Course

Unit 1

Nature and Types of Immediate Response – Phases of Disaster: Understanding Response & Recovery. Individual, Family and Community Responses. Natural History of Individual Responses: Reactions, Factors and Psychodynamics; Threat, Impact, Recoil, Early aftermath phases. Post traumatic stress, anxiety and depressive reactions. Community Responses to Disasters: Reactions to warning, Blame and hostility in disasters, Role of family and relatives. Organizational responses to disasters. Role of media in disasters.

Unit 2

Standards and Best Practices in Relief Operations – Hyogo Framework for Action – International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction – National Policy & Act. The SPHERE standards – Humanitarian Charter, Minimum Standards Common to All Sectors; Minimum Standards in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion; Minimum Standards in Food Security, Nutrition and Food Aid; Minimum Standards in Shelter, Settlement and Non-food items; Minimum Standards in Health Services; Minimum Standards in Education; Critique of the SPHERE Standards. International Standards relating to key vulnerable groups: Women; Children; Older People; People living with HIV/AIDS; Disabled Persons; Minorities (descent-based, religious and linguistic status); Indigenous Peoples; Migrant workers; Non-nationals/ Non-citizens); Internally Displaced Persons.

Unit 3

Immediate Relief Strategies – Characteristics of the response phase: Impact, Rescue, Inventory, and Remedy. Identity. Categories of relief: Food, Clothing and other maintenance, Shelter, Building and Repair, Household furnishings, Medical and nursing care, Occupational supplies and equipment, Small business rehabilitation etc. Types of Activity: Core value activity – Search and Response, Caring for Casualties, Protection against continuing threat, Relief and caring of survivors. Organizations in Response: Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works Department, Hospitals, Voluntary Organizations/ NGOs. Organizational Constraints: Communication, Coordination, Authority Structure, Prior Experience. Disaster Relief Logistics – strategic planning, preparedness, pre-event response etc.

Unit 4

Disaster Impact Assessment – An overview of disaster assessment: Role and Steps in the Assessment Process; Evolving Objectives of Assessment; Different data collection methodologies suitable for assessment. Multi-Sectorial Damage Assessment.

Unit 5

General features of Integrated Risk Assessment – Short term relief versus long term Recovery; Emergency Operations Plan Development: The dominant planning model: Command and Control – Assumptions and Consequences. Incident Command System. Alternate approaches. Principles of Planning. Different types of disasters and planning implications. Developing a Plan: Direction and Control; Communication; Alerts and Warnings; Evacuation and Closure; Criteria for evaluating disaster plans.

Text Books / References

Text Books

1. Mcentire D. A. Disaster Response and Recovery: Strategies and Tactics for Resilience, United States, John Wiley and Sons, 2006.
2. Payne, L., Rebuilding Communities in a Refugee Settlement: A Casebook from Uganda, Oxford, Oxfam, 1998
3. Spodek, H. ‘Crises and responses Ahmedabad’, Economic and Political Weekly, 2001, p1627-1638. 2000
4. TISS: State and Civil Society in Disaster Response: An Analysis of the Tamil Nadu Tsunami Experience, Mumbai, TISS,. 2005

Suggested Readings:

1. Kumar, R. (2020). Disaster Relief & Recovery in India: Policies, Practices & Standards, Routledge India.
2. Sphere India Handbook: Adapting Sphere Standards in Indian Context— National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) & Sphere India (2019).
3. Dasgupta, S. (2021). PostDisaster Recovery: Indian Experiences & Lessons,  Oxford University Press, India.
4. Sinha, A., & Sharma, P. (2019). Application of Sphere Standards in Indian Disaster Response. Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, 1(3), 4558. DOI: 10.1093/jha/hiz012.
5. NDMA (2020). “Guidelines on Disaster Relief & Recovery — Standards for India.”

This course provides an understanding of disaster response, relief operations, and risk assessment, equipping students with essential frameworks and best practices for managing emergencies effectively. It emphasizes standards, strategies, and tools used to support affected communities during and after disasters

Course objectives:

1. To understand the nature and types of disaster response system and the role of various stakeholders
2. To understand best practices in relief operations and relief strategies in disaster management
3. To understand techniques of impact assessment and risk assessment

Course Outcome:

1. Students should know about different modes and methods of disaster response.
2. Students should be exposed to the best practices in relief activities.
3. Students should gain knowledge about the techniques of assessment of disaster Risk and impact.

CO-PO Mapping: (Course outcome and Program Outcome Mapping.