Glossary of Disaster Management Terms
The following definitions are derived from the Disaster Management Act, National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF), and the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR).
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acceptable Risk | The level of loss a society or community considers acceptable given existing social, economic, political, cultural, technical and environmental conditions. |
| Adaptation | The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects to reduce harm or take advantage of beneficial opportunities. |
| Biological Hazard | Processes of organic origin or those conveyed by biological vectors that may cause loss of life, injury, property damage, social disruption, economic disruption or environmental degradation. |
| Capacity Building | Efforts aimed at developing human skills, systems and infrastructure required to reduce disaster risk. |
| Climate Change | A change in climate identified through persistent changes in variability that continue for decades or longer. |
| Coping Capacity | The ability of individuals, communities or organizations to use available resources and skills to manage adverse consequences. |
| Disaster | A serious disruption causing death, injury, damage, environmental degradation or significant social and economic disruption that exceeds the affected community's ability to cope. |
| Disaster Management | A continuous and integrated process of planning and implementing measures to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. |
| Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) | Systematic efforts to reduce disaster risks through prevention, mitigation and resilience-building measures. |
| Early Warning | Timely and effective information enabling exposed communities to reduce risk and prepare for response activities. |
| Ecosystem | A system of relationships between living organisms and their environment. |
| Emergency Preparedness | A state of readiness enabling institutions, communities and individuals to respond effectively to disaster events. |
| Geographical Information System (GIS) | A computer-based system used to capture, store, analyse and display spatially referenced data. |
| Hazard Analysis | The identification, study and monitoring of potential hazards to determine their characteristics and impacts. |
| Hydrometeorological Hazard | Atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic phenomena capable of causing injury, damage or environmental degradation. |
| Mitigation | Actions designed to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards or climate change through reduced exposure and vulnerability. |
| Preparedness | Activities undertaken before disaster events to ensure effective response and recovery. |
| Recovery | Actions taken following a disaster to restore and improve living conditions while reducing future risks. |
| Relief | Immediate assistance provided following a disaster to meet basic human needs and preserve life. |
| Risk Assessment | A methodology used to determine the nature and extent of risk by analysing hazards and vulnerabilities. |
| Technological Hazard | Hazards originating from technological failures, industrial accidents, infrastructure breakdowns or human activities. |
| Vulnerability | Conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors that increase susceptibility to hazard impacts. |
Acronyms
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| DM Act | Disaster Management Act |
| DRR | Disaster Risk Reduction |
| EIA | Environmental Impact Assessment |
| ENSO | El Niño-Southern Oscillation |
| GIS | Geographical Information System |
| IDP | Integrated Development Plan |
| ISDR | International Strategy for Disaster Reduction |
| MDMC | Municipal Disaster Management Centre |
| MEC | Member of the Executive Council |
| NDMC | National Disaster Management Centre |
| NDMF | National Disaster Management Framework |
| PDMC | Provincial Disaster Management Centre |