13. Disaster management life cycle

Definition: It is the discipline dealing with and avoiding risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing, supporting, and rebuilding society when natural or human-made disasters occur [47].

To reach the best expected response during the impact of a disaster, a community should perform several steps long before the disaster had occurred. There should be a study of the area and expected hazards, know the available resources, then make a plan and train people on the plan. In such circumstances, we expect the best response in case there is a disaster. In other words, we need to have a planned response instead of reflex reactions [3].

The process of disaster management involves four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Those stages can be divided according to the disaster phase as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Disaster management components in relation to disaster phases.

All our responses follow models consciously or subconsciously. The benefits of incorporating a model for disaster management are as follows [48]:

events. The main advantage of this model is the ability to learn from the actual disaster. It requires a database with training and a high technological infrastructure to obtain reasonable

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This model presents the phases of disaster-risk reduction as a parallel series of activities. All the stages of the cycle are continuously present. The concentration on each stage depends on

results [50]. Figure 4 shows the model [48].

13.3. The expand contract model

Figure 4. Kelly circular model.

Figure 3. Traditional model.


There are important points we need to consider before studying models. First, rapid change may be considered the single principal factor in changing an event into a disaster. Second, chaos may look like a random behavior, but its behavior remains unstable over time that stays within boundaries. Chaos is good and is required to accommodate and adapt to changes. Finally, dividing the disaster into stages is important for theory only; otherwise, the actions are more important and there is no benefit of knowing the stage if a leader cannot make the right decisions [48].

An overview of the models is listed subsequently and will be briefly explained hereafter [47]:


#### 13.1. Traditional model

This is the mostly used model. It consists of two phases only: pre-disaster that contains the mitigation, prevention, and preparedness; the second phase is post-impact in which the response, recovery, and development is present. The drawback of this model is the sharp separation between the pre-and post-disaster phases [49]. In addition, data integration and decision making are not easily made in it. Figure 3 shows the phases of this model [50].

#### 13.2. The circular model

This model was proposed by Richard Kelly; he divided the disaster management cycle into eight phases to reduce the complexity of disasters and handle the nonlinear nature of disaster events. The main advantage of this model is the ability to learn from the actual disaster. It requires a database with training and a high technological infrastructure to obtain reasonable results [50]. Figure 4 shows the model [48].

#### 13.3. The expand contract model

All our responses follow models consciously or subconsciously. The benefits of incorporating a

1. Using a model simplifies complex events by helping leaders to distinguish important

2. It helps in better understanding of the current disaster situation and expected evolvement

4. It helps in establishing a common base for understanding the disaster management cycle

5. It helps disaster management to explain the course of the disaster and its future evolve-

There are important points we need to consider before studying models. First, rapid change may be considered the single principal factor in changing an event into a disaster. Second, chaos may look like a random behavior, but its behavior remains unstable over time that stays within boundaries. Chaos is good and is required to accommodate and adapt to changes. Finally, dividing the disaster into stages is important for theory only; otherwise, the actions are more important and there is no benefit of knowing the stage if a leader cannot make the

An overview of the models is listed subsequently and will be briefly explained hereafter [47]:

This is the mostly used model. It consists of two phases only: pre-disaster that contains the mitigation, prevention, and preparedness; the second phase is post-impact in which the response, recovery, and development is present. The drawback of this model is the sharp separation between the pre-and post-disaster phases [49]. In addition, data integration and decision making are not easily made in it. Figure 3 shows the phases of this model [50].

This model was proposed by Richard Kelly; he divided the disaster management cycle into eight phases to reduce the complexity of disasters and handle the nonlinear nature of disaster

model for disaster management are as follows [48]:

issues which need actions and set priorities.

3. It is important in quantifying disaster events.

of the disaster.

right decisions [48].

1. The traditional model.

3. The expand contract models.

4. The disaster crunch and release models.

2. The circular model.

5. Manitoba model.

6. Comprehensive model.

13.1. Traditional model

13.2. The circular model

by all involved personnel.

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ment to nonspecialists.

This model presents the phases of disaster-risk reduction as a parallel series of activities. All the stages of the cycle are continuously present. The concentration on each stage depends on

Figure 3. Traditional model.

Figure 4. Kelly circular model.

the phase of the disaster. Before the disaster impact, there is concentration on mitigation and preparedness, while during the trans-impact phase the response part of the cycle gets more attention and highest weight [47]. This model overcomes the major weakness of the disaster traditional model, which regards disasters as managed in a phased sequence [5, 47, 50] (Figure 5).

Figure 7. The release model [47].

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Figure 8. The Manitoba model.

Figure 5. The expand contract model [50].

Figure 6. The crunch model.

Figure 7. The release model [47].

the phase of the disaster. Before the disaster impact, there is concentration on mitigation and preparedness, while during the trans-impact phase the response part of the cycle gets more attention and highest weight [47]. This model overcomes the major weakness of the disaster traditional model, which regards disasters as managed in a phased sequence [5, 47, 50] (Figure 5).

Figure 5. The expand contract model [50].

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Figure 6. The crunch model.

Figure 8. The Manitoba model.

#### 13.4. The disaster crunch and release models

The disaster crunch model states that a disaster occurs only when a hazard affects vulnerable people [51] (Figure 6). It concentrates on the causes of disasters and how the impact can lead to them. On the other hand, the release model concentrates on the risk reduction and hazard prevention and mitigation (Figure 7).

14. Disaster planning

advance for discussing the disaster planning.

recovery in the event of a disaster.

• Concepts of disaster management [54]:

• Mitigation:

follows:

1. Risk identification,

• Preparedness:

2. Risk impact assessment,

4. Risk mitigation analysis.

3. Risk prioritization analysis,

• Prerequisites for planning [54]:

Having good knowledge on the disaster management cycle and the models, it is time to

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• recognition that hazards and vulnerability exist and that emergencies can occur;

• a designated organization responsible for coordinating both planning and response

• All hazards approach: This means that the set of actions put in the plan should be flexible to accommodate several types of hazards. Even if there are counteract mea-

• Comprehensive approach: This means all phases of the disaster cycle which include

sures for some hazards, it is desirable to make this type of response.

Mitigation is defined as: "The act of making a condition or consequence less severe" [55].

In the medical field, it is defined as "the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. It is most effective when implemented under a comprehensiv, longterm mitigation plan" [56]. The mitigation deals with the identification of the risks and trying to prevent them or decrease their effects. The fundamental steps in risk management are as

These steps are better described with their relation and interaction as shown in Figure 10 [57]. Cost-effective mitigation measures on long term are the key for reducing disaster losses on

Merriam Webster dictionary defined preparedness as: "the quality or state of being prepared;

long term and Table 3 lists the examples of measures that are not exhaustive [57].

especially: a state of adequate preparation in case of war" [58].

• awareness among the community, government, and decision;

• appropriate legislation to guarantee implementation of the plan;

• makers of the need to plan and of the benefits of planning;

mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

#### 13.5. Manitoba model

It separates the disaster cycle into six stages; each one has its own boundaries and limitations. The balance between preparedness and flexibility is considered a main advantage of this model. Figure 8 shows the Manitoba model [52].

#### 13.6. The comprehensive model

The previous models are meant to deal with certain aspects of the management cycle; therefore, they do not help decision makers in all phases of the cycle. The comprehensive model is built to link all aspects of the cycle with the disaster response acts in each phase [53]. Figure 9 shows the comprehensive model.

Figure 9. The comprehensive model.
