DISASTER REPONSEThe Vital Role of the Civilian Community in Responding to Natural Disasters
Disaster preparedness is not about prediction. Leaders shouldn’t get caught up in trying to define what precisely we need to prepare for and when. Instead, they need to be ready for compounding national disruptions of any kind, at any time. Given the interconnectedness of our modern world, integrating broad economic, social and environmental preparedness will be better for resilience than mapping out overly detailed contingencies.
In a recent Strategist article, ASPI senior fellow Gill Savage talked about the importance of preparedness for Australia to ensure our ‘economy, society and communities are sustainable and resilient despite the complex multi-hazard environment we face’. She noted:
Preparedness is not about prediction. Leaders shouldn’t get caught up in trying to define what precisely we need to prepare for and when. Instead, they need to be ready for compounding national disruptions of any kind, at any time. Given the interconnectedness of our modern world, integrating broad economic, social and environmental preparedness will be better for resilience than mapping out overly detailed contingencies.
Less than two weeks after this piece was published, we witnessed the terrible fires in Hawaii. It’s a tragedy that is still unfolding, and the immediate focus must be on the human toll and loss. However, in time there will be some important lessons to learn from this natural disaster on how the community, government, industry and local knowledge can all come together to bring rapid solutions—something that governments are still not always good at delivering in isolation.
The civilian community is often the first line of defense during natural disasters. Residents are typically the initial responders, providing immediate aid to those in need before formal emergency services arrive. Their knowledge of terrain, resources and community dynamics enables swift and targeted action, which can significantly affect survival rates.
The civilian community response complements the efforts of formal emergency services, providing essential support in times of crisis. While professional responders play a crucial role in disaster management, their resources may become stretched thin during large-scale disasters.
Effective disaster management requires a multi-faceted and holistic approach that involves coordination among various stakeholders. The civilian community response adds a grassroots dimension to this approach, involving local knowledge and expertise that is often overlooked. Communities are uniquely positioned to identify and address specific vulnerabilities and challenges that may not be apparent to external agencies. By integrating community perspectives, disaster management efforts become more comprehensive, adaptive and responsive to the needs of the affected population.
In Hawaii, much of what has been covered in the media are the outstanding efforts by local residents (and others) to ensure donated food, clothes, toiletries, bedding and other supplies get to the right areas in Maui. This has helped thousands of people who were uprooted from their homes or were left facing major damage due to the fast-spreading fires.
