As the unusually heavy rainfall over much of the eastern coast of Australia subsides, the TorqAid Disaster Risk Management Cycle (DRMC) diagram is exceptionally useful to help visualise the key initiatives which will take place, both during the rest of the ongoing Emergency Response Stage, and then the longer Recovery Stage.

The key Emergency Response Stage initiatives include Early Warning/Evacuation/Registration; Search & Rescue (SAR); Leadership/Management/Coordination/Communications/Information Sharing; Establishing Essential Services and Clearing & Managing Logistical Routes; Vulnerable Groups Protection & Provision of Humanitarian Assistance; and Initial Damage & Needs Assessment.

The key likely Recovery Stage initiatives will include ongoing Leadership/Management/Coordination/Communications & Information sharing; Ongoing Vulnerable Groups Protection & Targeted Recovery Material & Financial Assistance; Temporary Accommodation and Repair/Rebuilding of Houses & other Key Buildings; Clearing Rubble/Debris, Detailed Damage and Needs Assessments; Psychosocial Support & Restoration of the Social Environment; Restoration of the Economic Environment; Restoration of the Natural Environment; Restoration of the Built Environment: and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), including possible Special Commissions of Inquiry.

The DRMC diagram also clearly illustrates the role of the media (particularly during the Emergency Response Stage); and the importance of both ‘Building Back Better’ and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives in the Recovery Stage.

The DRMC, along with other diagrams and material, is clearly explained in the TorqAid article www.torqaid.com/drm-framework.  A jpeg version of the DRMC can also be accessed from www.torqaid.com/resources.