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Session V: Integration of Risk Information and Early Warnings

in Emergency Preparedness, Planning and Response

Ricardo Mena, OCHA

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A few fundamental questions:

• Does the vulnerable population know the risks it faces and how to protect itself?

• Is the political decision-making process to declare an alert and order an evacuation clearly defined?

• Are community awareness and education programes on disaster preparedness and response in place?

• Are alarm signals well know and recognised?

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A few fundamental questions

• Are operating procedures established on how the warnings are supposed to be handled?

• Do monitoring institutions have a 24 hour 7/7 duty system? Are they adequately linked to the Civil Protection Agency?

• Have civil protection officials developed an emergency operations plan and has it been tested through yearly simulations?

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A few fundamental questions

• Does the community understand the implications that early warnings could have on their socioeconomic development and how to deal with them?

• Are the alarm signals fail proof? • Are the main hazards covered by

early warning systems? If so, which?• Are evacuation routes marked?