Are You Ready for Disaster?

Safe Site Management Guide

Published by: People in Need (PIN) # 33 (4th floor), St 71, S/K Tonle Bassac, Khan Chamkar Morn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

November 2015

Illustrated by: Joshua Chiang

Authors: Piotr SasinPaul Conrad

Technical support from: Tep SokhaIzabella KlinowiczSreymom HemSamnang Hok (safe site engineer)

Acknowledgement:A special thanks to all the community members, individuals, and organizations which provided support and input in the development of this manual and in who have worked alongside PIN to make improvements to safe sites over the years. In particular consortium partners, DanChurchAid, ActionAid, Oxfam, and Save the Children along with local partners, EPDO, AK, PK, and SORF.

This document has been produced with financial assistance of the European Commission, The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the European Commission.

Are You Ready for Disaster? Safe Site Management Guide

Introduction

Safe sites are a vital component of a community’s ability to cope effectively with flooding. In Cambodia typically safe sites are mainly used as a community gathering area for those

individuals and families who have been directly impacted by a flood event. Many rural families whose houses and lands are impacted by a disaster will temporarily move into a safe site bringing with them as much as their livelihoods as possible (livestock, equipment, etc.). These sites are set up as a first line of community response, ideally providing those impacted by a disaster with access to the basic services they need in order to survive.

This guide has been setup in order to graphically illustrate key concepts and good practices which the committee who is in charge of a safe site should take into consideration when regularly maintaining and operating a safe site. It incorporates concepts of minimum humanitarian standards such as SPHERE and demonstrates how these concepts might be applied to a typical safe site. All information in this guide is based on practical, field based knowledge and experience which the PIN Team has acquired as it has worked directly with Commune Councils and Site Committees to undertake improvements in flood effected safe sites throughout Pursat and Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia since 2012. We recognize that information and advice provided in this manual may not be relevant and or replicable in every safe sites in Cambodia. However, it presents many good practices in safe site management during emergencies.

This activity is part of the ongoing Building Disaster Resilient Communities in Cambodia II a joint project of ActionAid, DanChurchAid (DCA), Oxfam, Save the Children and People in Need funded by the European Union, DIPECHO program. The project aims to support vulnerable communities to improve their coping strategies and strengthen disaster management of local government structures.

Paul Conrad Disaster Management Program Manager People in Need – Cambodia

Table of Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2Types of Suitable Safe Sites ........................................................................................................ 3Roles of the Safe Site Committee ............................................................................................. 4Protection ......................................................................................................................................... 6Shelter ................................................................................................................................................ 8Food Preparation ......................................................................................................................... 12Water, Sanitation and Hygiene ............................................................................................... 16Health and Safety ....................................................................................................................... 21Example, Safe Site Assessment Questions: ........................................................................26

Table of Contents

Types of Suitable Safe Sites

There are commonly three kinds of suitable safe sites which a community can support and work to develop in Cambodia.

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1. Pagoda 2. School

3. Community

Roles of the Safe Site Committee

Each formal safe site needs to have a safe site committee established. The committee will split the different responsibilities of the safe site amongst themselves.

Roles and responsibilities need to include: 1) who will do what in the event of a disaster 2) who is responsible for regular maintenance and upkeep year round

It is up to each community to develop a clear set of roles and responsibilities for the Safe Site Committee.

The minimal Safe Site Committee should consist of: Head of Pagoda Village Chief Village Health Volunteers

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Safe Site Committees Year Round Responsibilities

Good Practices • Make sure that all structures are properly maintained and functioning. • Make sure the safe site is clean and safe for use. • Create plans on how the safe site will be setup should there be a disaster. • Keep in mind:

• where animals will be kept • where cooking and living spaces will be setup• how trash and other waste will be dealt with • how people with disability can access areas• assigned roles for the safe site committee and who will be responsible for doing what

• Have a clear understanding of the kind of information which local authorities will need to collect during a disaster.

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• Seeannexfordetailedlistofinformation

We need to plan out where people will

sleep, where animals will stay, …..

Good Practices

• All people no matter what their gender, age, sex, ethnicity or religion should be welcome in the safe site.

• There should be adequate lighting in common areas such as around toilets, and in cooking areas.

• Access to common areas should be kept in mind for those people who have a disability. • Toilets should be designated as female and male (2 female toilets every 1 male toilets). • All inclusive regular meeting should take place with the Safe Site Committee in order to discuss

community issues openly and honestly. • Contact details for the police along with other information related to the running of the safe

site should be clearly posted for everyone to see. • All unsafe areas around the safe site should be clearly marked and fenced off.

Protection

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I would like to hear from anyone issues which you

are facing….

Shelter

Good Practices • Animals should have their own designated space which is located +50 meters away from the

main safe site. • Keep in mind shaded and cover from wind when setting up shelter.• Shelters should be setup on slightly elevated safe land. • All shelters should be clearly secured so they cannot be affected by wind and cause other

damage. • Make sure to put tents in a safe location dead branches, coconuts, etc. will not fall on them.

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50 m

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When setting up the different kinds of temporary shelter keep several key things in mind.

1. The shell of the structure (tarpaulin, plastic sheet, etc) used should be securely attached to the frame of the shelter so they are not damaged by wind.

2. Check to make sure that all the joints used for the frame of the shelter are properly secured.

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3a

3b

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3a

3b

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3. All shelters should be anchored to the ground with stakes and cords. a. Stakes should be put into the ground at 45 degrees. b. Cords should always be kept taut. 4. The shell of the structure should always be pulled tight so it is not affected by the wind.

Food Preparation

Good Practices• All cooking and drinking water should be treated and come

from a clean source. • Leftover water should be properly disposed.• When cooking with fire keep in mind possible fire risks and

have something ready to put a fire out. • Food should always be covered so that flies and animals

cannot contaminate it. • Animals should be kept away from cooking spaces as it is

easy for disease to spread. • If food waste is given to animals, this should be done away

for the cooking space.

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Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Good Practices • Drinking and cooking water sources should be located +50m away for toilets and waste disposal

areas. • All water should be properly treated before drinking or using for cooking.• Excess water from kitchen and washing areas should be channeled out of safe site. • A space should be designated for disposal of solid waste which is away from shelter and food

preparation areas. • Toilets should be separated for males and females (2 females toilets for every 1 male toilet).• Toilets and wash facilities should be regularly cleaned and maintained.• In order to not waste water, taps should always be turned off after use. • Hands should always be washed after the toilet is used and before food is handled.

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Aquatab

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CleanHandsBe smart, wash your hand with soap

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Health and Safety

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Good Practices

• It is the responsibility of the village health volunteer to make contact with the local health center in the event of sickness, injury, pregnancy and labor, along with making sure that those who need medical assistance are transported safely to the local health facility.

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• Village Health Volunteers should provide regular meeting with the community living in the safe site on; health, safety, sanitation and hygiene.

• When sleeping mosquito nets should always be used.• Children should not be allowed to play in flood waters as there can be unknown dangers in the

water. • When people have to walk though flood waters they should always support themselves with

a long stick or pole so as to locate unseen obstacles and help brace themselves against water currents.

Once it is safe to return home it is the responsibility of everyone who stayed at the safe site to pack up their belongings, remove any unwanted waste and make the sure the safe site is ready for future use.

Example, Safe Site Assessment Questions: ឧទាហរណ៍, កំរងសំណួរការវាយតំលៃទីទួលសុវត្ថិភាព

Name of safe site. ឈ្មៃះទីទួលសុវត្ថិភាព _________________ខៃត្ត Province__________ សៃុក District_______________ឃុំ Commune_____________ភូមិភVillage_____________ Names of villages who are using the safe site: ឈ្មៃះភូមិភដៃលបៃជាជនជន្លៀសមកទួលសុវត្ថិភាពនៃះ

1. ______________________________________2. ______________________________________3. ______________________________________4. ______________________________________5. ______________________________________6. ______________________________________

Number of people staying at safe site __________________________ចំនួនបៃជាជនដៃលកំពង់សា្នក់ៅទួលសុវត្ថិភាព __________________________

• Number of children under 5 year of age ______________ ចំនួនកៃ្មងដៃលមានអាយុ កៃៃម ៥ ឆាំ្ន• Number of girls (age 5 -18) ______________ ចំនួនកៃ្មងសៃី (អាយុពី ៥ - 18 ឆាំៃ្ន)• Number of boy (age 5-18) ______________ ចំនួនកៃ្មងបៃុស (អាយុពី ៥ - ១៨ ឆាំៃ្ន)• Number of Women (over age of 18) ______________ ចំនួនស្តៃីមាន (អាយុលើកពី ១៨ ឆាំៃ្នឡើង)• Number of Men (over age of 18) ______________ ចំនួនបុរសមាន (អាយុលើកពី ១៨ ឆាំៃ្នឡើង)• Number of Elderly ______________ ចំនួនមនុសៃសចាស់• Number of Female headed households ______________ ចំនួននសៃីដៃលជាមៃគៃួសារ• Number of disabled people ______________ ចំនួនជនពិភការ• Average number of days people have stayed in the safe site to date_____________ ចំនួនថៃ្ងដៃលបៃជាជនបានសា្នៃក់ៅក្នុងទួលសុវត្ថិភាព រហូតមកដល់ថ្ងៃនៃះ• Expected duration that people will have to stay in safe site____________________ ការបា៉ៃន់សា្មៃនថាតើបៃជាជននឹងសា្នៃក់ៅទួលសុវត្ថិភាពនៃះប៉ុន្មៃថ្ងៃតៅទៀត

Does the safe site have access to the following?តើទួលសុវត្ថិភាពមានសណ្ឋៃនដូចខាងកៃៃមឬទៃ? • Basic shelter Yes/ No ជំរកជាមូលដ្ឋៃន (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ)• Food Distributions Yes/ No ការចៃកចាយអាហារ (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ)• Access to improved water Yes/ No ទទួលបាននូវការទ្វើឲៃយទឹកល្អ ឬបៃសើរជាងមុន (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ)• Male and female latrines Yes/ No បង្គន់សំរាប់ជាស្តៃី និភង បង្គន់សំរាប់បុរស (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ)• Access to a health service Yes/ No ទទួលបានសៃវាកម្មសុខាព (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ) Number of toilets in safe site __________________ ចំនួនបង្គន់មានក្នុងតំបន់ទួលសុវត្ថិភាព

• How far do people have to travel in order to get clean water ?________meters តើចំងាយប៉ុន្មៃនម៉ៃតៃក្នុងការៅទទួលបានទឹកសា្អៃត? ម៉ៃតៃ• Are people treating water? Yes/ No. តើបៃជាជនធ្វើទឹកមានអនម័យ ឬ ធ្វើទឹកឲៃយសា្អៃត ឬទៃ? (បាទឬចាស/ទៃ)• How do they treat water តើពួកបនៃសុតទឹកដោយរបៀបណ? Filterទឹកចំរោះ boil ដំទឹកឲៃយពុះ sodis ដក់ហាលថៃ្ង other ផៃៃសងៗ

Are there any major health concerns in the safe site? ______________________________តើមានបញ្ហៃសុខាពចមៃបងណមួយក្នុងតំបន់ទួលសុវត្ថិភាព?

How can people access the safe site?តើបៃជាជនអាចធើ្វដំណើរៅតំបន់់ទួលសុវត្ថិភាពដោយរបៀបណ?• Vehicle (cart, motor, car) យាន្តជំនិភះ(រទោះ ម៉ូតូ ឡាន)• Walking access only ដោយការដើរតៃមួយគត់• Boat access only ដោយការជិភះទូកតៃមួយគត់Do people in the safe site have access to a market to purchase basic needs? Yes/ Noតើបៃជាជនក្នុងតំបន់ទួលសុវត្ថិភាពអាចៅផៃសារដើមៃបីទិភញរបស់របរជាតំរូវការចាំបាច់បានឬទៃ? អាច/មិភនអាច

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