Preparedness among vulnerable groups

Vulnerable groups are individuals who have reduced capacity than the general population due to certain genetic, physical and psychosocial determinants (age, physical, psychological, emotional or cognitive predispositions, socio-cultural, linguistic, religious, geographical or socioeconomic conditions) that create barriers while receiving or processing information. Some examples of persons who are at risk are women, children, older adult, sexual minorities, persons with disabilities and so on. The biopsychosocial pre-existing conditions these individuals have make them vulnerable even before disaster impact. Disasters amplify the intensity of vulnerability among these populations and it would be difficult for them to access services during and post-disasters if they are not adequately prepared in advance. Hence, appropriate preparedness measures are essential to empower these groups to respond promptly and diligently during emergencies. These preparedness activities aim at creating emergency escape and contingency plans, building resource centres where they can access information and can be trained on targeted skills, periodic assembly and skill building, resource mapping and allocation, identification of needs and concerns, preparation of emergency kits based on the vulnerability and fostering psychosocial competencies to cope effectively. Meticulous preparedness measures for this population would minimise casualty and worsening of psychosocial issues during and post disasters. It would also enable better coping, adaptation and resilience. Pre-existing vulnerability does not mean that these individuals do not have any strengths. Care should be taken to validate and enhance their strengths despite difficulties.

Steps in accelerating preparedness among vulnerable groups

The planning should focus on ways to identify and constantly keep in touch with vulnerable groups using modalities (means) that are accessible to them, assess their needs and enable key functionaries in planning and implementing preparedness measures. 

• Identify and locate vulnerable groups in disaster prone areas
• Assess the needs and concerns of vulnerable groups with focus on risk reduction
• Sensitise stakeholders on the needs and concerns of vulnerable populations
• Foster communication and collaboration between stakeholders
• Aim at resiliency building before, during and post emergencies
• Develop sustainable action plans to foster preparedness
• Implement preparedness activities for persons at risk
• Monitor and evaluate preparedness activities
• Refine plans based on the arising needs

Barriers to conduct preparedness activities for vulnerable populations

• Difficulty in identification of vulnerable population.
• Poor availability of preparedness measures for vulnerable groups.
• Inadequate coordination among stakeholders.
• Lack of policies and plans promoting preparedness among vulnerable groups.
• Lack of trust towards the stakeholders due to past negative experiences.

Vulnerable groups, nature of vulnerabilities and activities that foster disaster preparedness

Function based approach for preparedness planning during emergencies

This framework focuses on enabling five basic functional needs for vulnerable populations during emergencies, namely:

• Communication.
• Medical Essentials.
• Enabling Functional Autonomy.
• Supervision and.
• Transportation.

COMMUNICATION: Vulnerable groups need different modalities for communication that would help them to understand and respond better. The limitations these individuals (to see, hear, access or understand) have in accessing and assimilating information pose greater challenge. This should also include persons who have no or decreased ability to read, understand or communicate in a particular language. Multiple modalities of communication via different mediums that can be easily accessed and understood by vulnerable groups need to be developed and disseminated. For example, giving verbal announcements along with simple posters with easily understandable pictorial content, deputing sign language interpreters and persons who speak multiple languages in the resource centre or places where these individuals assemble periodically can minimise barriers in communication.

MEDICAL ESSENTIALS: It is essential to cater to the health needs of vulnerable groups. While doing the psychosocial triage, the primary focus should be given to non-ambulatory (persons who are not able to move) patients, persons with chronic health conditions/ terminal illness/ contagious illness that mandate immediate medical attention/ persons undergoing treatment and persons in immunocompromised state. Care should be taken to make medicines, dialysis facilities, arrangement of containment zones, facility to monitor vital signs regularly, ventilators and other medical essentials available.

ENABLING FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY: Early identification of persons with vulnerabilities and screening for deterioration in the functional autonomy skills within 48 hours of the impact would enable faster recovery and help cater prompt medical services. This prompt screening will also help in identifying and ensuring that they receive essential medications, arranging for assistive devices (wheel chairs, crutches, walking canes, hearing aid, etc.) that were lost or repaired during the disaster and connecting with services or persons that would enable support in activities of daily living and enable functional autonomy. Special attention needs to be given to those persons who have lost their caregivers during the disaster.

SUPERVISION: Not all persons with vulnerabilities need support in activities of daily living. As already told, it is essential to identify whether vulnerable groups have adequate support from family, friends, community and other social units. It is essential to understand the concerns of persons with constant supervision needs (Ex: persons with dementia, intellectual disability disorder, chronic mental disorders, children, etc.). Thereby identifying support services for such individuals and connecting them to resources or individuals that are capacitated to help such individuals.

TRANSPORTATION: Prompt mobility during impact is essential. Certain vulnerable groups especially older adult, persons with disabilities, children who have no support, etc., might have significant difficulty in responding quickly or moving to safer zones during impact. Emergency response plans should also include plans for enabling movement of individuals who have compromised mobility or who are dependent on others for their ambulatory needs.

Strategies to empower vulnerable groups in disaster preparedness

Developing Registry

One of the barriers identified in rendering preparedness activities for vulnerable groups is difficulty in identifying and locating vulnerable populations. A registry can be developed which will have basic information about the vulnerable groups (name, address, contact details, type of vulnerability, contact information of immediate caregiver and so on). The purpose of the registry should be clearly communicated so that persons would feel free to register and confidentiality of the details collected need to be maintained strictly.

Utilisation of NGOs and CBOs

Nationwide different Non-Governmental (NGO) and Community Based Organisations (CBO) cater to the needs of diverse populations with vulnerabilities. The local understandings, cultural and linguistic coherences these organisations share, help them in reaching faster to the vulnerable groups. The long association in rendering services for these groups help in building their trust and it would be easy for these groups to reach them. The NGOs and CBOs can be encouraged to integrate disaster preparedness for vulnerable populations along with their routine services. These can also act as resource centres for disseminating information pertaining to disaster risk reduction and enhancing resilience.

Resource Centres

Resource centres can be created where persons can drop in periodically and gain awareness on preparedness measures. These centres can act as portals to conduct periodic rehearsals and capacitate vulnerable groups on psychosocial competencies. These agencies can also periodically assess the needs and concerns of vulnerable populations and design early warning messages that aid life-saving support during emergencies. These also should aim at creation of accessible zones and should liaison for policy generation and implementation, aiming at addressing the needs and concerns of vulnerable populations during emergencies. 

Risk Communication

It is essential to communicate risk and ways to safeguard oneself before, during and after emergencies. Vulnerable populations have compromised ability to access disaster related information. It is essential to deliver risk communication to targeted vulnerable groups using modalities that can reach these groups easily or those modalities to which these groups have access.

Use of Technology

In today's era, most people are becoming at ease with technological devices. Technology can be used to disseminate information related to disaster risk reduction. Mobile applications can be used to enable registration of vulnerable groups. Early warning signs, disaster preparedness related information, information related to training or capacity building, information on resources, etc., can be passed on through these applications. This also would help in locating the person with vulnerability during emergencies. It does not mean that traditional methods of communicating should be avoided or minimally used as there might be significant number of persons who might not be able to access technological devices.

Legislations, Policies and Programmes

The existing legislations favouring disaster preparedness for vulnerable populations need to be implemented and new legislations need to developed. SDMAs and DDMAs need to be sensitised on the implementation of programmes and services focusing on enriching the knowledge and skills of vulnerable groups on disaster preparedness. Proper sensitisation measures need to be tailored to capacitate community in responding better to the needs of vulnerable groups living in the community.

These strategies help in enabling vigilance among vulnerable groups and build better response among them in the walk of disasters. 

Source : National Disaster Management Authority