Preparedness

Preparedness is the set of actions, capacities and resources that enable governments, communities and organisations to anticipate and respond rapidly and effectively to emergency situations. These emergencies may be caused by natural hazards (fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.), technological hazards (nuclear accidents or industrial accidents) and even biological hazards (epidemics and pandemics), among others.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, countries with prior health preparedness plans (including stockpiles of protective equipment, epidemiological surveillance systems and a trained health system) as well as those fostering trust in authorities and within the community were able to respond more swiftly and with better results. In countries such as Japan, earthquake preparedness includes school drills, early warning systems and anti-seismic building codes, which significantly reduce mortality compared with less prepared regions.

How to prepare for an emergency

For effective preparedness and response to an emergency, it is essential to have a solid governance system, with processes, coordination and communication channels, and pre-established, agile legal frameworks that enable rapid and effective decision-making during an emergency. Similarly, coordination between science, policy and public health must be promoted, so that appropriate channels exist to allow decisions to be informed by scientific evidence, while also taking into account the uncertainties inherent in emergencies.

Preparedness requires risk assessment, that is, identifying which threats are more likely and/or could have the greatest impact in a given context, such as earthquakes in seismic zones or floods in coastal areas.

Once hazards are recognised, it is vital to design action plans in “peace times”, setting out clear protocols for coordinated action in the event of an emergency. Preparedness also requires capacity building, which includes training not only for health, security, civil protection and other essential service personnel, but also for the general population, so that everyone knows how to act. Finally, it is crucial to ensure human, financial and material resources, guaranteeing that supplies, infrastructure and communication systems are available for use in critical situations.

Benefits of preparedness

Investing in preparedness has a direct impact on the safety and well-being of the population:

• It allows us to anticipate an emergency, prevent it or reduce its impact, and respond more rapidly and effectively, limiting damage and casualties.
• Reduces long-term impact and accelerates social and economic recovery after a crisis.
• Strengthens public trust in institutions and encourages adherence to measures during a crisis.
• Protects vulnerable groups more effectively, reducing inequalities in the impact of emergencies.
• Ensures the continuity of essential services such as health, education, energy, transport and food supply.
• Builds institutional, community and individual resilience to future crises.

The role of ISGlobal

ISGlobal’s approach illustrates how to anticipate and act effectively in an increasingly complex world exposed to polycrises. The PR³ approach (Preparedness, Response, Recovery and Resilience) promotes concrete actions:

1. Reflect and prepare in peace times: develop basic frameworks and protocols that can be rapidly adapted to different crises.
2. Respond quickly when an emergency occurs: mobilise experts and assets to ensure efficient action from local to global levels.
3. Conduct applied research: identify risks, assess them and provide useful evidence so that political decision-making is supported by reliable information.
4. Advise decision-makers and the media: provide up-to-date, clear knowledge to improve crisis management.
5. Build preparedness and response capacity: translate scientific findings into effective policies and train teams ready to act in future crises.