Module 7: Attending to needs of vulnerable groups & working with external support groups

Vulnerable populations

• “special needs” or “at-risk”

• at risk of poor physical, psychological, or social health after a disaster

• individuals with disabilities

• pregnant women

• children and the elderly

• pregnant women

• prisoners and impoverished

• ethnic minorities

• people with language barrier

Rapid Risk Assessment

• timing may vary by hazard

• should be undertaken quickly

• ideally done 24 hours after event verification

• conducted by multi-disciplinary disaster response team

Disaster risk triangle

• hazard

• vulnerability

• exposure

Disaster risk

the potential loss of life, injury, or destroyed or damaged assets which could occur to a system, society or a community in a specific period of time, determined probabilistically as a function of hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity

Hazard

a process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation

Exposure

the situation of people, infrastructure, housing, production capacities and other tangible human assets located in hazard-prone areas

Vulnerability

the conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community assets or systems to the impacts of hazards

coping capacity

which is the ability of people, organization, and systems, using available skills and resources to manage adverse conditions risk or disasters