WORKING P A P E R Models of Relief Learning from Exemplary Practices in International Disaster Management MELINDA MOORE, HORACIO R. TRUJILLO, BROOKE K. STEARNS, RICARDO BASURTO- DÁVILA, AND DAVID EVANS WR-514 August 2007 Prepared for RAND Center for Domestic and International Health Security This product is part of the RAND Health working paper series. RAND working papers are intended to share researchers’ latest findings and to solicit informal peer review. They have been approved for circulation by RAND Health but have not been formally edited or peer reviewed. Unless otherwise indicated, working papers can be quoted and cited without permission of the author, provided the source is clearly referred to as a working paper. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. is a registered trademark. -iii- PREFACE Natural disasters are an unfortunately common occurrence in the United States and countries around the world. In the United States, Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of the Gulf Coast in 2005 spurred a renewed interest in improving U.S disaster management practices. As such, government entities— from the White House and U.S. Senate to state and local emergency preparedness agencies have been considering how to address the deficiencies in the U.S. system exposed by the Katrina experience. Most of this inquiry has drawn upon the United States’ experience with disasters and the traditional United States principles for disaster management, including preparedness, response and recovery. This study looks to contribute to this inquiry by tapping into the rich body of disaster-related experiences from the broader international community. Collection and analysis of information about the management of disasters around the world provides a new and potentially fruitful avenue to improve disaster management in the United States. This study identifies examples of good practice in disaster management from throughout the world. After motivating this discussion through a case study of Hurricane Katrina to identify problematic areas in the U.S. response, the study presents a series of selected case studies of exemplary disaster management experiences in other countries, and highlights from interviews with international disaster management experts, to identify lessons that could be considered by U.S. policymakers. This report should be of direct and practical interest to agencies across a range of sectors at the U.S. federal, state and local levels responsible for U.S. disaster planning and response. It should also spur consideration of ways to bridge the experiences of U.S. agencies charged with domestic disaster response, such as the Department of Homeland Security, and those charged with international disaster response, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. At a broader level, the report should interest the U.S. Congress for learning lessons for U.S. policy by drawing on international achievements, the Department of State for the guidance it suggests for engaging with other countries to identify policy lessons to bring home to the United States, and -iv- those multilateral agencies, international organizations and individuals that are interested in sharing with U.S. policymakers their experiences and wisdom from international disasters. This study was funded by RAND’s Center for Domestic and International Health Security, through support from Kaiser Permanente. The Center is a multidisciplinary research collaboration within RAND whose mission is to improve domestic and global health and emergency preparedness. Center staff include behavioral scientists, economists, medical sociologists, organizational analysts, physicians, policy analysts, political scientists, and statisticians. They are focusing their efforts in three broad areas: Public health and preparedness, Mental health, and Global health. For more information on the RAND Corporation Center for Domestic and International Health Security, contact the center’s directors, Nicole Lurie or Ross Anthony by e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected], respectively; by phone at 310-393-0411, extension 5127 or 5265, respectively; or by mail at RAND, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050. -v- CONTENTS Preface..............................................................iii Contents...............................................................v Figures..............................................................vii Tables................................................................ix Summary...............................................................xi Acknowledgments....................................................xxiii Abbreviations........................................................xxv 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND.........................................1 2. METHODS............................................................11 3. INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES.........................................15 4. INSIGHTS FROM GLOBAL DISASTER DOCTRINE AND INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERTS.43 5. LESSONS LEARNED....................................................59 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................67 Appendix 1: U.S. DOMESTIC DISASTER MANAGEMENT.........................71 Appendix 2. INTERNATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT........................87 Appendix 3. HURRICANE KATRINA CASE STUDY.............................101 Appendix 4: INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES...............................125 4.1. BANGLADESH – FLOOD (1998).................................125 4.2. CUBA – CATEGORY 4+ HURRICANES (1996-2005).................133 4.3. CZECH REPUBLIC – FLOODS (1997 and 2002)...................147 4.4. HONDURAS - HURRICANE (1998)...............................153 4.5. INDIA - Earthquake (2001).................................161 4.6. INDIAN OCEAN COUNTRIES - TSUNAMI (2004)...................169 4.7. INDONESIA – LANDSLIDES (2002-2003)........................175 4.8. IRAN – EARTHQUAKE (2003)..................................179 4.9. MEXICO – EARTHQUAKE (1985)................................185 4.10. MOZAMBIQUE – FLOODS (2000 and 2001).....................191 4.11. PHILIPPINES – VOLCANIC ERUPTION (1991)...................201 4.12. VIETNAM – FLOODS (1998 and 1999).........................213 4.13. VIETNAM – TYPHOON (2005).................................217 Appendix 5: Selected Online Resources for Data on Natural Disasters..221 References...........................................................223 -vii- FIGURES Figure 1.1: Deaths and Economic Costs from Most Destructive U.S. Natural Disasters in Each Decade, 1900-2005..................... 3 Figure 1.2: Number of Natural Disasters Reported Worldwide, 1975-2005. 4 Figure A.1.1: United States Approach to Management of Non-Terrorist Incidents...................................................... 76 Figure A.4.6.1: Map of Countries Affected by 2006 Indian Ocean Tsunami .............................................................. 170 -ix- TABLES Table S.1 Summary of Exemplary Practices Identified, by Country...... 15 Table 1.1: Worldwide Economic Losses due to Natural Disasters, by Decade, 1950-2000............................................... 5 Table 1.2: Economic Losses from Natural Disasters by Region, 1991-2000 6 Table 3.1 Disasters Reviewed in this Report, by Economic Impact Level 15 Table 3.2 Summary of Areas for which Exemplary Practices were Identified, by Country......................................... 35 Table 3.3 Exemplary Practices Identified: Prevention and Preparedness 39 Table 3.4 Exemplary Practices Identified: Response................... 40 Table 3.5 Exemplary Practices Identified: Recovery and Redevelopment. 41 Table A.1.1: Timeline of Modern Domestic Disaster Management Doctrine 74 Table A.1.2: Key U.S. National-Level Disaster Response Agencies...... 81 Table A.1.3: National Response Emergency Support Functions and Responsible Federal Agencies................................... 85 Table A.2.1: Key Disaster Risk Management Principles from the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction............ 88 Table A.2.2: Programming Principles of Developmental Relief.......... 97 Table A.2.3: USAID/OFDA Fundamentals of a Livelihoods Strategy....... 98 Table A.2.4: Operationalizing the Fundamentals of a Livelihood Strategy ............................................................... 98 Table A.3.1: Timeline of Hurricane Katrina Events................... 123 Table A.4.2.1: Hurricanes in Cuba and their Impacts, 1996-2005...... 134 Table A.4.10.1: Number of Persons Rescued During the 2000 and 2001 Mozambique Floods............................................. 196 Table A.4.11.1: Pinatubo Volcano Observatory (PVO) Alert Levels as Established on May 13, 1991................................... 206 Table A.4.11.2: PVO-Specified Alert Levels and Danger Zones, 1991... 208 -xi- SUMMARY Hurricane Katrina, which struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in August 2005, was the most destructive and costly natural disaster in U.S. history. While shortcomings in disaster preparedness and response associated with Hurricane Katrina were numerous and have been reported extensively, they more broadly illustrate areas needing improvement in this country’s overall disaster management system. Natural disasters are a common occurrence in the United States. Between 1974 and 2004, an average of 38 federally declared major disasters occurred annually. While the number of such disasters has been relatively