Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience linkages support shared responsibility
Both the global Sendai Framework and the Australian National Strategy for Disaster Resilience place a clear emphasis on shared responsibility as a central principle in effective disaster risk reduction. This approach demands a commitment to inclusivity; space must be carved out at the tables of planning and decision making for both demographic diversity, and differences in thought and experience. Such an approach is both strategic, through the opportunity for broader input, and ethically grounded in the principle of community self-determination; that communities should not be characterised as passive recipients of aid, but rather capable agents of change.
In this spirit, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) delivers an ambitious annual events program designed to reach beyond the traditional emergency management space. AIDR events fosters linkages between representatives of emergency management and government, to the wide range of other organisations with a role to play in resilience, including health, education, the private sector, community groups and non-profit organisations – nationally and internationally.
Looking back on the year that was, highlights included an AIDR-hosted speaking tour featuring Craig Fugate, former administrator of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Fugate’s career as an emergency manager has been characterised by a determination to recognise and maximise the strengths of the private sector and community in the wake of disasters; a recognition that government will never have the capacity to meet the demands of the most destructive disasters, and that we must broaden the circle of responsibility to leverage the strengths and efficiencies of both business and community.
The Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection is another area where contribution by those outside the traditional emergency management sector is incorporated and valued. The Handbook Collection working and steering groups consists of representatives from government, the private sector, research partners, and importantly, community members.
AIDR recently hosted a knowledge event in Sydney, an early step in the collaborative process of scoping and developing an addition to the Handbook Collection on crowded places and mass gatherings. The event was attended by over one hundred representatives spanning most Australian jurisdictions from all levels of government, as well as the health; emergency management; emergency services; venue operations; event coordination sectors.
Looking forward to 2018, the increasing frequency and significance of disaster events around the world demands an even greater focus on shared responsibility for resilience. AIDR looks forward to hosting the inaugural Australian Disaster Resilience Conference in Perth in September 2018, where we will continue to build connections across sectors and jurisdictions in support of more disaster resilient communities.