KNOWLEDGE DIVIDES AND KNOWLEDGE GAPS THAT

AFFECT DISASTER PREVENTION

Dr. Walter Hays,

Global Alliance For Disaster Reduction

IT IS TIME FOR A “GLOBAL WAKE UP CALL”

UNDER-STANDUNDER-STAND

IDENT-IFY

IDENT-IFY

HEARHEAR

PERSON-ALIZE

PERSON-ALIZE ACTACT

1990-20101990-2010

PERIOD OF PERIOD OF INTEGRATIONINTEGRATION NOW NOW

WINDOW OF WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYOPPORTUNITY

2121STST CENTURYCENTURY PERIOD OF PERIOD OF IMPLEMEN-IMPLEMEN-

TATIONTATION

WAKE UP THE SLEEPING GIANT

OVERCOMING THE GLOBAL RIP VAN WINKLE EFFECT

THAT IS ALLOWING

THE 21ST CENTURY

TO BECOME THE CENTURY OF DISASTERS

A DISASTER is ---

--- the set of failures that occur when three continuums: 1)  people, 2) community (i.e., a set of habitats, livelihoods, and social constructs), and 3) recurring events (e.g., floods, earthquakes, ...,) intersect at a point in space and time, when and where the people and community are not ready.   

WHEN AN INTERSECTION OCCURS, A WHEN AN INTERSECTION OCCURS, A DISASTER OCCURS - - - DISASTER OCCURS - - -

WHEN AN INTERSECTION OCCURS, A WHEN AN INTERSECTION OCCURS, A DISASTER OCCURS - - - DISASTER OCCURS - - -

- - - IF THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY- - - IF THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITYARE NOT READY FOR WHAT HAPPENSARE NOT READY FOR WHAT HAPPENS

- - - IF THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY- - - IF THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITYARE NOT READY FOR WHAT HAPPENSARE NOT READY FOR WHAT HAPPENS

PEOPLEPEOPLEPEOPLEPEOPLE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

RECURRING RECURRING EVENTSEVENTS

RECURRING RECURRING EVENTSEVENTS

PPPP

TTTTSSSS

OOOO

CPCP

THE SLEEPING GIANT IS

YOU (AND ME)

WAKE UP!

RIP VAN WINKLE

RIP VAN WINKLE IS NOT PREPARED TO BE A CHAMPION OF DISASTER

PREVENTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

--- He slept through the most important 20 years of his life --- the IDNDR (1990-1999) AND ISDR (2000-2010)

HE IS UNPREPARED AFTER MISSING 20 YEARS OF INNOVATION

• --- VULNERABILITY REDUCTION

• --- RISK REDUCTION

• --- PREVENTION

• --- PROVENTION

• --- MITIGATION

• --- DISASTER REDUCTION

• --- DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

• --- DISASTER RESILIENCE

BY MISSING APPROXIMATELY 10,000

OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM THE NOTABLE EVENTS

AND DISASTERS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE PERIOD

1990—2011, HE IS UNPREPARED.

ARIZONA: JUNE 8, 2011

VOLCANO PUYEHUE’S ASH CLOUD: JUNE 4, 2011

MISSISSIPPI RIVER BARGE TRAFFIC HALTED: MAY 6

WESTERN TANZANIA: INUNDATION; MAY 6

NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA: JANUARY, 2011

NORTH DAKOTA LEVEE BREACHED:JUNE 23, 2011

TUSCALOOSA, AL: APRIL 27, 2011

SENDAI, JAPAN”BEFORE MARCH 12TH

AFTER MARCH 12th

IT IS TIME FOR A “GLOBAL WAKE UP CALL”

UNDER-STANDUNDER-STAND

IDENT-IFY

IDENT-IFY

HEARHEAR

PERSON-ALIZE

PERSON-ALIZE ACTACT

1990-20101990-2010

PERIOD OF PERIOD OF INTEGRATIONINTEGRATION NOW NOW

WINDOW OF WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYOPPORTUNITY

2121STST CENTURYCENTURY PERIOD OF PERIOD OF IMPLEMEN-IMPLEMEN-

TATIONTATION

THE 21ST CENTURY’S WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

• GLOBAL SOCIETAL RESILIENCE• WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

ACCELERATE THE RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER EACH RECORD OR NEAR-RECORD DISASTER OF THE 21ST CENTURY

STRATEGY: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNIQUENESS OF RECOVERY

• THE POLITICAL and MEDIA SPOTLIGHT IS ON ALL DECISIONS AND ACTIVITIES

• TOP PRIORITY: RESTORATION TO NORMAL (OR BETTER) AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

• INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE, INSURANCE PAYOUTS, AND DONORS: ALWAYS AVAILABLE

TYPICAL TOP PRIORTIES DURING RECOVERY

1) RESTORATION OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

2) RESTORATION OF ESSENTIAL FACILITIES-- SCHOOLS

“VAN WINKLE BARRIERS” TO ACHIEVING GLOBAL SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

• MYTH– there is a “general public,” so one glove fits all.

• REALITY--there are many different sectors of the public having different motivations and needs, so develop sector- specific knowledge.

“VAN WINKLE BARRIERS” TO ACHIEVING SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

• MYTH– people will do what they say they will do

• REALITY—the coefficient of correlation between what people say and what they actually do is VERY LOW, so have legal mandates to ensure compliance.

“VAN WINKLE BARRIERS” TO ACHIEVING SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

• MYTH– mailing a report is communication

• REALITY—communication is an active 2-way process involving: A SOURCE and A RECEIVER, A MESSAGE, and A CHANNEL (or multiple channels), so develop programmes with a long time line.

READINESS FOR A READINESS FOR A POSSIBLE DISASTERPOSSIBLE DISASTER

““SOCIETAL SOCIETAL RESILIENCE” RESILIENCE”

PRIVATE SECTORPRIVATE SECTOR PUBLIC SECTOR

PUBLIC SECTOR

ACADEMIAACADEMIA

FUNCTIONAL FUNCTIONAL NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELS

INFORMATION INFORMATION NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELS

ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION NETWORKING NETWORKING

CHANNELSCHANNELS

COMMUNI-COMMUNI-CATIONCATION

COMMUNITY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERSSTAKEHOLDERS

Stratec ConsultingStratec Consulting

“VAN WINKLE BARRIERS” TO ACHIEVING SOCIETAL RESILIENCE

• MYTH– mailing a report or sending an e-mail is transfer of ownership of knowledge

• REALITY—transfer of ownership of knowledge is a process: HEARING, UNDERSTANDING, and PERSON-ALIZING FOR ACTION.

WHAT IS THE PAYOFF OF GLOBAL SOCIETAL

RESILIENCE

FAILURE: WE WILL HAVE DISASTERS DURING THE 21ST CENTURY THAT WILL MAKE 1990—2010’S DISASTERS LOOK

LIKE “A WALK IN THE PARK.”

SUCCESS: !!!!!

SEE APPENDIX A:

RESTORATION OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

SEE APPENDIX B:

RESTORATION OF ESSENTIAL FACILITIES-- SCHOOLS