Disaster Risk Reduction – Oct 13th

by Mateo, 11th grade

Billions of people worldwide constantly face threats from a myriad of potential disasters. Some are natural, such as the heavy flooding that placed 27 million children across 27 different countries in Africa and the Middle East at risk of drowning and disease just a couple of years ago, and some are artificial, like the current conflict in Israel that has displaced thousands of innocent families. With the constantly increasing impacts of issues such as climate change and tension between world powers, the risk of experiencing these kinds of disasters grows higher and higher with each passing day. To mitigate this worrying disaster risk growth, the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is held yearly on October 13th.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was established in 1989 as a way for the United Nations to encourage global awareness of the devastating effects of various disasters and how to reduce these effects. It serves as a celebration of the many ways communities collaborate to reduce the risks of disaster and lessen the impact when one does occur. In recent years, the day’s focus has shifted more towards the education of the world’s youth in disaster prevention. The UN believes that, by empowering future generations to protect our world from destructive events, they will be properly suited with the knowledge and information they need to guard themselves and their communities in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

Another big aspect of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is the drive for citizen involvement. The United Nations is committed to encouraging everybody to play a role in preventing disasters, and the recognition of this day helps the organization do so. They already hold biannual meetings with experts to discuss the global state of risk and how to lower it, but by drawing the general public in as well, more progress can be made at a quicker pace.

If you would like to get involved in this global effort, there are many resources available to you. For instance, many charities help fund disaster relief efforts for families in need and depend on donations to finance their work. Additionally, you can teach your children about earthquakes, wildfires and other disasters prevalent here in southern California so that they are prepared when one happens.

The UN offers an interactive and engaging free online game for this very purpose at stopdisastersgame.org. In today’s world, disasters are more rampant than ever in all parts of the world. The U.S. alone has had two hurricanes barrel across the East Coast within the last month, taking hundreds of lives and billions of dollars in property damage with them. International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction reminds us that nobody is alone when dealing with disasters and that we can set future generations up for success in preventing catastrophes and limiting their damage through the measures we as a community take to spread awareness and educate the youth right now.

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