The technical definition of disaster relief requires a response within the first 72 hours of the crisis. As we saw in New Orleans, Indonesia, New York, Port-au-Prince, and Concepcion, the first responders are by necessity the survivors living in the disaster zone. The victims certainly couldn’t wait for the disaster professionals to arrive from around the world, so they were the first to begin rescuing their neighbors, families, and friends and quickly consuming the severely limited resources on hand. Disaster relief is all about inputs – food, water, blankets, tents, medical supplies, healthcare workers, security, etc. The crisis is stabilized when the majority of the local population have access to temporary sources of water, food, shelter, and medical treatment.
Once the crisis is stabilized, the emphasis shifts to the second phase of disaster response: recovery.