Early action database

Identifying appropriate early actions for a particular hazard and context is essential to successful anticipatory action. In the interest of facilitating exchange between organizations, regions, and actors, this early action database allows practitioners to see what anticipatory actions are being implemented or considered around the world.

Using the dropdown menus and search options below, you can pull up early actions according to country, organization, hazard, sector or intended purpose. The resulting list will provide you with basic information about the actions including lead times and links to additional resources, where available. This information can serve as the foundation for further research and discussion as to how to adapt these actions to new contexts.

Please note that, at the moment, the early action database only contains early actions from Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, but the Anticipation Hub is working with other actors in anticipatory humanitarian action to catalog their programs and actions and include them in the database as soon as possible.

Growing this database and keeping it up to date is a community effort. If you or your organization identify an early action not in the database, please download and fill out the following form and send it to Arielle Tozier de la Poterie so that we can add them.

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Results

137
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Title

Cash (unconditional)

  • Country

    Global guidance

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Drought

  • Early Actions

    Cash (unconditional)

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    TBD

  • Purpose

    Meet basic needs

Title

Cash-for-work

  • Country

    Philippines

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Cyclone / Typhoon

  • Early Actions

    Cash-for-work

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    3 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock, Meet basic needs

  • Detail of action

    Cash for work is provided for people to help with harvest, help reinforce houses, or clean drains, as appropriate given the season.

  • Multi hazard considerations

    During COVID-19 outbreak, PRCS stopped all hand-to-hand transfer of documents or materials during distributions and used wooden sticks to transfer documents in addition to taking general precautions such as the use of masks, hand washing, etc. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Philippines Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Cash-for-work

  • Country

    Philippines

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Cash-for-work

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    2 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock, Meet basic needs

  • Detail of action

    Teams of 20 farmers and/or fishermen are hired to construct temporary livestock pens for evacuated animals at each evacuation site.

  • Multi hazard considerations

    During COVID-19, PRCS stopped all hand-to-hand transfer of documents or materials, instead using a wooden stick to transfer all documents. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Philippines Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Clear/dig drainage systems

  • Country

    Zambia

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Clear/dig drainage systems

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Prevent loss of crops

  • Detail of action

    Mobilize communities to divert flood water from agricultural crops by digging trenches around fields

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Zambia Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Community water points

  • Country

    Zambia

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Community water points

  • Sector

    Health, WASH

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce waterborne diseases

  • Detail of action

    Identify potential water sources at evacuation sites

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Zambia Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Community water points

  • Country

    Peru

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Intense rainfall, El Niño

  • Early Actions

    Community water points

  • Sector

    Health, WASH

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce waterborne diseases

  • Detail of action

    Based on the 7-day forecast, communities will be selected to receive water points. Community water points will be installed to reduce waterborne diseases. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Peru Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Conduct assessments

  • Country

    Peru

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Intense rainfall, El Niño

  • Early Actions

    Conduct assessments

  • Sector

    Logistics

  • Lead Time

    3 months

  • Purpose

    Facilitate access to additional, timely funding

  • Detail of action

    At the early stages of the El Niño, create communication and collaboration lines to collect data necessary to seek additional funding and support and expand the reach of early actions. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Peru Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Cool residences

  • Country

    Vietnam

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Heatwave

  • Early Actions

    Cool residences

  • Sector

    Health

  • Lead Time

    6 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce health impacts

  • Detail of action

    The team explored retrofitting housing in slums and assistance for procuring cooling systemsin order to help people cool down while they sleep. This action was ultimately not included in the EAP. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Viet Nam Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Cool residences

  • Country

    Kyrgyzstan

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Heatwave

  • Early Actions

    Cool residences

  • Sector

    Health

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Save lives, Reduce health impacts

  • Detail of action

    Installation of air conditioners in personal dwellings and elder care homes.

  • Multi hazard considerations

    During COVID-19 volunteers, suppliers and instalation crew to wear masks, gloves and observe strict hygiene practices before, during and after entering the care homes, which are home to the populations most vulnerable to the disease. They will also seek advice from public health authorities and staff before entering any care home, and if possible, have staff install the units themselves to reduce exposure. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan FbF project page here.

Title

Cooling buses

  • Country

    Vietnam

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Heatwave

  • Early Actions

    Cooling buses

  • Sector

    Health

  • Lead Time

    6 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce health impacts

  • Detail of action

    Cooling buses travel the main streets and bring vulnerable people to cooling centers. 

  • Multi hazard considerations

    This action had to be canceled during COVID-19 outbreak because safe distance could not be maintained in an enclosed vehicle.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Viet Nam Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Cooling shelters

  • Country

    Vietnam

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Heatwave

  • Early Actions

    Cooling shelters

  • Sector

    Health

  • Lead Time

    6 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce health impacts

  • Detail of action

    Community cooling centres to offer an air-conditioned place to vulnerable outside worker groups for a total of five days, one before the heatwave is forecast to start and for 4 days thereafter. These facilities are managed by VNRC volunteers and provide water, cold tea and fresh towels to visitors. The cooling centres allowed street vendors and other vulnerable persons working in the streets (builders, shippers) to have a much-needed rest to recover from long exposure to high temperatures. 

  • Multi hazard considerations

    During COVID-19, VNRCS improved ventilation in cooling tents by making the structure more open. Physical distancing was enforced within the tents. Volunteers provided bottled water instead of water in cups. 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Viet Nam Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Destock livestock

  • Country

    Global guidance

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Drought

  • Early Actions

    Destock livestock

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    TBD

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock

Title

Disease surveillance

  • Country

    Global guidance

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Drought

  • Early Actions

    Disease surveillance

  • Sector

    Health

  • Lead Time

    TBD

  • Purpose

    Reduce health impacts

Title

Early harvesting (aquaculture)

  • Country

    Philippines

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early harvesting (aquaculture)

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    2 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock

  • Detail of action

    Harvesting of fish is considered in aquaculture farms exposed to flooding and may target those fish that can be sold immediately to the market. In order to implement this early action, teams of at least 10 workers will be hired on day -2 and possibly on day -1 to contribute to the harvesting of 1-2 farms per day. Renting of trucks is another support considered for early harvesting. This is to be used to transport the crops/ fishes into the designated post-harvest facilities.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Philippines Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Early harvesting of crops

  • Country

    Zambia

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early harvesting of crops

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock

  • Detail of action

    Pre-harvest crops such as cassava, beans, sweet potatoes etc. and construct drying racks and distribute food storage bags in the evacuation centers to help with storage.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Zambia Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Early harvesting of crops

  • Country

    Philippines

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early harvesting of crops

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    2 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock

  • Detail of action

    Assist farmers in harvesting rice, corn, or auqaculture fish through cash for work programs.

  • Multi hazard considerations

    Although this is a largely outdoor activity, during COVID-19, PRCS used fixed work groups if workers are unable to wear masks.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Philippines Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Early harvesting of crops

  • Country

    Philippines

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Cyclone / Typhoon

  • Early Actions

    Early harvesting of crops

  • Sector

    Food Security & Livelihoods

  • Lead Time

    3 days

  • Purpose

    Reduce loss of income/livelihood/livestock

  • Detail of action

    Early harvesting is primarily focused on abaca, a commercial, non-food crop, but, it could also be used for rice or maize, depending on the location. The work is performed by people participating in the cash for work scheme. 

  • Multi hazard considerations

    Although this is a largely outdoor activity, during COVID-19, PRCS used fixed work groups if workers are unable to wear masks.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Philippines Red Cross FbF project page here.

Title

Early warning messages

  • Country

    Malawi

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early warning messages

  • Sector

    Early Warning

  • Lead Time

    3 days

  • Purpose

    Stregthen and reinforce existing early warning systems

  • Detail of action

    Use community drama groups and radio messages to disseminate and reinforce early warning messages; Activate volunteers to reinforce early warnings and advise residents on activities.

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Malawi Red Cross FbF project page here​​​​​​​. 

Title

Early warning messages

  • Country

    Zambia

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early warning messages

  • Sector

    Early Warning

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Save lives

  • Detail of action

    Dissemination of forecast information and explain early actions once trigger is activated 

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here. 

    Visit the Zambia Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Title

Early warning messages

  • Country

    Uganda

  • Organization

    Red Cross Red Crescent

  • Hazard

    Flood

  • Early Actions

    Early warning messages

  • Sector

    Health, Early Warning

  • Lead Time

    7 days

  • Purpose

    Save lives, Reduce health impacts

  • Detail of action

    Conduct community awareness campaigns on risks to life and livelihood in order to prevent deaths, injury, and loss of property

  • Additional resources

    Visit the country page here.

    Visit the Uganda Red Cross FbF project page here. 

Do you have a question?

Arielle Tozier de la Poterie

Global advisor Early Action and Research

German Red Cross

Raise your Question