146900 Relief Eru en Lr

Relief ERUfield manualSeptember 2008

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International Federation of Red Crossand Red Crescent Societies

Any part of this handbook may be cited,copied, translated into other languages oradapted to meet local needs without priorpermission from the InternationalFederation of Red Cross and RedCrescent Societies, provided that thesource is clearly stated.

Cover photo: Jos Cendon/InternationalFederation of Red Cross and RedCrescent Societies

2008International Federation of Red Cross andRed Crescent Societies

P.O. Box 372CH-1211 Geneva 19SwitzerlandTelephone: +41 22 730 4222Telefax: +41 22 733 0395E-mail: [email protected] site: www.ifrc.org

The InternationalFederations Global Agenda(20062010)

Over the next two years, the collective focusof the Federation will be on achieving thefollowing goals and priorities:

Our goals

Goal 1: Reduce the number of deaths,injuries and impact from disasters.

Goal 2: Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and publichealth emergencies.

Goal 3: Increase local community, civil soci-ety and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity toaddress the most urgent situations of vulnerability.

Goal 4: Promote respect for diversity andhuman dignity, and reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion.

Our priorities

Improving our local, regional and interna-tional capacity to respond to disasters andpublic health emergencies.

Scaling up our actions with vulnerable com-munities in health promotion, disease prevention and disaster risk reduction.

Increasing significantly our HIV/AIDS programming and advocacy.

Renewing our advocacy on priority humani-tarian issues, especially fighting intolerance,stigma and discrimination, and promotingdisaster risk reduction.

This publication was madepossible through support providedby the American Red Cross andthe U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID).

The opinions expressed in this publicationare those of the author(s) and do notnecessarily reflect the views of the USAID.

Relief ERUfield manualSeptember 2008

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ContentsAbbreviations and acronyms 7

1 About this manual 81.1 Why a relief ERU field manual? 81.2 How to use this manual? 9

Part 1: The relief framework 11

2 Operational framework 122.1 Guiding principles and standards 122.2 The role of relief within disaster management 14

Figure 1 Disaster management process 152.3 International Federation Emergency response policy 152.4 Red Cross Red Crescent response mechanisms 16

2.4.1 Disaster response tools 16Figure 2 Global response system of

the International Federation 192.4.2 Appeal process 20Figure 3a Emergency appeal process 20Figure 3b Emergency appeal process (local-global) 22

3 Relief ERUs 263.1 Purpose 263.2 Activities 263.3 Relief ERU team composition 273.4 Alert and deployment 28

Figure 4 Deployment flow chart 293.4.1 Pre-departure procedures 29

3.5 Self-supported relief ERUs 323.6 Relationship with the International Federation 33

3.6.1 Designated head of operations 333.7 Relationship with the host National Society 34

3.7.1 Host National Society response capacity 353.8 Operational and security briefings 36

Relief ERU field manual2


3.9 Relationship with in-country actors 38

3.10 Security, civil-military relations and conduct 39

Part 2: Management of relief ERU activities 43

4 Project cycle management 44Figure 5 The project cycle 44Figure 6 Parallel actions related to response

while the assessment process starts (A) 47

Figure 7 Parallel actions related to response whilethe assessment process starts (B) 48

5 Emergency needs assessment 49

5.1 The aim of an assessment 50

5.2 Types of assessments 50Figure 8 The assessment cycle 51

5.3 Assessment framework 51Figure 9 Vulnerability and capacity flowchart 52

5.4 The assessment content 525.5 The assessment process 54

Figure 10 The assessment process 555.5.1 Before a field visit 565.5.2 During a field visit 575.5.3 After a field visit 62

6 Planning and design 686.1 The planning process 68

6.1.1 Developing a relief PoA 706.1.2 Sphere standards 71

6.2 The intervention design process 726.2.1 Essential household needs 726.2.2 Emergency shelter 766.2.3 Emergency health and water and sanitation 816.2.4 Emergency food 816.2.5 Methods for providing relief 836.2.6 Exit strategy 866.2.7 Pre-positioned relief item stocks 87

Contents 3


4 Relief ERU field manual

7 Implementation of relief activities 897.1 Beneficiary targeting 897.2 Beneficiary identification 91

7.2.1 Identification documents 95Figure 11 The identification process 967.2.2 Beneficiary identification lists 977.2.3 Ration cards 987.2.4 Distribution lists 101

7.3 Relief supply distributions 1037.3.1 Types of distributions 1037.3.2 Involving beneficiaries during distributions 1057.3.3 Identifying distribution sites 1067.3.4 Organizing and managing a relief supply

distribution 107Figure 12 Example of supply distribution point 1127.3.5 Logistics interface with relief supply distributions 113Figure 13 Summary of interaction with logistics

(use of common documents) 120Figure 14 Summary of interaction with logistics

(process flow) 1227.4 Cash transfers in emergency settings 123

7.4.1 Purpose of cash transfers 1247.4.2 Essential features of cash transfer programming 1247.4.3 Different forms of cash transfers 1267.4.4 Conditions for cash transfers 1277.4.5 Cash transfer delivery mechanisms 128

7.5 Security during relief interventions 1307.6 Monitoring and evaluation 1327.7 Handover and end of mission 135

8 Financial accounting 137

9 Reporting and media interactions 1399.1 Field activity reports 1399.2 Distribution reporting 1409.3 Media interactions 141

Figure 15 Relief process, activity and documentsummary diagram 142

Key reference documents 144


5Contents

Annexes 145

Annex 1 The Fundamental Principles of the InternationalRed Cross and Red Crescent Movement 146

Annex 2 The Code of Conduct for the International RedCross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOsin Disaster Relief 148

Annex 3a Relief ERU job description Team leader 152Annex 3b Relief ERU job description Systems 155Annex 3c Relief ERU job description Beneficiary selection,

targeting and distribution 158Annex 4 Travel and packing recommendations 160Annex 5 Briefing checklist 162Annex 6 Coordination contacts and meetings 168Annex 7 Coordination meeting template 169Annex 8 Coordination template 171Annex 9 Emergency assessment checklist 173Annex 10 Host National Society capacity assessment

checklist 176Annex 11 Assessment narrative report 178Annex 12 Plan of Action template 182Annex 13 Sample distribution ticket 184Annex 14a Identification list template 185Annex 14b Identification list template example 186Annex 15 Sample ration card 187Annex 16 Distribution list template 188Annex 17 Distribution summary report 190Annex 18 Relief and logistics continuum 192Annex 19 International Federations distribution

requisition form 193Annex 20 International Federations waybill 194Annex 21 Distribution options 196Annex 22 Agenda for host National Society rapid

relief training 197Annex 23 Relief activity report 201Annex 24 Expense receipt 204Annex 25 General ledger 206Annex 26 Budget format 208


Annex 27 Operations handover report 211Annex 28 Fixed asset handover 213Annex 29 Short mission performance evaluation form 216Annex 30 End of mission report 219Annex 31 Security awareness and management 222Annex 32 Security guidelines for natural disasters 226Annex 33 Security incident report 233Annex 34 How to prepare for an interview with media 234Annex 35 Assessment techniques 235Annex 36 ICRC position on civil-military relations 243Annex 37 Web site references in preparation for deployment 245Annex 38 The seven pillars of security 246



Abbreviationsand acronyms

ATM automated teller machine

CBO community-based organization

CTN commodity tracking number

DM disaster management

DMIS Disaster Management and Information System

DREF Disaster Response Emergency Fund

ERU Emergency Response Unit

FACT Field Assessment and Coordination Team

HQ headquarters

ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross

ID identification

International International Federation of Red Cross and RedFederation Crescent Societies

NFI non-food item(s)

NGO non-governmental organization

OCHA United Nations Office for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs

PCM project cycle management

PoA Plan of Action

PNS Participating National Societies

RDRT Regional Disaster Response Team

RIT Regional Intervention Team

RLU Regional Logistics Unit

UN United Nations

VCA vulnerability and capacity assessment

WA working advance

Abbreviations and acronyms 7


1. About this manual

What is a relief ERU?Relief ERUs are a disaster response tool of the International Federation of RedCross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) composed oftrained specialists that deliver essential relief goods to disaster-affected popu-lations; so as to enable them to cover their essential needs, in a standardizedway and with quality. Relief ERUs primarily focus on providing essentialhousehold and emergency shelter needs, although it is not uncommon thatthey participate in relief interventions of other technical sectors, such as health,water and sanitation, and food security.

Relief ERUs are involved in a number of activities, including assessment, plan-ning, training, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; all of these are donejointly with the host National Society of the country wherein the disaster occurs.

Relief ERUs are deployed by National Societies but are considered part of theInternational Federations disaster response structure. The designated head ofoperations in the field (Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT)leader or International Federation head of delegation) coordinates ERUs to en-sure a well-coordinated support to the host National Society.

1.1 Why a relief ERU field manual?Relief refers to the provision of essential, appropriate and timely humanitar-ian assistance to those affected by a disaster. The International Federation hasbrought relief to those affected by disasters for more than 80 years. Over thisperiod, extensive experience has been gained enabling the consolidation of re-lief methods and recommendations.



This manual outlines best practices and provides guidance to relief ERUs inpreparation for and during deployment to the field.

In addition to relief ERUs, this manual is also designed for the use of Na-tional Red Cross Red Crescent Societies willing to gain further understand-ing on relief ERU:

procedures and activities

interaction with National Societies

1.2 How to use this manual?This manual does not detail every activity in relief ERU response. It does,however, provide a framework within which relief ERUs conduct their activ-ities. By working through the manual, you should be able to cover all of themain issues required for a successful relief operation.

Some parts of the manual will be more useful than others, depending on thetype of situation that you face. The suggestions presented here can be adaptedto suit your particular situation. Coordination, local capacity awareness andrigour are the key attributes of a relief operation. This manual is intended tohelp you apply them in the context of an emergency.

Part 1 Sections 2 and 3 explain the framework in which relief ERUs operate.

Part 2 Sections 4 to 9 focus on the processes and methods of core reliefERU activities.

Reminder boxes aim to highlight key messages that the hostNational Society/relief ERUs should not forget during theimplementation of a relief programme.

About this manual 9


Key toolboxes are sometimes found at the end of a section. These highlightthe key documents, forms and templates that the host National Society/reliefERUs will use during a relief operation.

The annexes at the end of the manual include forms and templates used byrelief ERUs in preparation for and during their activities as well as other ref-erence documents.

We suggest that you read the entire document through first in order to un-derstand its structure and to familiarize yourself with the contents. Whenusing the guidelines to manage a real relief ERU operation, you will find your-self moving backwards and forwards throughout the document.



11

Part 1

The reliefframework

InternationalFederation


2. Operational frameworkFunctions of the International Federation of RedCross and Red Crescent Societies:

bring relief by all means to all disaster-affected persons;

organize, co-ordinate and direct international relief action; in

country act through or in agreement with the National Society

and in conformity with the laws of that country

Constitution of the International Federation of Red Crossand Red Crescent Societies

The actions of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement (theMovement) are guided by key principles and standards.

2.1 Guiding principles and standardsThe Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and RedCrescent Movement play a vital role in defining the Movements mode ofconduct and are a cornerstone of its beliefs. These principles inform all poli-cies and actions.

The Fundamental Principles of the Movement

Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntarism,

Unity and Universality.



The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red CrescentMovement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in DisasterRelief 2 is the concrete expression of the fundamental principles in the fieldof relief through a set of professional standards.

Principles of the Code of Conduct for theMovement and NGOs in Disaster ResponseProgrammes

The humanitarian imperative comes first.

Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the

recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid

priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone.

Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious

standpoint.

We shall endeavour not to act as instruments of government

foreign policy.

We shall respect culture and custom.

We shall attempt to build disaster response on local capacities.

Ways shall be found to involve programme beneficiaries in the

management of relief aid.

Relief aid must strive to reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster

as well as meeting basic needs.

We hold ourselves accountable to both those we seek to assist

and those from whom we accept resources.

In our information, publicity and advertising activities, we shall

recognize disaster victims as dignified human beings, not

hopeless objects.

The relief framework / Operational framework 13

2 Annex 2: The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Gov-ernmental Organizations in Disaster Relief


The Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Re-sponse, commonly referred to as Sphere standards, reflect the Movements com-mitment to professionalism and accountability in humanitarian action.

The Sphere Project affirms the basic human right to a life of dignity, and es-tablishes minimum standards to ensure that people affected by disasters haveaccess to at least the minimum requirement (water, sanitation, food, nutrition,shelter and healthcare) to satisfy their basic right to life with dignity. 3

Guiding principles of conducting relief activitieswith dignity

Recipients are to be viewed as survivors, not victims, who are

in a process of improving their lives.

All efforts must be made to ensure that relief activities fit within

local customs and cultural norms.

Relief ERU operations must incorporate local Red Cross Red

Crescent staff, volunteers and beneficiaries into the design and

implementation of relief activities.

2.2 The role of relief within disastermanagement

Disaster management (DM) can be defined as the organization and manage-ment of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspectsof emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order tolessen the impact of disasters.


3 Sphere Project, Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, Geneva, 2004.


month

0

month

+1

month

+2

month

-1

month

-2

month

-3

month

+3

month

+4

month

+5

month

+6

Recovering from disasters

Reducing risk of disastersReducing riskof disasters

Preparingfor disasters

Respondingto disasters

Disa

ster

managem

ent

In the general sense, relief activities provide goods and services to disaster-af-fected populations in the form of supplies, vouchers or cash transfers, so as toenable those populations to cover their essential needs. These commonly in-clude emergency household and shelter items but can also include food, waterand sanitation, or health items when needed.


2.3 International FederationsEmergency response policy

The Emergency response policy of the International Federation incorporatesboth the fundamental principles and the code of conduct into an overall pol-icy framework for disaster response.

It applies to all types of emergency response whether carried out by a singlebranch of a National Society, by an individual National Society or by the In-ternational Federation acting collectively.


The policy states that the International Federation and each National Societyshall:

seek to assist the most vulnerable people in emergencies

recognize the Red Cross Red Crescents role as auxiliary to the govern-ment in humanitarian services

undertake emergency response according to the fundamental principlesand the code of conduct

work within the competence of the host National Society

base action on appropriate disaster preparedness programming and planning

work toward self-reliance and sustainability of programming by boththe host National Society and assisted population

continue until the acute threat to life and health has abated

maximize the strategic advantage of the International Federation byworking as a Federation to mobilize all appropriate resources

2.4 Red Cross Red Crescent responsemechanisms

Upon a National Societys request for support in a crisis, the InternationalFederation can provide DM expertise and support to the host National Soci-ety as required. The International Federations role is that of coordinator; inconjunction with the host National Society.

2.4.1 Disaster response toolsWhen requested by a disaster-affected host National Society, a set of disasterresponse tools can be mobilized/facilitated to quickly respond to the disaster.




Tool name Role and description

DisasterResponseEmergency Fund(DREF)

Allows the National Society to takepreparedness, pre-positioning, early warningand evacuation measures in the case of animminent disaster.

DisasterManagementand InformationSystem (DMIS)

A web-based working tool that monitorspotential and ongoing disasters.

Enhances operational readiness andinformation flow by collating real-time datawith DM tools and operational information.

Inputs are the responsibility of the NationalSociety and delegations.

Regional DisasterResponse Teams/RegionalInterventionTeams(RDRT/RIT)

Assist the host National Society in assessmentand implementation support in DM.

Formed through regional, cross-borderpartnership arrangements for disaster responseand preparedness within a defined region.

FieldAssessment andCoordinationTeam (FACT)

Conducts a detailed, sectoral impact andemergency needs assessment to inform thePlan of Action (PoA) and subsequently theemergency appeal.

According to the capacity and mandate of thehost National Society, and in coordination withthe host National Society, it can request thedeployment of ERUs to strengthen disasterresponse capacity.

Works with the host National Society tocoordinate the Movements in-countryresponse, including ERUs.


Remember!

National Societies must not deploy their ERUs without being

requested to do so by the International Federation.


Tool name Role and description

EmergencyResponse Units(ERUs)

Seven technical ERUs exist: basic health care,logistics, water and sanitation, referral hospital,IT and telecommunications, relief and basecamp.

Supports the host National Society in thedevelopment and improvement of rapidresponse systems, structures and capacity.

When a FACT or disaster response planrecommends the deployment of an ERU, theERU officer at the secretariat makes a requestto sponsoring National Societies.

ERU deployment availability and readiness isposted on DMIS and are deployed based onthe following factors: magnitude and evolution of the disaster needs of vulnerable people capacity of the host National Society andother available relief capacities

capacity of sponsoring National Societies availability of International Federationresources (human, financial and material)

Operate in a self-supported manner from oneto four months.

Within four months, the relief ERU will handover remaining relief responsibilities to the in-country International Federation delegationand host National Society.


Global

Regional

National

National Local branch network Trained staff and

volunteers NationalDisaster ResponseTeams (NDRT)

Search and rescue andfirst aid re-positionedstocks

Early warning system

Regional National Society network Trained staff and

volunteers RDRT Disaster management

unit (DMU) Regional logistics unit

(RLU)

Global Movement coordination DREF, DMIS Emergency appeal FACT, ERU Base camp Secretariat technical

departments

FACT

ERU

RIT/RDRT

NITsbasic volunteers support

community-based

ITtelecom

Health/Water andsanitation

LogisticsGeneral

Team leaders

Secretariat

Regionaloffice

Pan-Americandisaster reponse

unit (PADRU)/Zone

Under the current setup, the International Federations operations supportdepartment (OSD) at the secretariat is responsible for the coordination of de-ployment/facilitation of DREF, FACT and ERUs based on requests from fieldoffices. RDRT/RITs are deployed and maintained at a zonal or regional level(OSDs role being to set standards i.e., common training curricula, equip-ment etc.). DMIS is a web-based system managed by OSD, however, NationalSocieties and delegations are responsible for all inputs. The International Fed-erations disaster response mechanisms are categorized as national, regionaland global. The interaction is illustrated in the figure and table below.



Within 1 week

Constant analysis of the beneficiaries needs,

Within 4 weeks

DREF

Revisedemergencyappeal

Preliminaryemergencyappeal

Disaster

Planof

Action

2.4.2 Appeal processWhen needs overwhelm the capacity of the host National Society, and addi-tional Movement resources are required, a preliminary emergency appealmaybe launched indicating initial needs. It allows Movement partners to channeltheir resources in a coordinated manner from the onset of an operation.

A preliminary emergency appeal is based on the:

country/ies and areas

type and magnitude of the disaster

known vulnerabilities of the population

expected needs based

known action taken and/or planned by other actors

tested ways of successful response in previous situations



based on solid assessment methodology

Constant revision and update

Month 4

RecoveryFinalemergencyappeal

Additional information is collected to create a detailed PoA and budget for therelief and rehabilitation phases of the disaster response operation. The infor-mation in the PoA serves as the basis for the eventual launch of a revisedemergency appeal in support of the host National Society. The PoA is thefoundation of the entire operation and appeal process. Since 1919, approxi-mately 2,300 appeals for 153 countries have been launched.




Step 1: Notificationand agreement tolaunch emergencyappeal

The National Societyrequests internationalassistance through theDM coordinator or thezonal DMU. All levelsand appropriatepersons (zone andsecretariat) are to beinformed and involved.The appeal is drafted,budget formulated andsent to the zone officeand a copy is sent tothe secretariat(operationscoordinator).

Implementation: theNational Society, DMUand zone are informedof the appeal launchand focus on appealimplementation,local/regional marketingand fundraising,monitoring andreporting.

Field-level

Draftnarrativeandbudget

Step 2: Appeal management

DMU: manages appealprocess at the zone level andin tandem with the regionalreporting unit (RRU) and theRLU, works/liaises with thesecretariat-based operationscoordinators to organizeappropriate internationaldisaster response tools (FACT,ERUs, DMIS, informationmanagement, etc.).

RRU: edits and qualitycontrols draft emergencyappeal, liaising with RFI onbudget.

Regional finance unit (RFU):attributes appeal number andopens project code andformulates, verifies andvalidates budget, liaising withRRU.

Step 5 Launch and notify:

RRU after being informed thatthe appeal isapproved/signed, posts theappeal (with budget and map)to the InternationalFederations website andsends lyris notificationmessages.

Zone-level



International press release:The communications departmentprepares and issues a pressrelease and establishes/maintainsmedia contacts.

Note: the diagramdepicted above isintended to capturethe general flow ofthe emergencyappeal process. Theformulation andimplementation ofemergency appealsare primarily theresponsibility of thezones and countryoffices, but theprocess, by nature,relies on agreement,coordination andflexibility at alllevels. Dependingon the size, scopeand scale of thedisaster, thesecretariat reservesthe right to assumeor assert leadershipat any time duringthe process,particularly byquickly launchingpreliminary appealsfor large, rapid-onset disasters.

Secretariat-level

Finalappealproduct

Formalnotification

Step 3: Control, authorization,and approval (signature)

Operations coordinator,supported by the operationssupport department circulatesfinal emergency appeal andbudget (including map) with thedisaster response checklist forapproval by the director of policyand communications departmentand the secretary general.

Note: the secretariat ensurescompliance and coherence, andif needed can request changes,clarifications or adjustments inthe appeal strategy and budget.

Step 4 Signature:

Secretary general (SG) and thedirector of coordination andprogrammes division (signappeal).


New York

Lima

PanamaPort of Spain

Suva

Zone office

Regional representation

Regional logistics unit

Federation office to the United NationsRed Cross/EU office



Cairo

Moscow

AlmatyBrussels Budapest

Delhi

Beijing

Bangkok

Kuala LumpurNairobi

Mauritius

Addis Ababa

Johannesburg

LagosDakar

Yaounde

AmmanTunis

Dubai

Zone Americas

Zone West and Central Africa

Zone Eastern Africa

Zone Southern Africa

Zone Europe

Zone Middle Eastand North Africa

Zone Asia Pacific




3. Relief ERUs3.1 PurposeTo ensure that essential relief goods mobilized under an emergency appeal aredelivered rapidly, effectively and in a well-coordinated and dignified mannerto affected populations.

3.2 ActivitiesRelief ERU activities may include:

participating in emergency needs and capacity assessments

developing a PoA for the relief sector

conducting rapid training of the host National Societys relief teams

assisting in the targeted beneficiary selection and identification process

distributing relief assistance (supplies or via a voucher system) and con-trolling supply movements from point of dispatch to end user

providing/recommending relief through cash transfer mechanisms4

conducting ongoing monitoring and evaluation of relief activities

providing reporting on relief distributions to all Participating NationalSocieties (PNSs) contributing relief items

participating in and facilitating inter-agency coordination, and engag-ing other relief agencies in the implementation of the host National So-cietys response strategy

Types of relief ERU supplies:

household items

livelihood support items

emergency shelter items

4 Cash transfer relief systems require staff with previous cash transfer training and experience.


The relief framework / Relief ERUs 27

emergency water and sanitation items

emergency health items

food and nutrition items

3.3 Relief ERU team compositionThe relief ERU team is normally composed of four persons in three core func-tions (one team leader, one systems specialist, two target-ing/identification/distribution specialists). Team composition is scalable andmay be larger depending on the operation. Their roles are:

Function Description of roles

Relief ERUteam leader

Responsible for overall leadership andmanagement of relief ERU operation and theERU team members.

Ensures good working environment andstructure for the relief ERU team in order tooptimize teamwork and information sharing.

Carries out all relief distribution tasks as neededwith specific focus on coordination andstrategic management of operation.

Responsible for team security and staffwellbeing.

Systemsspecialist

Carries out relief distribution tasks with focus onmanagement of relief ERU office (finances,internal team logistics, tracking and reporting).

Primary link with logistics for procurement,mobilization and reporting.

Beneficiarytargeting,identificationand distributionspecialist

Carries out relief distribution tasks, with focuson targeted beneficiary selection, identificationof beneficiaries and management of distributionactivities and sites.


3.4 Alert and deploymentThe relief ERU is typically deployed on disaster response operations when thePoA has a significant relief/logistics component, including large-scale reliefdistributions and where the host National Societys capacity is exceeded.

Relief ERU deployment undertakes the following process:

Availability relief ERUs inform the International Federations secre-tariat of their availability through the availability statement.

A disaster occurs.

FACT/host National Society/RDRT assess and decide if relief ERU isneeded.

Relief ERUs are alerted of the need for intervention.

Offer of relief ERU deployment by the International Federations sec-retariat.

The deployment of relief ERU.

Key toolbox

Agenda for host National Society rapid relief training Annex 22




Availability

Assessment

Alert

OfferStand down

Information:Stand downmessageERUs

Information:Alert messageERU A

Ready for deployment availability statement

Information:only message ERU 1

FACT and/or RDRT

Offer of ERU

Information:Deploy messageERU D - deploymentorder

Handover of ERU

Deployment

HandoverNo deployment

End of mission

Disaster

3.4.1 Pre-departure proceduresOnce the International Federations ERU officer has issued the deploymentorder and the relief ERU has been assembled, the following process is under-taken:



6 Annex 4: Travel and packing recommendations

Activity Explanation and reminders

Travelarrangements6

Travel arrangements are made for the membersof the relief ERU team by the deploying NationalSociety, including visas and inoculations.

Packing listof relief ERUequipment(inventory)

The packing list accompanying the team on thesame flight is completed. A copy of the packing list is sent by fax/e-mailto the RLU in charge of mobilization, the ERUofficer at the secretariat and to the in-countrylogistics point of contact prior to departure.

At a minimum, the equipment packing listshould show: contents by crate/box number,dimensions and weight of each crate/box,serial numbers ofelectronic/telecommunications equipment, thequantity of each item deployed, and thecommodity tracking number (CTN) provided bythe RLU.

At least two printed copies of the final packinglist are carried by the team leader and systemsdelegate for use in customs procedures.

The packing list should identify all equipment ineach container (pelican box, argus box, dufflebag, etc.) for easy inspection by customs.

Informationflow prior todeparture

The relief ERU teams travel/arrival informationand equipment packing list is transmitted to theERU officer in the secretariat who will ensure thatthe logistics ERU has been fully informed. The relief ERU team leader contacts thedesignated head of operations to inform ofarrival plans and for any final updates.

Stage 1: Before leaving country of origin



Prior to departure, relief ERU delegates go through their National Societyheadquarters (HQ) and receive a pre-departure briefing package from the de-ploying National Society.

Content of briefing package: length of deployment function objectives and activities expectations and evaluation process reporting structure and requirements country information emergency contact information in-country medical facilities in-country contact info latest United Nations Office for the Coordination of HumanitarianAffairs (OCHA) situation report

background on the National Society updated contact sheet of relevant staff at host National Society, PNS,secretariat and zone

latest International Federation situation report (if available) International Federation appeal (if available) International Federation information bulletin (if available)

In preparation for deployment, relief ERU delegates can visit a list of websites (Annex 37) to familiarize themselves with the context and latest devel-opments on the disaster.

Stage 2: During travel and upon arrival to country ofdeploymentThe team should immediately proceed through the necessary immigrationand customs clearance procedures. Sufficient copies of the equipmentpacking list should be available for inspection by customs and immigration



authorities at the point of departure and the point of arrival. Some itemssuch as telecommunications equipment may have to be declared at entry. Ifpossible, a representative(s) from the host National Society and/or theInternational Federation will meet the relief ERU at the port of arrival. If thisis not possible, make immediate contact with the designated head ofoperations upon arrival.

Checklist upon arrival: call HQ contact the Movement focal point (designated head of operations) clear equipment from customs cover team needs

- transport- accommodation- local currency

3.5 Self-supported relief ERUsEach relief ERU team is capable of being self-supporting, carrying sufficient re-sources, including funds, to enable it to become fully operational and work forup to one month without drawing on the resources of the International Feder-ation delegation or the host National Society. The entire deployment of the re-lief ERU can be for up to three months (i.e., three teams for one month each).

The International Federation delegation and secretariat provide basic admin-istrative and logistics support as necessary, such as the briefing of ERU dele-gates, processing of International Federation identity cards and customsclearance, etc.

In exceptional cases, the designated head of operations may, depending onavailable resources and operational requirements, provide operational supportto the relief ERU. These must be negotiated and agreed upon between the



ERU team leader and the designated head of operations. Some examples ofsuch support are:

providing logistics services for the running of the ERU, including pro-curement, import, warehousing, transport, fleet management and work-shop services

locating and contracting housing and mess facilities for ERU members assisting with immigration/visa requirements providing legal support for contracts, hiring, insurance, etc. supporting activities with fixed and financial assets

3.6 Relationship with the InternationalFederation

During deployment, ERUs are considered a part of the International Federa-tions response structure, rather than a bilateral National Society response.

3.6.1 Designated head of operationsThe designated head of operations can be the FACT team leader or the In-ternational Federation head of delegation. During the early weeks of the emer-gency operation, the designated head of operations is responsible forfacilitating a coordinated, comprehensive and coherent support to the hostNational Society. The relief ERU will assist in determining the degree andareas of collaboration within the overall cooperation framework.

Relief ERUs report to the designated head of operations for the operation andare technically accountable to the secretariat relief officer. The relief ERUterms of reference will specifically indicate who the designated head of oper-ations is for the response.



3.7 Relationship with the host NationalSociety

Throughout this manual, references are made to the interaction between therelief ERU and the host National Society. However, it is worth highlightingthe following points:

Relief ERU members must remember that relief operations are to beconducted in partnership with the host National Society, and that de-cisions must be made jointly.

Given that the establishment of a relief operation provides a good op-portunity to strengthen host National Society capacities, its staff (HQ,branches and volunteers) should be directly involved at all stages beforeand during an operation.

In many instances, the relief ERU will be required to conduct on-siterapid training in relief methodologies for host National Society volunteersand staff, so it is important that a clear and consistent training module bedeveloped in conjunction with the host National Society. The training it-self is normally imparted by the host National Society emergency direc-tor or other senior leader. Rapid training of volunteers is very importantas it is almost always an activity of the relief ERU due to the influx of hostNational Society volunteers during a disaster. The training should coverpractical issues regarding relief intervention, with clear examples so thatvolunteers know what to expect once they are on the field. Volunteersshould also be trained on monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Remember!

Meet with the host National Society at the earliest opportunity

in order to receive updated operational and contact

information, as well as to identify host National Society

counterparts for the relief ERU.



All relief ERU activities are undertaken in conjunction with and

in support of the host National Society.

Key toolbox

Agenda for host National Society rapid relief training Annex 22

3.7.1 Host National Society response capacityHost National Society disaster response capacity can vary from one countryto another. Before a relief intervention is started, it is necessary that the hostNational Societys capacity to respond is assessed (generally self-assessed).The host National Society capacity checklist is used for this purpose. Thisshould include their capacity to respond to the disaster at the local and na-tional level.

Consult the host National Society and in-country disaster preparedness (DP)teams to obtain a clear picture of the organization of the host National Soci-ety and the disaster preparedness level of HQ, branches and volunteers.

Remember!

The host National Societys response capacity will determine

the role and activities of the relief ERU.

The role of the host National Society, although auxiliary to the national gov-ernment, can differ from one country to another. It is important to under-stand themandate of the host National Society within the country since it



dictates the way the host National Society can respond to the disaster andhow it relates to other disaster response bodies. DP activities, with or withoutsupport from the International Federation, aim toward the elucidation of thehost National Societys mandate. Consult the in-country DP teams (host Na-tional Society and/or International Federation) to obtain this information.

Key toolbox

Host National Society capacity assessment checklist Annex 10

3.8 Operational and security briefingsUpon arrival, the relief ERU should meet with the designated head of opera-tions and the host National Society for an operational and security briefing,and to receive further deployment instructions.

General briefing topics with the designated head of operations include: the host National Societys mandate, main programmes, activities, ca-pacities and key personnel

the operations current status (assessments, overall PoA, operationalstructure, reporting lines, etc.)

logistics overview (status of mobilization table and pipeline, access,transportation, warehousing, etc.)

IT and telecommunications capacity introduction to PNS contacts introduction to non-Movement contacts (e.g., local officials, United Na-tions (UN), NGOs, etc.)

local administrative matters, including delegation regulations (housing,vehicles, etc.)



base of operation for relief ERU or identified options (base will serve asoffice and may also include housing for the units members)

security situation and security regulations rules of conduct for personnel above and beyond the code of conduct(which all ERU delegates are obligated to sign prior to departure)

When briefing with the host National Society (HQ and branches) be pre-pared to concisely explain the purpose, functions and limits of the ERU, aswell as to clarify coordination mechanisms/ interface with FACT/other ERUs.

General briefing topics with the host National Society include: key personnel in the host National Society managing the emergency current response activities (e.g., first aid, shelter management, water dis-tribution, non-food distribution, search and rescue, recovery, psychoso-cial support, etc.)

role of branches and resources to meet those requirements telecommunications capacities human resources transportation mandate and role in national disaster plan prior disaster response experience security concerns which could affect the host National Societys responsecapacity

current systems and capacity for: recruitment, training and retention of new and spontaneous volunteers administration, finance and reporting management emergency response assessment and distribution warehousing and logistics

host National Societys capacity for relief programming need to conduct on-site rapid training for local volunteers and staff inrelief field methodologies



Key toolbox

Briefing checklist Annex 5

3.9 Relationship with in-country actorsIn any relief operation, there will be many different stakeholders involved, in-cluding international and local NGOs, local organizations, government or-ganizations and the UN.

Relief ERUs, through the designated head of operations, must work with in-country actors to ensure that relief is provided in a coordinated way and pri-oritized to the most vulnerable.

In addition to regular coordination with in-country actors, the InternationalFederation has taken on a leading role in emergency shelter in the context ofnatural disasters (emergency shelter cluster). In this role, the InternationalFederation is responsible for the coordination of international shelter responsein disasters, in support of host governments.

Relief ERU activities can have an emergency shelter component. If this is thecase, coordination with the emergency shelter cluster is expected.

Key toolbox

Coordination contacts and meetings Annex 6

Coordination meeting template Annex 7

Coordination template Annex 8



3.10 Security, civil-military relationsand conduct

Relief ERU personnel must comply with security regulations7,8 establishedby the designated head of operations, including security aspects in traffic,checkpoints, ambushes, etc. When the International Committee of the RedCross (ICRC) is present, the relief ERU team leader should meet with thedesignated head of operations and the ICRC before initiating relief activities.Security regulations will be established in close coordination with the ICRC.If an additional operational/security briefing is necessary this should bearranged through the designated head of operations. The ICRC position oncivil-military relations9 should be followed by all relief ERU members.

Remember!

International Federation security guidelines for field delegatesand managers are continuously updated. These guidelines review

such issues as security framework (security strategies, plans,phases), personal security (awareness, preparedness), vehiclesafety and security (rules, awareness, accidents), fieldmovement (procedures, travel, checkpoints), security inInternational Federation premises, security and beneficiaryinteraction (camp management, distributions), communication,health in the field, natural disasters, dangerous situations.

Do not forget to review these guidelines before and during

deployment. They are available on FedNet:

Stay safe: The International Federations guide to a safer mission

Stay safe: The International Federations guide for security

managers

7 Annex 31: Security awareness and management8 Annex 32: Security guidelines for natural disasters9 Annex 36: ICRC position on civil-military relations



In addition to following general security norms dictated by the designatedhead of operations and the host National Society, the relief ERU team leadershould build a security plan for relief interventions using the informationfrom security briefings and manuals.

When planning and implementing a relief operation, the following civil-mil-itary considerations must be taken into account: humanitarian imperative Movement guidelines military escort/services truly as a last resort actual and perceived neutrality actual and perceived impartiality recommendations from the host National Society independence from political considerations or implications if a necessity for armed escort or protection should not be in operation clarify objectives and strategies of operation as a whole basic principles, constraints and mandates of each operation which aspect will be led by civilian agencies and which by military

Remember!

The use of military vehicles should only be discussed or used

as an absolute last resort.

Relief ERU delegates should not use military transportation forthemselves except under life-threatening situations.

No relief goods should be transported in military vehicles

(including helicopters/aircraft) without the permission of the

ICRC and/or the designated head of operations.



If a security incident should happen, contact the relief ERU team leader, des-ignated head of operations and the host National Society immediately. Theywill advise you on how to proceed. If they are not reachable, contact local au-thorities and ask for help. Remember to use common sense and remain calm.Incidents should be reported using the security incident report.

International Federation security in the field including institutional and per-sonal code of conduct10 is based on seven pillars. The prevailing security sit-uation and the level of risk involved shall call for a distinctive order ofimportance of these pillars. The seven pillars of security include: acceptance identification information regulations personal behaviour communication protection

All ERU members must sign the International Federation code of conduct11

prior to deployment and must adhere to its principles.

Key toolbox

Security incident report Annex 33

10 Annex 38: The seven pillars of security11 Annex 2: The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Gov-ernmental Organizations in Disaster Relief



Part 2

Managementof relief ERU

activities



4. Project cyclemanagement

The project cycle management (PCM) is a conceptual tool used for the plan-ning and management of programmes and projects leading to the improve-ment of programme effectiveness and outcome.

This section highlights the key elements of PCM12 linked to relief ERU in-terventions.

12 Adapted from ICRC, Programme/project management: The results-based approach, Geneva, 2008, p. 18-20.

Assessment

Planninganddesign

Implementation

Review andevaluation

Monitoring

Disaster


Management of relief ERU / Project cycle management 45

PCM guides us through the sequence of steps to take when responding to adisaster. The five components of PCM are described below and follow a con-tinuous process: Assessment: the aim of an assessment is to understand a situation inorder to identify the problem(s), its source and its consequences. Thepurpose of an assessment is not to identify an intervention but to findout whether or not an intervention is required, based on identifiedneeds. Rapid assessment: typically conducted by the host National Soci-ety/FACT/ERU

Detailed assessment: conducted by the host National Society/ERU Planning/design: the aim of this phase is to define the desired future sit-uation of the affected population and to determine the objectives, strate-gies and activities needed to achieve it; taking into account localcapacities, the implementing agencys mandate and capacities, and theconstraints and risks. At the end of the planning and design phase, aproject proposal is produced in the form of a relief PoA. Related documents: emergency appeal, relief PoA

Implementation: during this phase, activities are carried out to achievethe desired results. Examples: mobilization and distribution activities done by the hostNational Society/relief ERUs

Monitoring: this is a continuous process throughout the life of the proj-ect, involving monitoring and follow-up of all the activities. The result-ing progress reports lead to decisions on whether or not an interventionneeds to be changed or adapted as the situation evolves. Monitoring isdone through the use of indicators which measure the extent to whichan objective has been accomplished. Moreover, indicators measurechanges in the lives of beneficiaries thanks to the relief they have re-ceived. Examples: through monitoring exercises (i.e., post-distribution mon-itoring) done by the host National Society/relief ERUs



Review and evaluation: at a given point in the intervention, an analy-sis of the situation is carried out, which results in intermediate/final re-ports that lead to recommendations for and adaptations to theintervention or to lessons learnt for the organization. Related documents: end of mission report

The PCM steps need to be followed sequentially since each step builds on theprevious one. In natural disasters, when time for response is short and teamswant to provide relief to the affected populations in a timely manner, it is im-portant to make sufficient time to plan the intervention properly and to set-up the necessary monitoring and evaluation steps.

Reporting, in its most basic sense, is an integral part of all stages of the PCM,essential for proper internal and external communications, transparency andaccountability. Examples of key reports done during the life-cycle of the proj-ect are assessment narrative reports and relief activity reports.

In addition to PCM, Figures 6 and 7 explain the Movements actions relatedto response after a rapid onset disaster.


72 hour field assessment

Assessment planning completed

Team A: Reviews secondary data andNational Society response capacity.

Teams B: Conducts field assessments, etc.

National Society response capacityself-assessment

Update on whether National Society HQor branches have been affected.

Update on the National Societys capacity to respondquickly with resources and if it has experience with

international coordination.Volunteers and staff management capacities.

Analysis and decision-making

Information analysed.Information collected from secondary data and

triangulated through coordination with other actors.Decisions facilitate response.

Coordination

Staff assigned to government authorities EOC,host National Societys EOC fully operational.

Partner National Society/International Federation involvedin Host National Societys EOC.

Communication and information protocols.

.

Refer to rapid fieldassessment (Form B)

Refer to National Societyresponse capacity

self-assessment (Form A)

Follow National Societysstandard operational

procedures

Follow National Societysstandard operational

procedures

Initial plan of action

Rapid onset disaster

72 hours

Management of relief ERU / Project cycle management 47



National Societyresponse capacity

Local/National Regional/GlobalFirst 24 hours

Common activities Common activities

First 24 hour fieldassessment

Coordination

Analysis anddecision-making

Search and rescue

First-aid teams

Health

Assessment

Feeding and sheltering

DMIS reports

NDRT deployment

Warehousing

Monitoring

DMIS

Info bulletin

DREF

Preliminary appeal?

International media

DRU

FACT?

ERU?

RDRT?

Logistics

Telecom

Monitoring

Initial plan of action

Rapid onset disaster


Management of relief ERU / Emergency needs assessment 49

5. Emergency needsassessment

Following the PCM sequence, the first step after the onset of a disaster is toassess the origin, magnitude and effect of the disaster on the affected popula-tion so as to be able to identify humanitarian needs and plan interventions,if needed.

Relief ERU participation in assessments can include a few or all of the fol-lowing stages, depending on the role of the relief ERU and how soon it reachesthe field to provide support to the host National Society: preparation of assessment methodology data collection data consolidation data analysis drafting of recommendations reporting

In general, the host National Society (with or without the support of FACTteams) conducts an immediate assessment and the first stages of a rapid as-sessment. Relief ERUs often provide support in subsequent stages of the as-sessment process. However, relief ERUs must have the capacity to participatein all stages of the assessment process.

This section highlights the key concepts on assessments as described in theICRC/International FederationsGuidelines for assessments in emergencies 2008.



5.1 The aim of an assessmentThe aim of an assessment is to understand a situation in order to identify theproblem(s), its source and consequences. The purpose of an assessment is notto identify an intervention but to find out whether an intervention is neededor not.

5.2 Types of assessmentsThere are four types of assessments: immediate, rapid, detailed and continualassessments: Immediate assessments are conducted within 72 hours after the disas-ter. It is generally conducted by in-country actors/host National Societyand collects basic disaster information.

Rapid assessments are conducted immediately after the disaster andtake up to a week. They gather information on the needs and existingcapacities of the affected population. Possible areas of intervention andresource requirements are determined.

Detailed assessments are conducted after rapid assessments to obtainfurther information on the affected populations needs and capacitiesfor programme planning. They can take a month to conduct, more orless depending on the area, the complexity of the issues and resourcesavailable.

Continual assessments are conducted once the detailed assessment hasbeen completed and relief programmes are running. They update in-formation on the situation and involve beneficiaries for recovery pro-gramming. In addition, when contextual changes occur, continualassessments allow to initiate rapid or detailed assessments.



5.3 Assessment frameworkAssessments should be based on the International Federations vulnerabilityand capacity framework. This consists of an analysis of the problems and peo-ples capacity to address them. A Red Cross Red Crescent intervention may beappropriate if peoples capacities are not sufficient to cope with the problems.

The process is illustrated by the flowchart in Figure 9. The flowchart guidespractitioners through the decision-making process.

Continualassessment

Detailedassessment

Rapidassessment

Disaster

Continualassessment

Detailedassessment

Rapidassessment

Disaster



5.4 The assessment contentThrough the process and methods described in Section 5.5, the team will covera number of topics when conducting a rapid assessment. The context and typeof disaster can determine if more or less focus is given to some topics. How-ever, rapid assessments are the eyes and ears for other Red Cross Red Crescenttechnical teams, therefore all topics need to be covered and reported on.

Areproblemsnormal?

Does assistance fromother sources fill the gaps?

Can/should gaps be filledby Red Cross Red Crescent?

Design Red Cross Red Crescent intervention

Are newcoping strategies

adequate?

Are normalcoping strategies

adequate?

No needfor intervention

Why are coping strategies not adequate?What is the gap between needs and capacities?

What copingstrategies havebeen developed?

Lobby otheragencies/governments

No need forRed CrossRed Crescentintervention

YES

YESYES

YES

NO

YES NO

NO NO

NO



A list of key topics for assessments conducted by relief ERUs is providedbelow. The full list is found in the emergency assessment checklist. The listcan be complemented by other topics that are found to be of interest for theassessment. The order below is not the order in which topics are assessed. Itis important to focus on the changes between the situation before the disasterand the situation after the disaster.

Key topics to cover in a rapid assessment

Type and description of the disaster, areas and locations

affected; access to these locations

Ongoing and/or emerging threats

Contextual information, including security, freedom of

movement, public health concerns (death, disease,

malnutrition), sanitation and hygiene concerns

The role and capacity of local and national authorities to

respond

Population details, including size, number

injured/dead/missing; means of public transportation and

movement

Effect of disaster on infrastructure and urban settings (if

applicable)

Livelihoods and income generation capacity

Access and availability of essential items (sufficient and safe

food and water, medicines, clothes, culturally-adapted non-

food items (NFIs)) and services (security, healthcare, electricity)

through purchase, trade, barter, loan, credit

Shelter conditions, availability of tools and equipment for

reconstruction



Psychosocial/external support, including intra-community

assistance, religious and humanitarian aid (response actions

taken or planned by the Movement, other humanitarian actors)

Red Cross Red Crescent Movement logistic capacity

Remember!

The topics included in an assessment must lead to the

understanding of problems faced by the disaster-affectedpopulation, their capacity to cover essential needs, and thepotential magnitude of the gap between needs and capacities.

Key toolbox

Emergency assessment checklist Annex 9

5.5 The assessment processThe assessment process is the way in which an assessment is conducted. It setsout the various steps or methods that should be applied in order to improvethe quality of the work and outcome.

There are three major phases of an assessment process: before, during andafter a field visit. The flowchart in Figure 10 details the components of eachphase and guides practitioners during the assessment process.


Preliminary review of secondary information(See Section 5.1.)

Is anassessment needed?

(See Section 5.2)

If YES: Prepare the assessment. Define the objectives and draft the terms of reference, if needed.

(See Section 5.3.1.) Decide on the type of assessment to be carried out.

(See Section 2.3.) Decide whether or not to include partners.

(See Section 5.3.3.) Make a detailed review of secondary information.

(See Section 5.3.4.) Define the information needed.

(See Section 5.3.5.) Decide on the areas to visit and the target population.

(See Section 5.3.6.) Organize the collection of information.

(See Section 5.3.7.) Gather the means (human resources, timing, logistics, etc.).

(See Section 5.3.8.)

Observation(look, smell,hear, feel, touch)(See Section 6.3.1.)

Analysis of information + decision on recommendations(See Section 8.1.)

Reporting (See Section 8.5.)

Phase 3: After the field visit

Phase 2: During the field visit

Phase 1: Before the field visit

Talking to people interviews with informants individual or group interviews structured, semi-structured

or unstructured interviews(See Section 6.3.2.)

If NO:Workdone




5.5.1 Before a field visit

Review of secondary informationThis phase focuses on the review of secondary information, which is definedas information that has already been collected, either by the Movement or byother organizations. Secondary information can relate to an earlier situationor to the current one. It can be in written form (reports, etc.) or oral (discus-sion).

Selecting locations to assessIn most cases, it is impossible to assess the entire region of interest. Repre-sentative areas must therefore be selected. When confronted with having tochoose between localities or households, two sampling methods are possible: Random sampling: used when locations and households livelihoodsare similar. List all the locations and randomly pick the number thatyou intend to visit.

Purposive sampling: used when locations and/or households liveli-hoods differ significantly, choose a variety of locations and/or house-holds reflecting different characteristics (ethnicity, economics,town/village, etc.).

Organizing the assessmentBefore going to the field, the team leader should make sure that all teammem-bers are fully briefed on: terms of reference or what is expected from the assessment plan of action including themethodology to be used and the timeframe working relationships the responsibilities of each team member, re-porting lines, etc.

logistical arrangements for the assessment (transport, accommodation, etc.) security (i.e., the existing situation and procedures to be followed dur-ing the assessment)



Remember!

The host National Society can be a valuable source of

secondary information. Take advantage of it when preparing an

assessment.

Be critical not all secondary information is accurate and free

from bias.

Use secondary information to guide you in the selection

process of areas to assess, giving priority to areas that have

been directly affected.

Be thorough and systematic in your sampling of areas to

assess. You will have to explain your process in internal reports

and to external agencies.

When planning an assessment, take cultural and linguistic

differences into consideration. Choose the appropriate team

structure based on the circumstances surrounding each

assessment.

5.5.2 During a field visitThere are a number of basic steps to follow in the field when planning dailyactivities. These steps do not need to be in the order in which they are listed.Some steps might have to be repeated if contradictions and inconsistenciesare found.

Step 1Plan each day carefully.The evening before, the team leader reviews the fol-lowing days, locations, checklists, data collection methods, and roles and re-sponsibilities of team members.



Step 2Talk to the local authorities.When you arrive at a location, meet the formaland informal authorities and explain the purpose of your activities, ask forpermission to proceed. Transparency will increase the acceptance of your teamand will not create false expectations.

Step 3Collect information through observation and interviews.The more sourcesof information you obtain, the better placed you will be to filter out contra-dictions and inconsistencies.

Step 4Organize team meetings. By meeting at given moments during the day,members are given the opportunity to share ideas and agree on amendmentsto the schedule.

Step 5Organize a community meeting at the end. Whenever possible, meetinglocal representatives to debrief on what you have done increases the trans-parency of your activities. Do not make promises regarding assistance.

Remember!

Consult the people affected.

Consider the particular needs of different groups and

individuals.

Consider the reliability of information.

Consider bias.

Seek out marginalized groups and ensure that their interests

are taken into account.

Look for changes and trends that affect society.



Look out for the unexpected.

Consider the impact of certain issues on society as a whole.

Throughout the assessment, think about how the information

will be used.

Time field visits carefully.

How to collect informationObservation gives you a feel for the situation and quickly allows you toapply your common sense. This becomes very important when determiningthe accuracy and level of bias of the information that is given to you throughinterviews. Observation is the most straightforward approach to assessing in-frastructure and logistics.

Interviews are the backbone of a field assessment. They often provide thebulk of the information collected. More importantly, it is the communitiesway of participating in the assessment by revealing their own view on the sit-uation. Ownership and empowerment should not, however, be confused withaccepting everything they tell you as an absolute truth (bias). Key informants,or members of the community (professional, religious, leaders, military, etc.),are those people who have specific knowledge about certain aspects of thecommunity. However, anyone who has an interesting perspective and is ableto express it well can be included in the interview process. Two types of in-terviews can be conducted: Group interviews allow interaction and debate between people. Theyallow gathering information about a wide range of topics. If people withsimilar backgrounds are gathered (focus group), a deeper understandingon particular issues can be obtained.

Individual interviews allow obtaining information from people repre-senting specific professions or qualities. Moreover, they permit the dis-cussion of sensitive issues that are not appropriate for group discussion.



Remember!

Encourage a relaxed, informal atmosphere; seek the opinions

of those who are reluctant to speak.

People from marginalized groups may be reluctant to speak

openly, particularly if their views are controversial. Seek a way

to ensure that they voice their views.

In a very hierarchical local society, it may be difficult to obtain

diversified opinions. In this case, it is better to convene

separate groups in which status is more balanced (or interview

people separately).

Consider bias. Some informants might adapt the information

they provide to increase their chance of receiving humanitarian

aid. If information is obviously biased, take it into consideration

but do not hold it against them. After all, they have been

affected by a major disaster.

Focus groups can be selected according to sex, age, ethnicity,

faith, etc.

Selecting the type of interview to conductAn interview can be semi-structured (checklist), structured (questionnaire)and unstructured (no points prepared in advance). Questionnaires might seeman easier way of collecting information. However, questionnaires can miss outon questions or answers that are not foreseen. Unstructured interviews aregood to obtain a very wide range of topics. However, they tend to be timeconsuming and do not guarantee that the topics of interest are covered. There-fore, a combination of observation and semi-structured interviews is recom-mended for rapid assessments.



Conducting semi-structured interviews requires the interviewer(s) to be alertand to adapt the information collection strategy (order of topics, tools used) tothe respondents profile and situation. As such, a subtle approach is necessary.

Remember!

Keep your interview checklist handy to make sure you have not

forgotten any topics.

Do not be afraid to terminate an interview if you feel that

interviewees are not willing or able to share information with

you. Thank them for their time and move on. In rapid

assessments, time is precious!

Interviews are best conducted in twos. The first interviewer

leads the interview and asks the questions. The second writes

down the answers and reminds the first one if a topic has been

skipped or needs further development.

Conducting one interview after another can be very tiring. A

break between interviews is necessary for the interviewing

team to review the content and accuracy of the information

collected. It also allows the team to get some fresh air and get

ready for the next one!

Assessment techniquesA number of assessment techniques can be used when conducting interviews.These tools facilitate the exchange of information with respondents.

Moreover, these techniques allow assessment teams to cross-check informa-tion and to identify and clarify inconsistencies as they are collected. Once theassessment has been finished and teams return from the field, it is not alwayspossible to return to the assessed localities to obtain clarification or fill in in-formation gaps.



Remember!

Use a variety of techniques on as many sources as possible to

address information gaps and inconsistencies during the

assessment.

The information analysis process starts in the field.

The techniques are listed below and further described in Annex 35: daily calendar historical timeline proportional piling seasonal calendar pair-wise ranking stakeholder analysis why-why tree capacity of peoples organizations

5.5.3 After a field visitThe assessment is not finished when the field visit is over. Informationgathering is like obtaining the ingredients of a meal. The analysis of data islike the cooking of those ingredients. The end result of meal preparationdepends greatly on how the ingredients are cooked and presented.

AnalysisThe information collected during the assessment, in addition to the infor-mation collected from secondary sources, is the bulk of information that needsto be analysed to determine the capacity of the affected population to covertheir essential needs.

In spite of the effort done in the field to address inconsistent information, itis possible that some inconsistencies are found when analysing information



upon return from the field. It is important to involve as many members of theassessment team as possible to discuss divergent or contradictory findings.

Possible reasons for inconsistent information are: Perception: there is not always a correct answer. Peoples interpreta-tion of events depends upon their individual circumstances. People havebiases which influence how they understand a situation and prioritize.Bias is the lens through which people view the world and can be orga-nizational, cultural, gender or sector specific.

Access to information: some people are better informed about a par-ticular subject than others.

Misrepresentation: sometimes people purposely provide misleading in-formation.

If inconsistencies cannot be elucidated and no consensus is found amongst as-sessment teammembers, the team leader must decide upon the conclusion ac-cording to his/her best judgment, based on discussions with the team andafter consideration of all the available information.

Summarizing informationInformation must be summarized from general to specific. The classificationbelow can be followed: Secondary information will be used to describe the global situa-tion/problem/reason why an assessment was done. Include in the re-porting all relevant secondary information that was reviewed.

Group interviews and individual interviews with key informants willprovide general information about livelihoods and the overall situationin the area visited. Summarize the information as briefly as possible.

Household interviews will provide more specific information aboutlivelihoods and household resilience. For each location visited, summa-rize household conditions. Highlight changes and trends. If there arebig differences between households within a location, provide separateinformation for each type of household.



Synthesizing informationA number of steps can be used when synthesizing information. These steps fol-low the vulnerability and capacity flowchart described in Section 5.3.

Step 1Problem identificationFor all topics covered in the rapid assessment, determine the problems (unmethuman needs) according to the Sphere standards. Problems can be new iflinked to or caused by the disaster or normal if they happen regularly andare not linked to the disaster. For new problems, indicate when the problem started. For normal problems, indicate how often and under which conditionsthe problem occurs.

Step 2Identification of groups or populations affected by the problem(s) iden-tified in Step 1You need to attribute the problems identified in Step 1 to groups or popula-tions affected by the problems and determine/estimate the number of peoplein each locality affected by the problem.

Step 3Determine the capacity of the groups or populations identified in Step 2to overcome the disasterCapacity to overcome a disaster is determined by the populations copingmechanisms, vulnerability and resilience levels, and external or environmen-tal factors.

Step 4Determine the extent to which affected groups or populations are able tocover their essential needs



By analysing capacities, it is possible to estimate the gap between needs andcapacities. The gap between the conditions of the affected populations andSphere standards should be used to help gauge emergency needs and to de-velop responses.

Definitions

Capacity is defined as the resources of individuals,households, communities, institutions and nations to resist the

impact of a hazard.13

Coping mechanisms are the adapted/unusual strategies thatpeople choose as a way of living through difficult times.

Strategies can be damaging to livelihoods if they are not

reversible.

Vulnerability is defined as the conditions which increase thesusceptibility of a community, household or individual to the

impact of shocks/hazards.14

Resilience is the ability to reduce, prepare for, resist andrecover from shocks/hazards. A totally vulnerable household

means a household without any resilience to face a

shock/hazard; a household that can absorb a shock/hazard is

a household with an appropriate level of resilience.

External or environmental factors external environmentalfactors influence the vulnerability and resilience of households,

groups and populations. They include laws (written or

customary), existing infrastructure (roads, etc.), and services

(credit, schools, etc.). They are represented by various types of

institutions including formal membership organizations

(cooperatives and registered groups), informal organizations

13 International Federation, VCA training guide, Geneva, 2008, p 25.14 Adapted from Inter-Agency Secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR), Liv-

ing with Risk: A global review of disaster reduction initiatives, 2004, Annex 1.



(rotating savings groups), political institutions (government,

ministries), economic institutions (markets, tax system), socio-

cultural institutions (kinship, religious, Red Cross Red

Crescent, NGOs).

Needs refer to basic human needs. Basic human needsinclude access and availability to safe and balanced food,

shelter, heating (including clothing), clean water and health

care. Needs should be covered in a dignified in a sustainable

way.

Remember!

Humanitarian agencies fall within socio-cultural institutions.

Their mandate and activities must be considered when

analysing the external or environmental factors.

Summarizing and synthesizing assessment data/information

should be done immediately upon return from the field

assessment. Otherwise, your team might forget some details

or start confusing observations from one locality with another.

Assessment reportsThe assessment report is the result of the field assessment and the informationsummary and synthesis. The ultimate aim of the report is to identify theunmet essential needs of the disaster- affected population and to provide rec-ommendations which will later on be translated into a relief PoA. However,the report will have to detail how the gap between needs and capacities hasbeen identified. In other words, the result of the information synthesis, as perabove, will have to be detailed in the report.



Key toolbox

Assessment narrative report Annex 11

General practical reminders on assessments

must be done with host National Society as lead

must be realistic of capacity

may use RIT/RDRT to supplement

must consult communities and vulnerable groups at all stages

must combine secondary information with field data collection

and consultation

must remember bias



6. Planning and design

This chapter aims to provide an overview of the planning and design processof a relief intervention. Section 6.1, the planning process, describes the stepsand order to undertake when planning relief interventions. Section 6.2, theintervention design process, helps you in the selection of relief interventionsthat are best adapted to the needs of the context you are facing. Given that in-tervention selection is part of the planning process, it has been included in thischapter.

6.1 The planning processThe planning and design process is critical to a relief operation as it helpsto set out in clear stages what the operation will do. Moreover, it determineshow progress and results will be monitored and defines the duration of reliefactivities.

Manuals existing in the Movement such as the ICRCs Programme/projectmanagement: The results-based approach and the International Federations Proj-ect planning process handbook explain in detail the planning and design process.Relief ERUs are not expected to follow the heavier planning processes de-scribed in these manuals. However, many of the steps are similar and must befollowed.

The steps in the planning and design process not only focus on the interven-tion(s) but also include other phases of the PCM, such as monitoring andevaluation of interventions.


Management of relief ERU / Planning and design 69

For relief ERUs, the main planning tool is the relief PoA template.15 Some of thecomponents of the relief PoA template are self-explanatory. As such, this sectionfocuses on themore complex elements which are specific to the planning process.16

General relief objective: it explains what the relief ERU wants the benefici-aries to achieve. Objectives must be results-driven and not activity-driven.This means that they must be focused on achieving real changes. An example: the disaster-affected population lives under proper shelter.

Specific objective(s): these objective(s) build up to achieve the gene

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