UNDAC Field Handbook

Foreword This 7th edition of the UNDAC Field Handbook 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Disaster Assessment & Coordination system (UNDAC). The UNDAC system was originally established by United Nations (UN) and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) to ensure effective coordination between national disaster management agencies and incoming search and rescue teams in sudden-onset, large scale emergencies. Over the past quarter of a century, UNDAC has evolved and adapted to the changing requirements of the international humanitarian response system. Today, UNDAC teams are not only deployed in sudden-onset disasters, but also provide valuable support in protracted crises, technological and other types of emergencies, and are playing an increasing role as a tool and service of the UN in supporting governments in disaster response preparedness activities. UNDAC deploys globally to ensure effective collaboration between national disaster management systems, international humanitarian response actors, bilateral responders including the military, national non-government organizations, civil society and the private sector, to name but a few. Core to UNDAC practices is systematic post-mission evaluation to enable best practices and lessons learned to feed into the continuous development of the UNDAC methodology captured in this updated Handbook. This is, therefore, a living document and, as a reader and user, you should consider yourself a co-creator. Comments or suggestions for further development of the Handbook should be addressed to the Emergency Response Support Branch (ERSB) in OCHA Geneva. Introduction to the Handbook The UNDAC Field Handbook is intended as an easily accessible reference guide for members of an UNDAC team before and during a mission to a disaster or emergency. The Handbook is not an authoritative instruction, but rather represents an accumulation of institutional memory related to processes and procedures for coordination as seen in the scope of the UNDAC Standard Terms of Reference. Its focus is on both the what and the how of international emergency response and is grounded in the mandate of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the UNDAC system. The Handbook is divided into six main themes that are broadly aligned with the functions of an On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC). Each theme is divided into chapters that are written as stand-alone documents, referencing material across all themes.

The UNDAC Handbook has been developed by OCHA with support from members of the international UNDAC system. Information is drawn from a wide variety of sources: • UNDAC best practices as captured in mission reports and training materials. • Various OCHA, UN and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines, e.g. INSARAG Guidelines, Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) Guidance, and numerous others. • The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Operational Data Management Learning Programme. • The United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) Field Operations Guide and Disaster Assessment Procedures Manual. • Publications by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). • Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN) paper Common Needs Assessments and humanitarian action. • Technical briefs and training material from the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS). • ACAPS and the Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECB) Humanitarian Needs Assessment – The Good Enough Guide. • Disaster Management research from Lund University, Sweden and University of Copenhagen, Denmark. OCHA is grateful for these contributions in support of the UNDAC system.