Crisis ≠ disaster. There is no consistent definition of the terms, it depends on the field of study in
which the definition is used.
Technically, a disaster is a crisis however, an organization can experience a crisis that isn’t a
disaster. To get a disaster/risk, 2 main concepts must come together: hazard + vulnerability.
Crisis = “a situation in which important decisions involving threat and opportunity have to be made in
a particular short time.” (Shaluf et al, 2003).
There are 3 common elements to a crisis: a threat to an organization, the element of
surprise, and a short decision time (Seeger et al, 1998).
Disaster = “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to
hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one
or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts.”
(UNISDR, 2009).
Emergency ≠ disaster. Emergencies are still disruptive events, but don’t lead to a serious
disruption of the functioning of a community or a society.
Another definition is: “a situation requiring outside support for coping.” (Kelmam, 2019). The
effect of a disaster often exceeds the capacity of a community or a society to cope using its
own resources. This requires systems of external sources, which include neighboring
jurisdictions or help/support from international levels/communities.
A slow-onset disaster is defined as one that emerges gradually over time, for example
drought, water rise or disease. A sudden-onset disaster (SOD) is one triggered by a hazardous
event that emerges quickly or unexpectedly, for example earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
chemical failures or transport accidents.
There are 3 perceptions of the major source of disasters: act of god (disasters are a product
of supernatural forces, crises are explained as bad luck or god’s punishment), act of nature
(disasters that are caused by nature couldn’t directly be controlled, but measures can be
taken to reduce their impact), and act of man (disasters are triggered by human actions).
which the definition is used.
Technically, a disaster is a crisis however, an organization can experience a crisis that isn’t a
disaster. To get a disaster/risk, 2 main concepts must come together: hazard + vulnerability.
Crisis = “a situation in which important decisions involving threat and opportunity have to be made in
a particular short time.” (Shaluf et al, 2003).
There are 3 common elements to a crisis: a threat to an organization, the element of
surprise, and a short decision time (Seeger et al, 1998).
Disaster = “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to
hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one
or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts.”
(UNISDR, 2009).
Emergency ≠ disaster. Emergencies are still disruptive events, but don’t lead to a serious
disruption of the functioning of a community or a society.
Another definition is: “a situation requiring outside support for coping.” (Kelmam, 2019). The
effect of a disaster often exceeds the capacity of a community or a society to cope using its
own resources. This requires systems of external sources, which include neighboring
jurisdictions or help/support from international levels/communities.
A slow-onset disaster is defined as one that emerges gradually over time, for example
drought, water rise or disease. A sudden-onset disaster (SOD) is one triggered by a hazardous
event that emerges quickly or unexpectedly, for example earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
chemical failures or transport accidents.
There are 3 perceptions of the major source of disasters: act of god (disasters are a product
of supernatural forces, crises are explained as bad luck or god’s punishment), act of nature
(disasters that are caused by nature couldn’t directly be controlled, but measures can be
taken to reduce their impact), and act of man (disasters are triggered by human actions).
