resilience and vulnerability
TRANSCRIPT
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
