an urban example of

inherent resilience

Landslide

Resisting the shock throughstructural mitigation and

emergency planning and management

• the potential for harm or losses (medical, social, economic, psychological)

• something that is constructed socially

• triggered by hazard impact

• a complex holistic phenomenon composed of different categories and parts

• the inverse of capability and resilience.

Vulnerability

HazardHazard

xVulnerability

xVulnerability

= Risk= Risk

ImpactImpact

ResponseResponse

ExposureExposure

Vulnerability

Hazard

An asset is notvulnerable

unlessit is threatenedby something

A hazard is nothazardous

unlessit threatenssomething

RISKExtremeevents

Elements

at risk

Resilience

Exposure

Like friction, vulnerability only exists whenit is mobilised by the application of forces.

Primary• cause and

effect

Secondary• interaction of

causes• coincidences

Complex• networks of interactions

VULNERABILITY

Riskamplificati

onfactors

Riskmitigation

factors

Totalvulnerability

Risk perception

factors- +

positivenegative

Vulnerability management

Disaster managementDisaster management

Risk managementRisk management

Crisis managementCrisis management

Emergency managementEmergency management

Hypothetical

Concrete Concentrated

Diffuse

(Hazard x Vulnerability x Exposure)Resilience

= Risk[ → Impact → Response]

Hazard x (Vulnerability / Resilience)

[x Exposure]= Risk

[ → Impact → Response]

....alternatively:-

Broadeningscope andoutcomes

Varyingobjectivesof emergencymanagement

Resilience

Civil Contingencies Management

Civil Protection

DisasterManagement

Causes of disasternatural

geophysical,technological,

socialHistorysingle andcumulativeimpactof pastdisasters

Humancultures

constraints

andopportunit

ies IMPACTSIMPACTS

RESILIENCEAdaptation

to risk

Disaster risk

reduction

Incidentmanagem

ent

Population

(community)

protection

Plans,procedur

es,protocols

Humanand

materialresources

Hazardforecastin

g,monitorin

g,etc.

OrganisationOrganisation ResourcesResources

Self-organisationSelf-organisation

ImposedorganisationImposedorganisation

VolunteerismVolunteerism

Community disaster planningCommunity disaster planning

Laws, protocols, directivesLaws, protocols, directives

Standards, norms, guidelinesStandards, norms, guidelines

Communityresources

Communityresources

Governmentalresources

Governmentalresources

DonationsDonations

International resourcesInternational resources

Incident

Contingency planning inthe pre-emergency phase (days)

Emergency responseplanning

Permanent emergency plan

Operational planning

Short-term strategicplanning (hours → days)

Short-term tacticalplanning (hours)

• anticipating changes before they occur

• being able to adapt the plan flexibly to changes in circumstances

• having a carefully devised, well tested system of command and collaboration

• creating a realistic match between the plan and available resources (manpower, equipment, vehicles, etc.).

Resilience lies in...

The emergencyenvironment

Emergencyco-ordination

plan

Real-timecontingency

planning

Spontaneousimprovisation

Emergencyprocedures

Conclusions

Emergencycommunications

Searchand

rescue

Emergencymedicalresponse

Emergencymanagement

Emergencyresponse

Resilience

ofem

ergenc

y response

Resili

ence

of p

eopl

e

and

societ

y

Vulnerability

of people

and societyVul

nera

bilit

y

of e

mer

genc

y

resp

onse

Healthsystem

Contingencyplanning

• adequate training and resources

• inclusive of all participants

• good, adaptable emergency plan

• adaptability of structures & procedures

• redundant communications, etc.

The meaning of RESILIENCE in termsof emergency response systems:-

• robust, collaborative command systems

• is supported by the local population

• is continuously developing

• is based locally, harmonised nationally

• emergency planning is used adaptably

• is a fundamental, everyday service.

A SUSTAINABLEemergency response system:-

• is given adequate resources

NATIONALEMERGENCY PLAN

REGIONAL ANDCOUNTY ORPROVINCIALEMERGENCY

PLANS

MUNICIPALEMERGENCY

PLAN

MUTUALASSISTANCE

PACTS

AIRPORT ANDTRANSPORTEMERGENCY

PLANS

HOSPITALAND HEALTH

SYSTEMEMERGENCY

PLAN

INDUSTRIALAND

COMMERCIALEMERGENCY

PLANS

CULTURALHERITAGE

EMERGENCYPLAN

Harmonisation from above(national or regional levels)

Organisation and growth from below(local level: municipalities, volunteers, etc.)

Centralcontrol

Devolution

Thank you for your kind attention!

David.Alexander@unifi.itwww.emergency-planning.blogspot.com