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Interaction

The term interaction describes the joint activities of various stakeholders in order to achieve a mutual goal. Regarding disaster relief, interaction refers to cooperative efforts of organizations, groups, and lay citizens aiming to cope with disaster-related issues. One of the most important lessons derived from both natural and human-made disasters is that the extent and effectiveness of interaction largely influence the level of both emergency preparedness and disaster relief.

Stakeholders Interacting in Disaster Issues

The process of dealing with disaster-related issues—both before the disaster strikes and after it actually occurs—involves a wide range of stakeholders, which may interact through different means, such as round table discussions or group meetings, task forces, multilateral projects, joint planning, common drills, and cooperative (electronic) communication. The list of stakeholders may include governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, informal civil society groups, and residents. Usually, the primary governmental agencies involved are emergency management authorities, which may also have another equivalent title; police and fire departments; relevant military representatives; emergency departments of governmental ministries; and elected officials, whose extent of interest in disaster issues may greatly vary according to their political priorities. These organizations are relevant at both the national and local level. NGO stakeholders may include local and national assistance organizations and volunteer groups, community centers, neighborhood committees, professional unions, healthcare organizations, and advocacy groups. The business sector may also be involved in disaster relief or emergency preparedness through one or more of the following activities: donations, professional consulting, participation in inter-sector task groups, and involvement in the implementation of programs. In addition to these formal stakeholders from various sectors, there are also informal groups that may desire to participate and contribute, which may include informal community groups and active individuals.

Not all stakeholders will be present in every national or local arena. However, every country is characterized by a unique public administration and legislation, civil society, and business sector, which influences the involvement of potential stakeholders. Two additional factors will also determine whether certain stakeholders will be involved in interactive disaster-related activities: The relative importance disaster-related issues have in the stakeholder's set of priorities, and the extent of the stakeholder's willingness to cooperate with other partners on the issue of disaster relief or emergency preparedness. The combination of factors will create the unique mosaic of stakeholders in each location. Generally speaking, the more stakeholders from various sectors taking part in a disaster-related process, the more the needs of various groups will be effectively addressed. In this context, the issue of representation of various underprivileged groups, such as the poor, new immigrants, the homeless, and people with disabilities, is important. In various disasters in the past, these groups were found to be more vulnerable during disasters, and they have demonstrated a need for special and enlarged assistance.

Quality of Interaction

The quality and extent of the interaction between different organizations and groups highly influence the actual level of both disaster relief and emergency preparedness. Moreover, the more effectively the interaction mechanisms are established and developed during preparedness—on both the national and local level—the more effective disaster response and relief will be. The quality of interaction is one of the most important indicators of a society's ability to cope effectively with disaster, since the joint efforts multiply the ability to cope rapidly and effectively with its various destructive consequences. This has been consistently demonstrated during most natural and human-made disasters all over the world, including hurricanes, war and conflict, and earthquakes.

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