Abstract
Introduction: Adequate preparation and empowerment of a community during the preparedness phase of a chemical incident disaster can reduce the magnitude of injury and loss of life. Previous occurrence of natural disasters and chemical incidents showed that populations who have high dependence on government agencies for assistance, prolong the disaster response time. Johor State Department of Health initiated a community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) programme, emphasizing on chemical disaster to examine the feasibility of a district health office to facilitate similar exercises.
Method: A village adjacent to a chemical industrial site in the district of Johor Bahru was selected. Guidance and engagement from experts were sought to develop the program content. The process of analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation in the disaster risk management step were applied during the workshop sessions. Stake holders such as community leaders, industrial players, local authorities and relevant government agencies were involved in these sessions.
Result: Activities that were conducted were town-watching, disaster grab bag development and community cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Town-watching workshop outcomes were hazard mapping by the community, safe areas for regrouping, local communication methods and escape route documentation. Standardized list of disaster grab bag content items were created via consensus which covered a range of themes which include food supplies, survival and safety gear, , security equipments, items for personal hygiene and human comfort unique to the villagers ' needs.
Discussion: This proof of concept project illustrates how a CBDRM approach worked with stakeholder's participation to enhance disaster preparedness in a local community. The key for a successful CBDRM program lies in creating awareness of the hazards and maintain momentum for good practices at the community level. An all hazards approach has to be considered, to address vulnerabilities in a community and suggests ways to manage them. As a way forward, there is a need to incorporate CBDRM approaches into state and national disaster planning policies. However, an overriding challenge remains in safeguarding ongoing funding and support from local governments.
Links
- https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-43.pdf
- https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-8-ballroom-B/
BibTeX (Download)
@proceedings{APCPH2022-O-43,
title = {Proving a Concept: Community Based Disaster Risk Management Program Emphasizing on Chemical Hazards In Johor Bahru},
author = {Haidar Rizal Toha and Nurazimah Mohd Aris and Loganathan Selvaraji and Mohd Faiz Ibrahim and Suriya Kumareswaran and Jeyanthini Sathasivam and Shaharom Nor Azian Che Mat Din},
url = {https://apcph.cphm.my/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/APCPH2022-O-43.pdf
https://apcph.cphm.my/events/oral-session-8-ballroom-B/},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-08-01},
urldate = {2022-08-02},
issue = {7},
abstract = {Introduction: Adequate preparation and empowerment of a community during the preparedness phase of a chemical incident disaster can reduce the magnitude of injury and loss of life. Previous occurrence of natural disasters and chemical incidents showed that populations who have high dependence on government agencies for assistance, prolong the disaster response time. Johor State Department of Health initiated a community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) programme, emphasizing on chemical disaster to examine the feasibility of a district health office to facilitate similar exercises.
Method: A village adjacent to a chemical industrial site in the district of Johor Bahru was selected. Guidance and engagement from experts were sought to develop the program content. The process of analysis, treatment, monitoring and evaluation in the disaster risk management step were applied during the workshop sessions. Stake holders such as community leaders, industrial players, local authorities and relevant government agencies were involved in these sessions.
Result: Activities that were conducted were town-watching, disaster grab bag development and community cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Town-watching workshop outcomes were hazard mapping by the community, safe areas for regrouping, local communication methods and escape route documentation. Standardized list of disaster grab bag content items were created via consensus which covered a range of themes which include food supplies, survival and safety gear, , security equipments, items for personal hygiene and human comfort unique to the villagers ' needs.
Discussion: This proof of concept project illustrates how a CBDRM approach worked with stakeholder's participation to enhance disaster preparedness in a local community. The key for a successful CBDRM program lies in creating awareness of the hazards and maintain momentum for good practices at the community level. An all hazards approach has to be considered, to address vulnerabilities in a community and suggests ways to manage them. As a way forward, there is a need to incorporate CBDRM approaches into state and national disaster planning policies. However, an overriding challenge remains in safeguarding ongoing funding and support from local governments.},
howpublished = {published online at https://apcph.cphm.my},
note = {Type: ORAL PRESENTATION; Organisation: Johor Bahru District Health Office; Public Health Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine \& Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah; Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Public Health Division, Johor State Department of Health},
keywords = {CBDRM, chemical incident},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}