Introduction

Disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, high river flows (e.g. floods, low river flows, sudden flash floods), landslides, storm surges and hurricanes as well as slow-onset events such as drought, extreme temperatures, heat waves or soil erosion can have devastating impacts. Disasters can happen anytime to anyone who lives in a disaster-prone area. These disasters injure and kill people and result in tremendous economic, social and environmental losses. Disasters can be caused by natural hazards and/or by human beings.

Disaster mitigation can be conducted by using various approaches, including the construction of prevention and protection works, which require a high investment of cost and time. In addition, disasters can have a varied and wide range of impact, meaning that implementing these measures may not be effective. Therefore, effective disaster risk reduction is implemented through various approaches, by means of improving the community’s preparedness and consequent resilience through the implementation of an early warning system (EWS).

A community-based disaster EWS is proposed to empower individuals and communities who live in hazard-prone areas to be more aware, to react or evacuate in a sufficient time, and to reduce losses caused by disasters, such as injuries, loss of life, and damage to property, economy and the environment.

The implementation of a community-based disaster EWS is consistent with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction of 2015–2030^[⁶^], specifically target g) of the seven global targets: “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030”. Based on the fourth priority of the framework, the improvement of preparedness is the basis for the capability to respond effectively to a disaster. Improvement of preparedness can be achieved by implementing an EWS, in addition to improving the dissemination and communication of knowledge about the early warning of disasters at local, national, regional and international levels.

According to UN-ISDR^[⁷^], a complete and effective EWS consists of four interrelated key elements:

a) risk knowledge;
b) monitoring and warning service;
c) dissemination and communication;
d) response capability.

All of these elements are strongly correlated to the implementation of a community-based EWS.

EWSs are incorporated not only into engineering, but also into social aspects such as demography, economics and culture. This document encourages the active response of the community to disasters and considers social aspects in general. Further dissemination and communication of knowledge to the community are carried out by the authority at local and national levels.

By referring to the four key elements of a community-based EWS, this document promotes uniformity in the development and implementation of an EWS. It will improve the preparedness of the communities and interested parties vulnerable to disasters.

The community-based disaster EWS considers the different communication channels, legal aspects and responsibility allocation as well as final decision-making and its communication.

This document recognizes population behaviour response planning as a key part of the preparedness. It takes into account the approach of ISO 22315:2014^[³^] and ISO 22322:2015^[⁴^] and provides additional specifications for a disaster EWS.

BS ISO 22328-1:2020

Security and resilience. Emergency management - General guidelines for the implementation of a community-based disaster early warning system

Current, Under Review

Published:

30 Nov 2020