Checklists

Checklists can be used to evaluate an existing emergency preparedness programme or to assist in developing a new programme. Checklists constitute a “closed set” in that they are not tools for developing new ideas or strategies. They can, however, form a compendium of current knowledge based on prior experience, and they are simple and easy to use.

Annex 3 contains a number of checklists for emergency preparedness, as well as for response and recovery. These checklists are not exhaustive, and can be added to as experience is gained or to suit the context of a community’s preparedness.¹

¹Further information on assessing health sector emergency preparedness can be found in Guidelines for assessing disaster preparedness in the health sector, Washington, DC, Pan American Health Organization, 1995.