Community Based Early Warning Systems and Disaster Risk Management Bridging the Gap

Introduction Recurrent incidents and emergencies in SA play a major role in undermining the resilience of communities, as well as their ability to meet their basic developmental goals. 90% of natural disasters attributed to weather related phenomena. Necessary to implement wide variety of DRR techniques to ensure effective preparedness. E.g. Early Warnings.

Introduction Requires an alliance between local government and communities. Empowering communities to ensure ability to cope with and withstand the impacts of the adverse effects of hazards. DRR efforts must ensure participation of and ownership by communities in the conceptualisation, planning, implementing and monitoring of activities such as early warning systems (EWS).

Current Reality Common practice for DM to receive an early warning message via a Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) from SAWS for severe weather events. Gap: Info often not disseminated directly to high risk communities who need to hear it, with messages tailored to their specific needs. Largely serves to put response personnel at the institutional level on stand-by to respond to imminent threats. Result: High risk communities not provided with warnings relevant to their specific needs and capacities, and tend to suffer much greater impacts and losses relative to their less vulnerable counterparts. Email Web SMS

Not about what the weather will be, but about what the weather will do Current Reality Recently, through collaborative efforts between SAWS and the NDMC, the ‘vulnerability gap’ in the EWS is being addressed by the Impact-Based Severe Weather Warning System (SWWS). AIM: DM partner with SAWS to ensure timeous early warnings reach highly vulnerable communities who need to hear it most and take appropriate action to get out of harm’s way. Based on expected socio-economic impact considering local conditions of vulnerability, and the likelihood of the impact occurring. Not about what the weather will be, but about what the weather will do

Current Reality Currently the protocol for Municipal DMCs when receiving severe weather warnings in the Impact Based SWWS includes: Ensure relevant DM stakeholders are aware of the event; Advise stakeholders on necessary preparedness actions; Check / agree on /revise relevant response protocols; Ensure response resources are on standby; Dispatch /allocate resources /personnel to hotspot areas; Relocate communities in hot spot areas. There lacks reference to the urgent dissemination of severe weather warning information received to people living in high risk areas.

Role of DM in Impact Based SWWS Collaboration between Forecasters and Disaster Manager What does this mean....? Disaster Managers will now be required to play an ACTIVE and ACCOUNTABLE role in the dissemination of early warnings to high risk areas Question... Are systems, institutional arrangements and resources in place to ensure early warnings follow and reach the final mile? Need to avoid the risk of repeating the same scenario or procedures

Bridging the Gap DM is required to bridge the gap to overcome the weak linkage between the technical capacity to issue the warning and the local communities’ capacity to respond effectively to the formal systems of warning.

Approach Integration of bottom-up and top-bottom elements of the EWS. CBEWS need not replace a National EWS, but should work to complement it Disseminate early warnings to high risk communities, considering indigenous knowledge, conditions of vulnerability and available capacity within these communities. Move beyond preparedness to respond at an institutional level, toward empowering communities to take collective precautionary measures and action in response to imminent threats. Greater opportunity to prevent disasters and other incidents through early warnings, making response to these incidents less and less necessary.

Socio-Economic vulnerability DMS Approach Weather Forecast Vegetation/Fuel Topography Socio-Economic vulnerability

Warning Communication Collection and analysis of hazards, vulnerability and capacity to identify priority threats in a community. Hazard knowledge details frequency, probability, magnitude and predictability, necessary to inform type of EWS required. Vulnerability knowledge provides information of who needs to hear the EWS the most. Capacity knowledge details existing resources necessary to put together an effective communication strategy. Monitoring changes to threats through time through hazard and vulnerability tracking. Watch, record and analyse changes. Communities monitor and keep an eye on priority threats important to them. Requires integration of both scientific and indigenous knowledge for an effective EWS. Important link between monitoring and response capability, where information gathered in monitoring of EWS is used to trigger response capability through an effective communication strategy. Scientific information repackaged into actionable messages to be communicated to at-risk communities. Appropriate level of technology selected by communities should be encouraged, using a staged communication approach communicating increasing importance/urgency. Prepares a community to respond to a hazard to move out of harm’s way. Respond to a warning not to a disaster, to make responding to a disaster less and less necessary. Communities to establish what actions they would be prepared to take in response to a known hazard, using their Risk Knowledge Warning Communication Response Capability Monitoring DMP Based on the above information, a clear distinction must be made between the monitoring and warning communication components, as stakeholders with very different skills and tools are responsible for managing each one (IFRCRCS, 2012). However, because the information gathered in the monitoring component directly informs the message in the warning communication component, individuals with the correct skill set are required to bridge the gap between the two components (Ibid). This is where the DMP plays a crucial role. Currently, it is common practice for the DMP to receive an early warning message via text message from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) for severe weather events. However, instead of taking the information and interpreting, repackaging and disseminating it to communities who need to hear it, often all the information serves to do is put response personnel at the institutional level on stand-by to respond to imminent threats.

Municipal Impact Table: Flooding Minimal Minor Significant Severe   Business as usual Localised = Single District Municipality affected Short term strain on emergency personnel Widespread = Multiple Districts affected Prolonged strain on emergency personnel Some pooling of water on roads or in informal settlements Day to day activities not disturbed Wet roads Minimal traffic congestion Isolated mudslides and rockfalls Localised flooding of susceptible informal settlements or roads, low-lying areas and bridges Major roads affected but can be used, increased travel times Minor motor vehicle accidents due to slippery roads Closure of roads crossing low water bridges Localised and short term disruption to municipal services Localised mudslides and rockfalls Flooding of roads and settlements Danger to life Displacement of affected communities Some communities temporarily not accessible/cut-off Damage to property, infrastructure and loss of livelihood Major disruption of traffic flow Possible damage to roads and bridges Disruption to municipal services Mudslides and rockfalls Widespread flooding of roads and settlements Danger to life Large communities not accessible/cut-off for a prolonged period Widespread displacement of affected communities Widespread damage to property, buildings and loss of livelihoods Widespread transport routes and travel services severely affected Major roads and bridges damaged or washed away Widespread, prolonged disruption to municipal services Widespread mudslides and rockfalls Municipal Impact Table: Flooding

Risk knowledge Disaster Management (DM) familiarise themselves with the impact tables for severe weather events e.g. flooding, in relation to the risk profile in which they operate Workshop with communities Identify high flood risk areas (Mapping hazards, vulnerabilities, critical facilities) Gather indigenous knowledge to better inform risk profile Determine need for CBEWS Critical for information required by SAWS for IB SWWS

Monitoring Establish monitoring capacities within the local municipality and among other existing role-players Identify ways hazards are monitored through lived experiences, and what indicators they track or act on (indigenous knowledge). Determine if risks identified and prioritised by communities are already being monitored. Establish a community based early warning committee, involving community members originally involved with CRA process.

Monitoring Priority Hazard Monitoring by Institution Monitoring by Community Flooding Weather Water levels Housing types / land use Socio-economic conditions Environmental cues (birds) Physical cues (surgical scars)

Response Capability Prepare response sheets for each priority hazard identified. Link actions to impact tables and high risk areas. Involve ALL stakeholders. Contribute to contingency plans, clearly outlining SOPs by all role-players at the community and municipal level. Detailing ‘who does what when and how’ in response to staged warnings, for each priority hazard. Take part in drills and simulations at the community level, and review of results thereof.

Response Capability Flooding COMMUNITY BASED ACTION PLAN Priority Risk Early actions that are feasible now Early actions that could be possible with support Flooding Clear gutters/stormwater drainage Sandbags around properties Remove livestock from flood prone area Evacuation (Emergency displacement areas) Raise furniture using bricks Safe transport of children to school Manage leaks Clear stormwater drainage Dig furrows to redirect water away from household Clear debris adjacent to rivers/near bridges Gather important documents/meds Activate flood safety volunteers Avoid low lying roads and bridges COMMUNITY BASED ACTION PLAN

Communication Contribute to development of messages relevant to context and needs (share original message from SAWS, but add relevant information specific to the needs of the high risk area/group). Communities identify appropriate staged and colour coded systems, aligned to the IB SWWS Develop inventory of all available communication devices and channels to communicate messages to most at-risk / disadvantaged households. Select best combination of devices and channels available to develop a communication strategy.

communication SAWS NDMC National Organs of State and other national stakeholders MEDIA PDMC Provincial Organs of State and other provincial stakeholders MDMC Municipal Organs of state and key responders Municipal & Ward Councillors Community Structures Traditional Leaders Community/High risk area

Communication MDMC Traditional Leaders Priority Risk Communication mechanism Hazard information (probability/location/ magnitude) Messages needed Response actions required by the community Flood Whistles Colour coded flags Traditional instruments Loud hailers Yellow Take precautionary measures Be alert, monitor conditions, avoid low lying roads/bridges Orange Take action Gather all important documents (ID/birth certificates etc), medication and other important items and evacuate if necessary. Dig furrows to redirect water, clean gutters and stormwater drainage, raise furniture using bricks. Red Take extreme action Gather all important documents, medication and other important items and evacuate to higher ground, place sandbags around the house, children kept at home/school until water recedes, keep animals away from flood prone areas

Communication MDMC Traditional Leaders Priority Risk Communication mechanism Hazard information (probability/location/ magnitude) Messages needed Response actions required by the community Flood Whistles Colour coded flags Traditional instruments Loud hailers Yellow Take precautionary measures Be alert, monitor conditions, avoid low lying roads/bridges Orange Take action Gather all important documents (ID/birth certificates etc), medication and other important items and evacuate if necessary. Dig furrows to redirect water, clean gutters and stormwater drainage, raise furniture using bricks. Red Take extreme action Gather all important documents, medication and other important items and evacuate to higher ground, place sandbags around the house, children kept at home/school until water recedes, keep animals away from flood prone areas

communication FEEDBACK! SAWS NDMC National Organs of State and other national stakeholders MEDIA PDMC Provincial Organs of State and other provincial stakeholders MDMC Municipal Organs of state and key responders Municipal & Ward Councillors Community Structures Traditional Leaders Community/High risk area

Training Education Awareness

Yellow Orange Red Take precautionary measures Be alert, monitor conditions, avoid low lying roads/bridges Orange Take action Gather all important documents (ID/birth certificates), medication and other important items and evacuate if necessary. Dig furrows to redirect water, clean gutters and stormwater drainage, raise furniture using bricks. Red Take extreme action Gather all important documents, medication and other important items and evacuate to higher ground, place sandbags around the house, children kept at home/school until water recedes, keep animals away from flood prone areas

Simulation TESTING

Conclusion Challenge: Bridging the gap between ‘scientists’ and ‘high risk communities’ in the dissemination of critical information for imminent threats. Moving beyond preparedness at an institutional level, towards collective precautionary measures and action in response to imminent threats. Local governments have first legal responsibility for DRR, partnering directly with communities and SAWS in developing CBEWS. Robust information management systems (IMS) required, with good quality data to inform the need and assist with the monitoring of EWS. Implementation of the Impact Based SWWS provides favourable top-down foundational element required for establishing bottom-up CBEWS