Are you Prepared?For humanitarian action, Scouts must Be Prepared, at all levels!Most National Scouts Organizations (NSO) responding to disasters and humanitarian crises consider they have improvised and did not have ade-quate preparation. As an individual, a Scout unit or a NSO, Scouts must be prepared.

Preparedness is the phase of the Disaster Management Cycle where govern-ments, organisations, and individuals develop plans to save lives, minimise disaster damage, and enhance disaster response operations.

Scouts are often first to respond when disaster strikes and sometimes, they must act alone to save lives. Being prepared as an individual Scout helps keep you and your entourage safe.

Develop an emergency plan with your family

Acquire and maintain a survival kit for your family

Get informed about local disaster risks and community resources

Be aware about evacuation procedures, routes and shelters

Work toward first aid, disaster preparedness or similar speciality badges if any

Register in a first aid course and get certified

Most organized response start with local Scout units or groups. Their actions, often dictated by the circumstances, could be improved and implemented in a safer way with better advance preparation.

Develop an emergency plan for your unit activities

Support and encourage young people to get trained and work toward first aid,

disaster preparedness or similar speciality badges if any

Develop age appropriate, themed games and scenarios linked to local risks

Map local hazards and resources, identify the most vulnerable members of the community

Carefully assess your unit’s capacity and resources to assist the population

Select appropriate actions in advance, determine roles and responsibilities

Bring awareness and educate the population to help them access and use vital information

Follow NSO’s policy and procedures, and act in coordination with the national leadership

Get involved in community emergency drills, warning systems, evacuation plan

Partner with humanitarian and community organizations for preparedness and response

What you could do as an individual Scout:

What your Scout unit could do:

While response initiatives often start at local level, National Scout Organizations are expected to provide coordination, guidance and resources.

What your National Scout Organization could do:Develop national humanitarian action policy and procedures

Create a national position or structure, linked to the National Youth Programme Committee,

for humanitarian action coordination

Develop age appropriate Youth Programme components related to humanitarian action

Develop educational resources and offer training opportunities for volunteers

Develop national partnership with humanitarian organisations and government agencies to sup-

port national and local initiatives

Be aware of coordination mechanisms and resources available at WOSM regional

and global levels

Raise funds to support preparedness and response activities