Disaster relief

Disaster Relief

Disaster relief (pronunciation: /dɪˈzɑːstər rɪˈliːf/) refers to the provision of aid or assistance to areas affected by natural or man-made disasters.

Etymology

The term "disaster relief" is derived from the combination of two words. "Disaster" comes from the Middle French "desastre", which is a combination of "des" meaning bad and "astre" meaning star. This implies a bad or evil star, a sense preserved in the astrological use of the term. "Relief" comes from the Latin "relevare" which means to alleviate or lighten.

Definition

Disaster relief involves the provision of immediate response and assistance to individuals and communities that are affected by disasters. This can include the provision of food, water, shelter, medical care, and other forms of support. The goal of disaster relief is to help people recover from the immediate effects of a disaster and to start the process of rebuilding.

Related Terms

• Emergency Management: The organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and rehabilitation.

• Humanitarian Aid: Material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disasters and man-made disaster.

• Natural Disaster: A major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth; examples include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geologic processes.

• Man-made Disaster: A disaster resulting from human activity. Examples include wars, fires, industrial accidents, oil spills, nuclear explosions/nuclear radiation.

• First Responder: A person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency.

• Non-Governmental Organization (NGO): An organization that is neither a part of a government nor a conventional for-profit business. Usually set up by ordinary citizens, NGOs may be funded by governments, foundations, businesses, or private persons.

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