GIS for Disaster Risk Management Course

Introduction

In an era of increasing natural and human-induced hazards, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have become vital tools for enhancing disaster preparedness, risk assessment, emergency response, and post-disaster recovery. The GIS for Disaster Risk Management Course is designed to equip participants with essential geospatial skills to support effective disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies and interventions through data-driven insights and spatial analysis.

This course introduces participants to the core concepts of disaster risk management and the integration of GIS in understanding hazard dynamics, vulnerability patterns, and exposure analysis. Through a blend of theoretical learning and hands-on practical sessions, participants will learn how to apply GIS to model risks, map hazard-prone areas, and support timely and informed decision-making in emergency contexts.

Participants will gain practical experience using GIS tools such as ArcGIS and QGIS to collect, analyze, visualize, and disseminate spatial data related to various hazards including floods, landslides, droughts, earthquakes, and industrial accidents. The course also explores the use of satellite imagery, remote sensing, and mobile data collection for rapid assessments and field mapping during disaster events.

By the end of the course, learners will be able to design and implement GIS-based disaster management workflows, contribute to risk reduction planning, and produce impactful spatial products for early warning, response coordination, and resilience building. This course is ideal for disaster risk practitioners, emergency responders, humanitarian workers, planners, researchers, and technical personnel engaged in disaster management and resilience programming. 

Duration

5 Days

Who should attend?

This course is suitable to:

·       Disaster risk management officers and emergency responders working in governmental agencies, civil protection units, and humanitarian organizations

·       Urban and regional planners involved in hazard mapping, land use planning, and infrastructure risk assessment

·       Environmental and natural resource managers dealing with climate-related risks such as floods, droughts, and landslides

·       Staff of NGOs and international development organizations engaged in disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery operations

·       Geospatial analysts, GIS technicians, and remote sensing specialists interested in applying spatial analysis to multi-hazard scenarios

·       Researchers, academics, and students in the fields of geography, disaster management, public safety, or climate science

·       Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) professionals seeking to integrate spatial risk indicators and impact mapping into program assessments

·       Community development officers and local government officials supporting grassroots resilience and early warning systems

Course Objective

By the end of the course, the participant should be able to:

·       Understand the key concepts and frameworks of disaster risk management (DRM) and the critical role GIS plays in hazard assessment, emergency response, and resilience planning.

·       Identify, collect, and manage spatial data relevant to disaster risk—including hazard, exposure, and vulnerability datasets—using open-source GIS tools such as QGIS.

·       Apply spatial analysis techniques to assess risk levels, map hazard-prone zones, and evaluate the impact of disasters on communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

·       Integrate remote sensing and satellite imagery to support early warning systems, damage assessment, and post-disaster recovery planning.

·       Use mobile data collection tools (e.g., KoBoToolbox, ODK) for real-time field assessments during emergency situations and community-based disaster monitoring.

·       Perform multi-hazard mapping and analysis to understand cascading risks and overlapping vulnerabilities in a geographic area.

·       Develop and visualize disaster scenarios using thematic maps, heatmaps, and dashboards to inform decision-makers and support emergency preparedness.

·       Design and implement GIS workflows that support the full disaster management cycle: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

·       Collaborate with stakeholders using participatory GIS approaches to enhance community engagement and integrate local knowledge in risk mapping.

·       Communicate spatial risk information effectively through well-designed maps, reports, and interactive visualizations for use by planners, responders, and the public.

Course content

Module 1: Introduction to Disaster Risk Management and GIS

• Key concepts: hazard, vulnerability, exposure, capacity, risk
• Overview of disaster risk management frameworks (Sendai Framework, UNDRR, etc.)
• Role of GIS in disaster risk management and emergency response
• Types of disasters: natural (floods, droughts, earthquakes) and man-made (industrial accidents)
• Overview of GIS tools and platforms (QGIS, Google Earth, ArcGIS, etc.)

Module 2: Spatial Data for Disaster Management

• Types of spatial data (vector, raster) and their relevance in DRM
• Sources of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data (EM-DAT, OSM, UN, government datasets)
• Data formats: shapefiles, GeoTIFF, KML, CSV
• Data quality, accuracy, metadata, and licensing considerations
• Organizing and managing spatial databases for DRM

Module 3: Hazard Mapping and Analysis

• Mapping hazard-prone zones: floodplains, landslides, drought-affected areas, etc.
• Creating multi-hazard maps and identifying overlapping risks
• Analyzing historical hazard data and recurrence intervals
• Buffering, reclassification, and overlay analysis for hazard intensity zones
• Real-world case studies (e.g., flood risk in river basins, drought monitoring in arid zones)

Module 4: Exposure and Vulnerability Assessment

• Identifying exposed populations, infrastructure, and land uses
• Integrating census, socioeconomic, and infrastructure data
• Mapping vulnerable populations (e.g., schools, hospitals, slums)
• Spatial indicators of vulnerability: income, housing, access to services
• Combining hazard and exposure layers to generate risk maps

Module 5: Remote Sensing Applications in Disaster Risk Reduction

• Basics of satellite imagery and remote sensing
• Identifying environmental conditions and changes (NDVI, water bodies, land use)
• Monitoring hazards using satellite imagery (flood extent, drought, landslides)
• Image classification and change detection techniques
• Tools: Sentinel Hub, Earth Explorer, Google Earth Engine (intro)

Module 6: Mobile Data Collection and Field Mapping

• Using ODK and KoBoToolbox for disaster-related field assessments
• Designing mobile forms for damage and needs assessments
• Collecting geotagged photos and GPS points
• Importing field data into GIS for real-time mapping
• Quality control and data validation techniques

Module 7: Risk Communication and Early Warning Systems

• Designing maps for early warning and disaster response
• Communicating risk: maps, dashboards, and reports
• GIS in support of early warning systems (e.g., flood alerts, evacuation planning)
• Participatory GIS approaches for community-based disaster risk reduction
• Examples of global early warning platforms (FEWS NET, GDACS)

Module 8: Emergency Response and Recovery Planning with GIS

• Mapping disaster impacts and damage assessments
• GIS for routing, logistics, and resource allocation
• Use of drones and mobile mapping in rapid assessments
• Post-disaster recovery planning: land use, reconstruction, relocation
• Time-series analysis of recovery progress

Module 9: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Policy Integration

• Developing spatial indicators for disaster resilience
• Integrating GIS into Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks
• Using spatial evidence to inform risk-informed development
• Aligning GIS outputs with national disaster management policies
• Report writing and spatial data sharing protocols

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better