tools

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent has developed and provides a range of
Disaster Management Tools for its members across the world which are described in this folder

Disaster preparedness assessment tools

Better programming initiative
(BPI) provides:
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 est practice by identifying critical

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factors within National Societies
coping well with disasters; and

 simple tool to support planning,

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implementation and analysis of
aid programmes; and

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 base for other more detailed

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assessments such as vulnerability
and capacity assessment.

 practical framework to analyse

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the quality and ethical
implications of Red Cross Red
Crescent action in the community.

Vulnerability and capacity

assessment (VCA) provides:
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 better understanding of main

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risks and hazards; who are most
at risk from natural and
man-made disasters;

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identification of main vulnerabilities and capacities of people at

risk;

Well-prepared National Society

(WPNS) provides:
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 ational Societies with a

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questionnaire self-assessment
tool which helps identify their
disaster preparedness capacities;

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r ecommendations for appropriate

community action to reduce risks,
better cope with and recover from
disasters;

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 ational Society priorities to

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support communities at risk; and

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 mechanism to work closely with

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authorities and other organisations.

Disaster preparedness
and risk reduction
Disaster preparedness and risk
reduction are essential to Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies
to reducing disaster impact and
related vulnerabilities.
It is the role of the National Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies to
improve the lives of vulnerable people
who are at risk from situations that
threaten their survival or their capacity
to live with a minimum level of
socio-economic security and dignity.

Disaster Management Information System (DMIS)

Disaster Management Information System (DMIS),
the International Federations extranet for disaster
management and information sharing, provides
information about disasters in a systematic and
consistent way, and monitors factors that may
signal impending emergencies.

Members of the Red Cross Red Crescent can access

near real time information on operations worldwide,
post field reports on emergencies in their region, and
access operational and technical information from
around the world.

Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF)

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) is
a non-earmarked credit facility used to kick start
activities for disaster response and preparedness.
DREF is the International Federations main
mechanism for accessing immediate emergency
funding.

DREF was created in 1985 to ensure that the

International Federation has funds available for rapid
and immediate response to disasters. Requests are
made for the utilisation of funds, and once approved
they are transferred through the fastest banking system
available, or as a last resort, hand delivered from the
International Federation secretariat.

Emergency items catalogue

Standardisation of emergency relief and medical items is of crucial
importance to improving operational efficiency. In an effort to
mainstream the global approach to logistics services, the International
Federation and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
have produced an emergency items catalogue.
The catalogue aims to facilitate the selection and acquisition of suitable
items, notably during the initial phase of an emergency.
Standardisation is intended to facilitate field operations and logistics
support, improve quality insurance, communication and reporting, and
also to avoid inappropriate donations.
The catalogue provides generic
technical specifications for
essentials items and provides
guidance and assistance to:
> operational users and
decision-makers, donors and
national authorities concerned

with planning, budgeting and execution of assistance programmes

in emergency situations, and
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 urchasers and suppliers involved

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with the supply of emergency
items.

The catalogue improves the

operational efficiency with the
supply of the right item quality,
price and lead time in accordance
with international regulations and
past experiences.

Field Assessment and Coordination Teams (FACT)

Emergency operations are
multifaceted, frequently politically
sensitive, fast moving and all
too often insecure. Unlike
development programmes, which
are designed and implemented
over much longer time frames,
complex emergencies require
rapid assessment, close coordination with dozens of actors,
quick decision-making and rapid
deployment.

It is in this competitive, complex and

increasingly demanding environment
the International Federation created
the FACT system in 2000 to ensure
sufficient support to Red Cross or
Red Crescent National Societies
during the emergency phase, allowing
operations to begin while buying
enough time to mobilise longer term
human resource solutions.
What is FACT?
The Field Assessment and
Coordination Teams concept
methodology was developed in
close cooperation with the UNs
OCHA and the assessment and
coordination systems are compatible with OCHAs UNDAC system.
A core group of experienced
Red Cross Red Crescent disaster
managers from within the Federation
and from the National Societies with
different expertise in relief, logistics,
health, nutrition, public health and

epidemiology, water and sanitation,

finance, administration, psychological support, as well as language
capabilities - have followed the training to become members of FACT
teams, able to support national Red
Cross or Red Crescent Societies
in major disaster response. They
are ready to participate in a FACT
team deployment with 12-24 hours
notice for 2-4 weeks anywhere in
the world.
How does it work?
In the case of a humanitarian
emergency, the National Society in
the affected country may request
assistance from the International
Federation. The Federation
Secretariat then alerts FACT
members all over the world using
automated systems and requests
their availability.
A team is composed by the
Secretariat and is deployed
immediately to the disaster area.

Food security
Red Cross and Red Crescent
activities in food security
The role of the International
Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies is best
described as holistic, making
food accessible and available to
vulnerable populations. Our
approach ensures optimal utilisation
of resources based on an analysis
of vulnerability to food insecurity
and humanitarian needs.

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 o provide advice and informaT

tion in order to raise awareness
on food security issues amongst
National Societies, the International Federation secretariat and
its field offices.

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 o support the development of

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programmatic interventions that
aim to improve the food security
of vulnerable people.

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 o raise the profile of the InternaT

tional Federations work in food
security by capturing and
disseminating lessons learned.

The role of the food security

desk within disaster management and coordination division

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 o support the development

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of food security policies and
strategies in order to capture and
reflect the strength of National
Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies.

Humanitarian Logistics Software

The Humanitarian Logistics Software (HLS) is custom-built software serving the needs of the
International Federation supply chain management from origin to destination, compiled based on
best practices from the humanitarian and commercial sectors.
The Humanitarian Logistics Software consists of
five modules:

These modules enable the following:

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 eneral: set-up information and data

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Mobilisation
Procurement
Logistics and tracking
Reporting: standard and ad hoc reports

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 egistration of in-kind donations

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Handling the complex procurement process
Tracking of goods and associated financial
information
Real-time pipeline reporting
Real-time information on the goods-flow status
Integration with other systems
Historical analysis for appeal accuracy

Logistics preparedness
Logistics preparedness seeks to build sustainable capacities within
the network of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies by
helping to put in place tools and systems that allow an adequate
logistics support to regular programmes and to emergency relief
operations.

The International Federations logistics preparedness strategy has

five major components.
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Increased flexibility
Combining knowledge and experience with skills
Build knowledge
Improved effectiveness
Improved cost efficiency

These components work together to build logistics capacities of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
to develop and manage human and material resources in support of humanitarian programmes and services.

Logistics and resource mobilisation

Logistics is a key professional element in successful disaster
management. It aims to establish the required capacities to move
goods and people where and when required. It is a key support
service to both disaster relief operations and ongoing programmes
of the International Federation and the National Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies.

The five rights

Logistics is a support service that
provides the means required to
move goods, people and
manufacturing capacity:
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 o the right place

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At the right time
In the right quantity
At the right quality
At the right price

The five functions

To be able to control fully the supply
chain management, logistics has
the responsibility for the following
functions:
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 ssessment and planning to

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support programmes
Mobilisation
Transport management
Warehouse management
Reporting

World Disasters Report

Published annually since 1993, the World Disasters Report (WDR) provides a comprehensive analysis
of the worlds humanitarian crises. It is a useful information source and training tool for disaster
management professionals and donors, politicians and planners, scientists and academics, journalists
and community aid workers.
Professionalizing disaster management
The World Disasters Report is regarded as a high
profile publication containing credible and informative
contributions to the knowledge on disaster reduction,
response and recovery.

The World Disasters Report aims to create a forum that

bridges the existing gap between disaster research and
organisations involved in disaster management and to
debate the politicisation of humanitarian aid.

The World Disasters Report aims to create a forum that bridges the existing gap between disaster research and
organisations involved in disaster management and to debate the politicisation of humanitarian aid.

Regional Disaster Response Teams (RDRTs)

RDRTs are a cost-effective regional disaster response support system that is entirely staffed by
members of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The aim of RDRTs is to actively promote
building of regional capacities in disaster management.
The system is designed to activate trained Red Cross
and Red Crescent staff and volunteers in responding
to disasters occurring in their own regions. The RDRT
training also helps to strengthen disaster response
capacities of individual National Societies.

When disaster strikes, a National Society can request

the International Federations regional office or regional
disaster management units to activate and deploy the
RDRT members. The team can get involved in response
assessments but its core value is to support a
National Society in the implementation of a disaster
relief operation.