Preparedness & Site-Level Incidents

Emergency Response Preparedeness 

Supporting preparedness and contingency planning is one of the core functions of a cluster (see Toolkit Section 1.2 Core Functions of a Cluster). You might need to contribute to or lead on this at three levels: 

• Response-wide / inter-cluster – contribute to ERP planning 
• Cluster level – develop CCCM Cluster preparedness and contingency plans and/or guidance 
• Site level – support CCCM partners to put contingency and response plans in place 

See Toolkit Section 8.5 Capacity Building for guidance on supporting national government capacity-building for preparedness planning.

Response-wide ERP Planning for New Crises

Response-wide Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) plans are developed to plan for initial emergency response to a new crisis or escalation of an existing crisis, based on available in-country capacity. There are specific Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines for this. 

An ERP process is led by the Humanitarian/Resident Coordinator with the Humanitarian Country Team, supported by the inter-cluster coordination group. It should include a broad range of actors and be in support of the government, who have primary responsibility for the population. Plans usually include funding required for response or preparedness actions. 

The IASC guidelines identify three elements of ERP: 

1. Risk analysis and monitoring – a risk analysis to identify hazards that could trigger a crisis significant enough to require a coordinated humanitarian response. Risks are ranked (high, medium, low). Indicators are identified and then monitored. 
2. Minimum preparedness actions – to be prepared for emergencies, including: risk monitoring, coordination arrangements establishment, preparing for joint needs assessments, response monitoring, information management, establishing operational capacity to deliver critical assistance and protection. 
3. Advanced preparedness actions & contingency planning – activities to prepare for identified moderate and high risks. Includes essential preparedness actions, and a contingency plan setting out the initial response strategy and operational plan to meet humanitarian needs during the first weeks of an emergency. This lays the ground for a Flash Appeal, if needed (see: Toolkit Section 5.2 Flash Appeals). 

In some contexts ERP plans might be always in place and periodically updated – for example, for known hazards such as risk of natural disaster. In others, they might be developed in response to specific triggers – for example, following early warning indicators for escalation of conflict. 

CCCM Cluster Contribution 

If an ERP plan is being developed, you:  

• Will likely need to contribute to inter-cluster analysis and planning 
• Might be required to develop a Cluster-specific plan for CCCM preparedness and response 

CCCM Preparedness & Contingency Planning

You might need to develop preparedness and response plans: 

• As part of a response-wide ERP process, to plan response to a new emergency and new displacement 
• If risks being planned for might impact existing displacement sites supported by the CCCM Cluster 
• For specific hazards and risks that might affect existing individual or multiple sites (for example natural hazards or fire preparedness) 

You might need to put in place or guide the following: 

• Drafting a CCCM Cluster plan to guide CCCM partners’ response to an incident or new emergency 
• At site level, CCCM partners should ensure site-level multi-sectoral preparedness/contingency plans are in place, if needed. These should engage humanitarian service providers, government counterparts, and the community in their development. 
• You might need Cluster guidance to support site-level planning. For example, guidelines, minimum requirements, common tools or standard templates for CCCM partners to develop site-level plans. You might need to develop guidance for these alongside other clusters, to ensure all partners working at site level have the necessary guidance for their own sectoral planning.  

When developing preparedness plans for CCCM response, and for partners at site level, bear in mind that humanitarian organizations will likely have their own internal contingency and emergency preparedness plans, setting out how they will continue to operate during, and respond to, a new emergency.  

Developing Preparedness & Contingency 

Key principles of contingency planning (IASC Emergency Response Preparedness Guidelines, 2015)

• Contingency planning should be simple and easy to carry out.  
• All staff should participate: ownership and understanding are essential to operationalize a response. 
• The contingency plan must be specific, not generic.  
• The process of contingency planning is vital. A contingency plan document is important but should be a written record of decisions on what actions will be taken, and who is responsible for what. 

Keep in mind:  

• Partner capacity: Individual organizations will have their own emergency procedures, security considerations, and planned operational capacity and staffing levels in a crisis. 
• Documents should be concise and practical, and a useful reference for partners and other actors.  
• Planning must be collaborative, between all relevant stakeholders: 
  • To develop a Cluster plan, consider holding workshops.  
  • For site-level plans, the CCCM actor should convene all relevant partners and government actors as well as engaging with the community.  

Inclusion in Government Response Systems 

National authorities have primary responsibility for both their population and crisis response. As far as is possible, displacement sites should be incorporated into existing government emergency response and civil defence systems, under the responsibility of the local authorities. This can include: 

• Extending civil defence services to camps – e.g. fire services 
• Incorporation of site populations into existing government emergency response plans and systems – e.g. for natural disaster response 

Ensure to familiarize yourself with existing government emergency response plans and systems, before undertaking emergency preparedness and incident response planning, and ensure to include local government representatives in the planning process. If sites cannot yet be included in existing systems, consider how to align interim emergency and incident response mechanisms to enable their eventual inclusion.  

Example steps for developing preparedness and response plans, at Cluster and site level 

Tips for site level planning

• Contingency planning is a process, resulting in agreement on actions and responsibilities 
• Plan WITH the community 
  • Involve community representatives in planning and decision-making 
  • Plan community consultations for wider input 
• Include community capacity for response: community members are likely to be first responders 
• Consider local and community-based organization capacity for response, and include these organizations in planning processes  
• Are the planned emergency actions and communication methods appropriate & accessible for all groups? Consider: 
  • Age & disability inclusion 
  • Gender differences 
  • Inclusion of other marginalized groups  
  • Mitigating heightened risk to specific groups, e.g. risk of GBV 
• What CwC and AAP mechanisms can be put in place in an emergency to rapidly disseminate information, and allow people to ask questions & give feedback? 
• Disseminate information on the plan 
  • Disseminate information widely on what community members should expect if there is an emergency – e.g. what communication mechanisms and response there will be 

Hazards & Disaster Risk Reduction

Hazards are events or situations that have the potential to disrupt or damage people, infrastructure, services, and the environment. Hazards can be natural or human-induced, or a combination of both. Examples of hazards include earthquakes, landslides, flooding, drought, tropical cyclones1. Due to climate change, the risks of some hazards are increasing, and disasters are likely to increase in frequency and intensity. 

Disaster risk is the combination of hazards, vulnerability of people and places, and exposure (including people’s location) to hazards. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures include minimizing incidence of hazards, reducing vulnerabilities, and reducing exposure to hazards – that is, building resilience. 

Hazards in displacement settings can lead to increased disaster risks for displaced people due to existing level of vulnerability (including access to services and protection), reduced coping capacities (knowledge, skills and resources, including access to information, communication, and participation), and level of exposure (including physical location and infrastructure of displacement sites).  

Disaster risk reduction and resilience-building is therefore key in displacement settings.  

Disaster risk reduction can be divided into four main activities:  

1. Prevention: activities to avoid existing and new disaster risks. For example, assessing disaster risks in or around displacement sites, raising awareness and developing knowledge about risks, supporting the authorities to relocate exposed people away from hazard areas  
2. Mitigation: lessening or limitation of impacts of hazards and related disasters. For example, construction of flood defences, planting trees to stabilize slopes, incorporating DRR into site planning, strengthening capacities of displaced communities 
3. Transfer: shifting the financial consequences of risk, including through insurance  
4. Preparedness: knowledge and capacities of government authorities, civil defence, communities, and individuals to anticipate, respond to, and recover from hazard events. For example, installing early warning systems in displacement sites, identifying evacuation routes, preparing emergency supplies, and multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder DRR strategies and action planning 

Depending on the context you work in, government authorities, communities, and DRR actors might already be working in the country, with concepts, national frameworks, and activities extended to displacement sites.  

You can also apply the principles of disaster risk reduction work to help address specific hazards and risks in displacement sites.  

As a Cluster coordination team you might need to support and work with CCCM partners, government authorities, community members, and other stakeholders to: 

• Identify hazards in camps and camp-like settings 
• Implement or advocate for prevention measures 
• Put in place mitigation measures to reduce risk  
• Develop preparedness and response plans 

Types of Incident

The following are some examples of guidance and examples for: 

• Types of incident that might require Cluster and/or site-level plans to be put in place 
• Good practices relating to site-level incidents and CCCM response planning

Fire Safety

Fire is one of the major risks in a displacement site, particularly if constructed of temporary shelter and the density of the population is quite high. As a Cluster coordination team, you might need to put in place, or support the development of, any or some of: 

• Minimum standards for fire prevention and response 
• Site-level fire incident preparedness and response plans 
• Advocacy for actions or funding, e.g. for site improvements, funding for fire response materials 
• Awareness and training for staff and community members – e.g. developing key messages or common materials that can be adapted and used by CCCM partners 
• Incident tracking  
• Support collaboration between humanitarian actors, government, civil defence (e.g. fire service) 

Hazards e.g. Flooding

Sites that are at risk of hazards, for example: flooding, landslides, tropical storms, and wind events, should have site-level preparedness and contingency plans in place. These site-level plans should be supported as needed by Cluster and inter-cluster guidance.  

As a Cluster coordination team, you might need to develop, support, or collaborate on the following: 

• Risk modeling to identify location and scale of risk (see example in Toolkit Resources below) 
• Timeline of the seasons and the risks related to adequate preparedness activities. 
• Guidelines for risk mitigation and response  
• Ensuring site-level incident preparedness and response plans are in place in at-risk sites 
• Advocacy for activities or funding, e.g. for site improvements and maintenance, funding for pre-positioning for a response, funding for an anticipatory action plan. 
• Awareness and training for staff and community members – e.g. developing key messages or common materials that can be adapted and used by CCCM partners 
• If possible, support early warning systems, such as flood weather forecasts. 
• Incident tracking 
• Response tracking 

Risk Mapping & Modeling

Using data to model and map hazards and risks can help with understanding hazards and their potential impact. If natural hazards affect the country, there might already be specialized actors working on this mapping and modeling. In some responses, IM actors can undertake modeling that focuses on displacement sites. Modeling is done using primary or secondary data about hazard-prone areas, using historical data as well if available. It is best undertaken under the leadership of, or in collaboration with, local authorities and with input from the local host community as well as displaced community members. 

This modelling can then be used to support prioritization of disaster risk reduction activities and locations 

See Toolkit Resources below for an example of flood risk modeling conducted in Yemen by REACH in collaboration with the CCCM Cluster. See examples available online for examples of hazard modeling for the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.  

Community Risk Assessments & Action Planning

Engaging the community in preparedness planning is particularly important for natural hazard and fire risk in camps and camp-like settings. Community members are best placed to identify risks to themselves and will most likely be the first responders to an incident. As with all community engagement processes, different groups should be engaged.  

See above for basic guidance on engaging the community in preparedness and contingency planning. 

The following guidance on facilitating participatory community risk assessments and community planning processes, can be adapted for use in camp settings: 

• Catholic Relief Services (2015) Guide to Facilitating Community‑Led Disaster Risk Management – manual on facilitating community risk assessments and community plans of action 

Evacuation Planning

When a natural hazard occurs, a large number of people may need to move within a very short period of time from a dangerous area. The ways evacuations are carried out have a significant impact on the ability to provide assistance and protection to populations. Evacuation requires good knowledge about hazards, establishment of early warning systems, and multi-stakeholder collaboration in planning and preparedness to act (including government authorities and communities). 

The Mass Evacuation National Disaster (MEND) Guide (CCCM Cluster, 2014) is a guidance for planning mass evacuations in natural disasters [see Toolkit resources, below]. It provides key background considerations as well as a template to assist relevant national authorities with the development of evacuation plans in accordance with emergency management principles.

Incident Monitoring

Monitoring of how many incidents occur and what their impacts are is an important part of emergency response – allowing communication on the scale of incidents, and supporting preparedness actions for future incidents.  

Reporting can be made by CCCM partners to the Cluster, and data and analysis should be shared by the Cluster with relevant stakeholders – with data visualized as possible. Reporting might include data on: type of incident, number of persons affected, shelter/infrastructure damage, and other relevant impacts. 

Incidents should be monitored by the Cluster to inform advocacy efforts through communication of the scale and impact of incidents, and to inform mitigation efforts and future preparedness planning. 

Public Health Emergencies & Infectious Disease

If cholera is a risk in the response context, strategies for cholera prevention and response are led by the Health and WASH Clusters in coordination with government authorities. At site level, CCCM actors may need to support the planning and implementation of prevention and response activities by Health and WASH actors and local authorities, including any Risk Communication and Community Engagement activities. The CCCM Cluster may be required to input to overall planning as relates to displacement sites.  

Examples of strategies for COVID-19 prevention and response for CCCM actors and in displacement sites might be useful references for other major public health emergencies.  

Related Resources