The Disaster management cycle illustrates the ongoing process by which governments, businesses, and civil society plan for and reduce the impact of disasters, react during and immediately following a disaster, and take steps to recover after a disaster has occurred. Appropriate actions at all points in the cycle lead to greater preparedness, better warnings, reduced vulnerability or the prevention of disasters during the next iteration of the cycle. The complete disaster management cycle includes the shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.
Each color represents a specific phase of the cycle as detailed below.
- Green = Mitigation: refers to ways that eliminate or reduce the impacts and risks of hazards through proactive measures taken before an emergency or disaster occurs. Examples: building codes and zoning; vulnerability analyses; public education.
- Blue = Preparedness: refers to measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters, i.e. planning how to respond. Examples: preparedness plans; emergency exercises/training; warning systems.
- Red = Response: refers to putting your preparedness plans into action to minimize impacts from hazards. It therefore includes, search and rescue; shelter, emergency relief.
- Yellow = Recovery: involves a set of policies, tools and procedures to enable the recovery or continuation of vital technology infrastructure and systems following a natural or human-induced disaster. Recovery focuses on keeping all essential aspects of a business functioning despite significant disruptive events.
Dr. Clerveaux, Director of DDME stated; “it is hope that as the DDME seeks to rebrand its image and to educate the populace about comprehensive disaster management in the TCI, that there will be a greater appreciation for the need to prepare for all hazards and not primarily on hurricanes and that persons will embrace the notion that ‘disaster management is everybody’s business’ and not just that of the DDME. This appreciation is key to our resilience capacity building in the TCI.”
The Logo was designed in house by, Ms. Joanna Wilson, Community Preparedness Officer. It will be featured on all our internal and external material.