Placing local people in decision-making processes

Disaster management approaches are, since the 1970s, beginning to appreciate the value of placing local people in the decision-making process, in part because of cultural barriers. For example, the rationalities and priorities of citizens can appear to be at odds with the objectives of disaster management, when citizens do not adhere to recommendations or instructions. Placing local people in the disaster management process is an important example of how culture can work for empowerment in disaster management. Such placing could be preceded by a citizen, or "actor citizen", training in relevant groups: an instruction for the "reaction", for example, as in the drills in Mexico that have avoided a greater tragedy in the recent earthquake.

Note: See source document for full reference.

Cultural Factors: Norms/values, Customs/traditions/rituals, Worldviews, Individual/collective memory, Local knowledge, Communication, Livelihoods, Attitudes toward authorities, Attitudes toward the media

Hazards: Natural hazards, Man-made non-intentional hazards or emergency situations, Man-made intentional hazards

Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness, Response, Recovery, All disaster phases

Types of Actors Concerned: National civil protection body, Local authorities, Non-active citizens, Active citizens, Media, Government, National research bodies, Red Cross, NGOs, Military, Law enforcement agencies, Healthcare and emergency services, European Civil Protection Mechanism, UN and other international organisations

Recommendations:

• Develop culturally aware disaster preparedness and response training
• Training programmes for citizens of all ages should be developed. These are necessary to increase citizens’ knowledge of and preparedness in case of disasters. The training activities should be organized on the basis of a training strategy and should take various forms, ranging from emergency drill to workshops