Countries across the globe are confronting complex, multi-dimensional crises, climate impacts and other natural hazards. The GFDRR Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R) Thematic Area supports governments to strengthen their EP&R policies, institutions, facilities, equipment and information systems. It also offers a centralized repository of good practices for operational support and technical assistance on all aspects related to EP&R.  

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About the Program

The GFDRR Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R) Thematic Area supports policy reforms and builds technical capacity to develop and strengthen EP&R systems in countries globally. It does so by offering global innovative products and solutions that aim at strengthening the institutional capacities of governments to respond to disaster risks and emergency situations. The EP&R Thematic Area also manages a centralized repository of good practices for operational support and technical assistance on all aspects related to EP&R, such as for Emergency Operation Centers (EOC), fire safety, incident management systems, standard operation procedures, Legal and Institutional, resource management, or staffing.

The EP&R Thematic Area housed within GFDRR is also well positioned to assist World Bank teams and countries in using existing World Bank resources effectively to focus on emergency preparedness response. This is done through key World Bank crisis preparedness tools: the Contingent Emergency Response Compo­nent (CERC) and the Crisis Emergency Response Project (CERP) as part of the World Bank’s new Toolkit.

EP&R is a rapidly evolving filed, improving with new technologies and approaches. The GFDRR EP&R Thematic Area helps governments to stay ahead of the trends for cost-effective and efficient preparedness and response in a changing environment and that integrate cross-cutting issues such as Gender Equity and Social Inclusion, Health, and to facilitate their implementation in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

Key tools and products
  • The EP&R Thematic Area has designed a series of innovative tools aimed at strengthening the institutional capacities of governments to respond to disaster risks and emergency situations. These tools follow a rigorous framework that assess the following core elements of an EP&R system: institutional and legal frameworks, personnel, information, facilities, and equipment.
    • The Lessons Learned Exercise (LLE) helps countries learn from a specific disaster event through participatory workshops, as an entry point to advocate for EP&R systems enhancement and to gather initial data and recommendations before a broader assessment. The LLE User Guide is accessible here [link forthcoming].
    • The Ready2Respond or R2R Diagnostic provides a detailed understanding of existing EP&R capacities in a municipality, country or region and assesses 360 data points related to facilities, personnel, equip­ment, information and legal frameworks. It also leads to the development of cost-effective investment plans to address opportu­nities to improve points of failure in crisis response systems. The Ready2Respond Framework is accessible here. The R2R User Guide is accessible here [link forthcoming].
  • The Emergency Operation Center training module has been designed for practitioners globally to better understand the importance of Emergency Operation Centers (EOC), which is the central command and control facility responsible for carrying out emergency preparedness or disaster management functions at a strategic level during an emergency. The EOC training module is accessible here [link forthcoming].
  • The EP&R Thematic Area is ideally positioned to assist World Bank teams and countries globally in using existing World Bank resources effectively to focus on emergency preparedness response. This is done through key World Bank crisis preparedness tools: the Contingent Emergency Response Compo­nent (CERC) and the Crisis Emergency Response Project (CERP) as part of the World Bank’s new Toolkit. See the Feature Story – Building Capacity through Emergency and Crisis Response [link forthcoming].
Partners

 

 

 

 

 

 

EP&R activities are implemented by World Bank teams worldwide, and the EP&R Thematic Area also focuses on building partnerships with international EP&R partners. Over the years, this has materialized with stronger ties and collaboration with organizations such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Fire Administration (FEMA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and many other national-level EP&R institutions, Ministries or Agencies.

Resources

Core Documents

Publications

Videos

LAC

AFR

  • Cabo Verde 
    • R2R Diagnostic (published here)
  • Liberia
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • Madagascar 
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • Mauritania
    • Lessons Learned Exercise
  • Nigeria
    • Lessons Learned Exercise
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • Seychelles 
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • Sierra Leone 
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • Somalia 
    • R2R Diagnostic
  • South Africa
    • Lessons Learned Exercise for Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality
  • Tanzania

MENA

SAR

EAP

ECA

 

Highlights

Results in Resilience
Enabling Inclusive Emergency Preparedness and Response in Romania
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Results in Resilience
Sharing and Mobilizing Knowledge for a More Resilient Jordan
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Diagnostic Report
Cabo Verde Emergency Preparedness and Response Diagnostic & Investment Opportunities
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Results in Resilience
Upgrading Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Response Capacities
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Blog
The critical role of emergency operations centers in saving lives when disasters strike
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Contact
Elif Ayhan
Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist
Mary Boyer
Disaster Risk Management Specialist
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CRP PLaylist

Watch videos on the Emergency Preparedness and Response Program thematic area

Videos