Disaster Management:

One of the main objectives of Red Cross is to protect life and provide immediate relief to the victims of natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, epidemics, famine, drought, earthquakes, fire accidents etc. For immediate disaster preparedness and response, IRCS, APSB has launched massive capacity building initiatives to train the people from the local community, so that they are better prepared to face disasters and manage its consequences. These activities are carried out in the disaster-prone areas with the help and assistance of I.R.C.S. National Headquarters, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and other National Partner Societies viz., American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, Hong Kong Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross.

Disaster Management is a collective term encompassing all aspects of planning and responding to disasters, including pre and post disaster activities.

Integrated Red Cross Development Programme

Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Programme in 10 Districts of Andhra Pradesh was launched with the support of Canadian Red Cross for the period from March 2010 to Oct 2015.

From Oct 2015, IRCS, APSB is continuing the programme with its own funds of Rs.80 lakhs per annum with 20 professional staff spread over the 13 districts of A.P., and renaming the programme as “Integrated Red Cross Development Programme (IRCD Programme)”. Under this programme, trainings in first aid, disaster management, Blood Banks and Blood Storage Centres, healthcare programmes, welfare programmes, enrolment and activities of JRC/YRC volunteers, celebration of important days and awareness programmes are undertaken.

Staff Pattern

* RRC – Regional Resource Centre
** DFO - District Field Officer

Programmes implemented by IRCS in partnership with government / other agencies

i. Disaster Management Trainings for Youth
In association with Dept. of Youth Services, Govt. of A.P., IRCS, APSB has organized 214 trainings on Disaster Management with special focus on First Aid, covering 9432 rural youth and college students from 13 districts of A.P.The trained youth are in turn supporting Govt. in large gatherings, festivals and also responding to local emergencies. IRCS, APSB & Dept. of Youth Services, Govt. of A.P., are continuing the programme, to have in place a trained force of youth volunteers to respond during emergencies and to act to save lives during the “golden hour” period.
ii. Rescue & First Aid Trainings to the Task Force Teams
IRCS, A.P. State Branch, in association with National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Program under Revenue (DM) Dept., Govt of A.P. funded by World Bank through NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) organized 219 trainings to the Rescue & First Aid Task Force Team members at 219 cyclone shelters in 9 coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh.
iii. CBDRR trainings to the PRI members
IRCS, A.P. State Branch, in association with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), Andhra Pradesh division is conducting Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Trainings to the Panchayat Raj Institution members in the districts of Visakhapatnam & Krishna.
iv. IRCS-ICRC Cooperation activities programme
IRCS-ICRC Cooperation program has been implemented by the IRCS, A.P.State Branch from 2015. The program aim is to develop volunteers, mainly youth, through capacity building activities on First Aid, and to participate in the Red Cross Movement at Community, District and State Level.