Preparedness Overview
Emergency preparedness is the knowledge and capacity developed by governments, recovery organizations and communities to anticipate, respond to and recover from emergency situations that call for a humanitarian response.
Strengthening disaster preparedness implies a more cost effective and efficient humanitarian response. The Government of Nepal has the primary responsibility to strengthen national response capacity. The humanitarian community must support these efforts. Strong leadership and commitment of the government, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and the heads of agencies, including the UN, IOM, NGOs and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, as well as the Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium (NRRC), are key to successful preparedness.
Emergency Response Preparedness Package
To optimize the speed and volume of critical assistance delivered immediately following the onset of a humanitarian emergency, the IASC has developed a systematic and holistic approach to emergency preparedness, called the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) package. The package aims at:
• Developing a common understanding of risks and how to monitor those risks to ensure early action is taken when required;
• Establishing a minimum level of multi-hazard preparedness;
• Developing contingency plans for specific risks that can be used as the basis for a joint HCT response strategy to meet the needs of affected people in the first 30 days of a humanitarian emergency.
The OCHA-WFP L3 Project
The 2015 earthquake response has shown that the government faces a complex decision-making process regarding which international tools and services are required and to clearly link incoming assistance to national response planning. In 2014, OCHA and WFP launched a joint preparedness initiative, addressing response gaps when national authorities indicate that they welcome or seek international support.
The project has four components:
Conducting joint planning with national, regional and international actors;
Addressing national capacity gaps that would hamper external response, when needed;
Improving IM/data preparedness; and
Providing essential equipment to address critical gaps. (WFP only)