Disaster is a sudden, calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss, destruction and devastation to life and property1. They are events with destructive impacts that pose threats to public health and the environment, thereby causing disruptions and obstacles to regular operations2. Disaster is the combination of a hazard and the vulnerable conditions of a population3. It can inflict great damage (technological, physical, financial, psychological, and health burdens) and destruction in the areas where it occurs and some of these disasters occur naturally such as floods, hurricanes and earthquakes4. This results in a great deal of loss and mass destruction that can overwhelm national medical resources and prevent the delivery of comprehensive and definitive medical care to affected people in affected areas5.
According to the New York State Department of Health, emergency preparedness is defined as the steps taken to ensure safety before, during and after an emergency or natural disaster6. It is a continuous process in which action, funding, partnerships and political commitment at all levels must be sustained. However, this relies on all stakeholders working together effectively to plan, invest and implement priority actions. Emergencies and disasters impact population health as we face diverse hazards influenced by complexities in our environment and demographics. The impact of any hazard can vary significantly based on the level of mitigation, socio-economic factors affecting the losses, the degree of preparedness, and the ability to recover3. The occurrence of disasters in Nigeria continues to increase in magnitude, leaving severe consequences and material losses to individuals and communities7. Due to weak and under protective environment, Nigeria is vulnerable to both natural and human-induced disasters, some of which are rapid, and slow in onset, resulting in catastrophic situations which lead to loss of lives and properties and degradation of the environment8. These disasters occur in the form of flooding, drought, desertification, epidemics, coastal erosion, dam failure, building collapse, oil spillage, maritime collision or accident, bomb explosions, communal clash, fire outbreaks, air crashes and boat mishap, amongst others7. The severity and impact of disasters globally has increased exponentially, with an increment in the total number of catastrophic events showing a trend line from approximately 450 to 800 major emergencies per year2. This increase in the severity of disaster is mostly felt in developing countries due to their high vulnerability caused by insufficient emergency preparedness9, 10.
Nigeria has a National Contingency Plan (NCP) which is a document developed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, supported by the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), to provide basis for coordination of humanitarian responses in the event of catastrophic disaster for quick response by the Federal Government of Nigeria7. This plan is a first step towards mitigating the impact of quick onset disasters when the level of forecast cannot be ascertained. It creates the platform to bring several humanitarian players together, act as a framework for making contingency arrangements for disaster response and ensures a wider range of responses are covered. As documented by NEMA, disasters in Nigeria history include; epidemics and disease outbreaks like cholera, malaria and meningitis7 and droughts in Sudan-Sahel zone of the country in 1972–1974 and 1982-198411. Floods in Shiroro and Kaduna in 2003; Gombe in 2004; Sokoto, Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun and most of the country in 2010; Enugu, Ogun, Delta, Niger, Kano and Bayelsa floods in 2018, and Adamawa flood in 2023 as reported by Okafor 202112 and Akukwe et al13. Landslides in Agwu, Enugu state in 2005, 2006, 2008 and the 2009 landslide in Agwagune, Cross River State14, Conflicts (ethnic, political and religious) in Kaduna, Lagos, Kano, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba, Benue, Delta, Anambra, Ondo, Osun and Ogun state15 and Earthquakes in Ibadan in 1939, Lagos in 2002, Abeokuta in 2011 and Kaduna, Oyo and Bayelsa in 201616,17.
Nigeria has also been affected by various kinds of technological disasters such as; bomb explosions, building collapses and air crashes. According to the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) and the Office of U.S Foreign Disaster Office-Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (OFDA-CRED) International Disaster Database, a total of 329 technological disasters were documented to have occurred in Nigeria between the period of 1965-201518. Other technological disasters experienced include: the 2005 Sosoliso air crash in Rivers State, the Aviation Development Company (ADC) air crash in Abuja, the 2012 Dana air crash in Lagos19, the Ikotun building collapse in 2014, the Jos school building collapse in 2014, the 2015 Helicopter air crash at Oworonshoki area of Lagos18, and the 21 storey building collapse in Ikoyi20. The management of disaster in Nigeria has been perceived by many as primarily humanitarian relief supplies with huge emergency funds spent annually on perennials that make some state governments to pay little or no attention to the key phases of disaster management, preparation and prevention 21. Nigeria is a country with a landed area of about 923,768 sq km22 and a population of over 226 million people. It is therefore important to study the level of awareness of emergency measures in disaster situations and to establish the level of preparedness for emergency response in selected communities in Nigeria, as poorly managed disaster situations may lead to displacement of people with severe consequences. Within the context of emergencies, the safety of the community is somewhat determined by the effectiveness of emergency management and services, which are primarily supplied or controlled by the public sector 23, 24. Thus, there is the need to enhance public enlightenment, advocacy and sensitization of communities on emergency preparedness and response at the grass root. Historically, communities were seen as passive entities whose involvement in emergency management was only as receivers of assistance when emergencies occurred. Also, the Government and its agencies were seen as the sole entity responsible for managing such emergencies. While humanitarian efforts are crucial in disaster situations, reducing the risk and vulnerability in the communities that are potential target points through preparedness and adequate response must not be neglected, as this would definitely bear its effect on development planning and sustainable growth in Nigeria.
A crucial component of disaster risk reduction is encouraging preparedness from individual, organisational and industrial level25. This is because emergency management agencies do not have the resources to comprehensively deal with all emergencies; protecting every home and every life. Moreover, the impact of emergencies can be significantly reduced with the involvement of the community in planning, mitigation and preparation. Emergency management agencies can thus develop (in consultation with the community) the most appropriate and effective ways to manage emergency risks.
The awareness of individuals about disaster risks influences their perception, as well as their level of preparedness towards emergencies26. In order to achieve effectiveness in disaster management in Nigeria, there is a need for the community to be aware, prepared and know how to respond adequately during disasters. Hence, this study was aimed at determining the level of awareness, preparedness and response of Nigerians to humanitarian disasters so as to know the intervention that is needed and to sensitise the policy makers through evidence- based data.