Conceptualising Phases of Disasters: The Drop Loop Model

We introduce an innovative concept that will serve to illustrate the different phases that populations affected by disasters are likely to face, namely the Drop Loop Model (DLM). Disasters affect large populations, and in turn, leave humanitarian actors with the challenging task of assessing who ought to be assisted and who ought not. Current theoretical concepts support humanitarian actors in their effort to mitigate, prevent and respond to disasters. Yet, these concepts are problematic as they fall short of illustrating the pattern of disasters. Articulating patterns of disasters is believed to: a) improve the understanding of the situation in which a population is; and b) to anticipate the next phase, which is an essential feature of the decision-making process when humanitarian actors discuss the fair allocation of limited relief goods. Anticipating the next phase is considered strengthening the justification to allocate limited humanitarian resources, be they human, financial or material resources. First, the DLM aims at supporting humanitarian actors in the analysis of the current context and allows them to articulate the challenges faced by populations affected by disasters whilst anticipating the next phase. Second, it prompts the humanitarian actors in their decision-making process insofar as it is believed to sustain the debate regarding the fair allocation of limited resources. This is required insofar as humanitarian resources are limited and ought to be distributed fairly to avoid unnecessarily widening the gap of inequalities and inequities populations face as well as preventing deterioration of the population’s health and security.