Baseline Report: Strengthening Deployable Damage Assessment Capacity in Costa Rica

The program is funded by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is designed to fulfill two main objectives. The first objective is to develop operational protocols to coordinate the flow of disaster information and facilitate the implementation of damage assessment response activities through critical path analysis and planning exercises. The second objective is to strengthen overall disaster response coordination mechanisms and disaster intelligence through the updating of preliminary damage assessment tools and related data/information management systems. The program will implement seven core activities, each linked to a program deliverable, and will work at the national policy level for improved multi-hazard disaster resilience. The program will impact the total population of the country, with indirect beneficiaries estimated at 2.5 million people, representing the number of people that would be impacted by a major urban disaster, such as a high-magnitude earthquake, in the capital of San José. Total direct beneficiaries are a targeted group of high-level decision-makers and authorities, estimated at 50 people across at least eight institutions, including national and municipal disaster risk management authorities, and key public, academic, and private sector representatives. The baseline study assesses the current conditions related to the interinstitutional coordination and deployable capacity for post-disaster damage assessments in the housing sector. The study used primarily qualitative methods, including a desk study and literature review, five key informant interviews, and one focus group discussion. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica, which will inform the development of the PREPARE Costa Rica Program. The PREPARE Costa Rica Program is designed to build upon two previous phases of the PREPARE program in Costa Rica, which were funded by the former Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). The program will implement seven core activities, including the development of operational protocols, updating of preliminary damage assessment tools, and strengthening of disaster response coordination mechanisms. The program will work closely with national emergency management authorities in Costa Rica, including the National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Attention, the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements, the Ministry of Health, the Mixed Institute for Social Aid, the Municipality of San José, and the Architects and Engineers Association. The program's key activities are designed to improve disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica. The program will develop operational protocols to coordinate the flow of disaster information and facilitate the implementation of damage assessment response activities. The program will also update preliminary damage assessment tools and related data/information management systems to strengthen overall disaster response coordination mechanisms and disaster intelligence. The program's activities are linked to a program deliverable, which will provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica. The PREPARE Costa Rica Program will have a significant impact on the total population of the country, with indirect beneficiaries estimated at 2.5 million people. The program will also have a direct impact on a targeted group of high-level decision-makers and authorities, estimated at 50 people across at least eight institutions. The program's activities are designed to improve disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica, which will inform the development of the PREPARE Costa Rica Program and provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica. The program's methodology includes a desk study and literature review, five key informant interviews, and one focus group discussion. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica, which will inform the development of the PREPARE Costa Rica Program. The program's activities are designed to improve disaster response coordination and deployable damage assessment capacity in Costa Rica, which will have a significant impact on the total population of the country and a targeted group of high-level decision-makers and authorities.