Less formal mechanisms such as media and other public forums should be used to carry the disaster management message to the broader public. Public awareness programmes for disaster management are more cost-effective if they make use of existing resources such as current institutions and other platforms for sharing information. Such public awareness campaigns around disaster management can be a component of health, environmental and other forms of awareness programmes already being conducted by government institutions, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector. Public awareness programmes are aimed at reinforcing the relationship between functionaries and society. Top of page 5.2.9.
Planning is required to reduce vulnerability.
It is also required to ensure that mechanisms are in place to reduce the risks and impacts of disasters when they occur. A major feature of the new disaster management approach is that it attempts to understand the causes of vulnerability and risk. This includes taking into account socio-economic, environmental and others factors that worsen the impacts of recurrent threats. Based on the assessment of risks and hazards that the country faces, planning for such things as building dams or improving water storage capacity in the face of El-Nino can be structured in advance. Depending on the geographic location and targeting the most vulnerable sectors of our society, plans can be put in place that can be implemented at the national, provincial, local or community level.