To ensure effective and appropriate emergency response and recovery, it is important to be prepared to immediately implement an agreed, planned, and coordinated approach in case of an emergency.
Should an emergency occur, it is imperative that there is no confusion as to the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of both internal and external stakeholders. The emergency response team and other on-site and off-site support should be mobilised immediately as per the and associated procedures.
In parallel to the emergency responders, a Rapid Impact Assessment should be conducted within the first 72-hours (see 4D Tool 3), that identifies, assesses, and prioritises social and environmental impacts caused by the site-induced emergency. Conducting a Rapid Impact Assessment includes gathering, updating and analysing actual and current (preferably real-time) information of the impacted infrastructure, environment and community, as well as capacities, socio-economic conditions and resources. The Rapid Impact Assessment helps identify the most pressing response and recovery needs in the impacted areas, such as emergency shelter, water, and food. Roles and responsibilities for conducting the Rapid Impact Assessment should be predetermined and agreed with internal and external stakeholders as part of Tasks 3 and 4.
Further data collection and assessments are required as part of the various stages of response and recovery as shown in Table 4D.1. The findings should be swiftly communicated to the Emergency Management Team to build an understanding of the type and level of impacts and inform response and recovery decision-making. Collected data should be shared with external stakeholders, including affected communities, wherever possible to demonstrate openness, engender collaboration and to build a comprehensive picture about actual impacts and damage. This should be agreed prior to any emergency.
The assessment team should consist of subject matter experts, local site staff, local community members, working separately or in mixed teams. Subject matter experts such as local engineers or architects, recovery consultants, environmental consultants, resettlement experts, should be sought depending on the type of impacts, e.g. damage to infrastructure such as road networks, bridges, buildings, etc., impacts on the environment, and/or displacement. Where the emergency is likely to result in temporary and/or permanent physical or economic displacement, a Resettlement Project Team will need to be established and mobilised immediately after the emergency event in order to work as part of the Rapid Assessment team (see 4D Tool 4).
All assessment teams should have suitable technical skills, gender diversity and local knowledge. Participation of and ensuring a balance between internal and external, and local and non-local stakeholders are important factors when forming assessment teams. This should be considered as part of assessing local capacities and engaging with stakeholders (see Tasks 3 and 4).
The participation of external stakeholders in data collection and assessments should be agreed through MoUs, or where relevant, service contracts (See 4D Tool 2).
Figure 4D.3 provides an overview of the stages of emergency response and recovery and the various assessments to be conducted post-emergency event. Timelines are indicative and may vary depending on context. Changes to the emergency response and recovery approach may need to be made depending on the results of the assessments, and the emergency management plan and associated /procedures should be updated accordingly. Changes may also need to be made to the planned projects in the context of recovery, and the Priority Setting Matrix should be revised accordingly (see Section 4A).