Local, community, or municipal leadership is a key factor in coping with disasters. It is often more effective than national or centrally-planned prevention and recovery strategies. The purpose of this script is to encourage local groups to recognize the skills they have that will be useful in case of disaster.
Community groups can:
- Form a disaster committee to coordinate disaster relief activities.
- Develop a simple early warning system that everyone can understand.
- Investigate indigenous strategies. For example, collect and record information about traditional ways to conserve and store clean water, save and store seeds, select drought or flood-tolerant crops, and construct housing to withstand disasters. Pass these ideas around.
- Provide information on community seed banks and insurance policies.
- Distribute emergency food and other supplies.
- Educate the population about the importance of proper sanitation to reduce the spread of diseases at times of disaster.
This script uses a women’s radio listening club as an example. We suggest that you use an example, such as a local organization, that is familiar to your audience.
http://www.farmradio.org/english/radio-scripts/64-8script_en.asp [1]