FBB decides against launching drive following earthquake in Italy

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Foundation Beyond Belief (FBB) has monitored the national and international response to the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit central Italy on August 24th. The earthquake and several strong aftershocks caused billions of dollars in damage, claimed the lives of nearly 300 people, and injured more than 400. The historic town of Amatrice was hardest hit; 231 of the 292 earthquake fatalities were recorded there. Based on the resources Italy has already deployed on response efforts and the support the European Union has pledged for recovery, FBB has decided not to launch a Humanist Disaster Recovery Drive.

In emergency management, there is a hierarchy that guides who should and should not be involved in a given disaster. It can be thought of as concentric circles with the impacted community at the center, surrounded by state/ regional, followed by national, and finally the international community. The resources of the impacted community are used first, and then the resources of the surrounding communities, and so on and so forth until all needs are met.

Organizations outside an impacted country must ask themselves two questions when deciding if it is appropriate to become involved:

  • Have the local community’s resources been overwhelmed?
  • Can we provide resources or expertise that no one else can?

The only responsible course of action when the answer to both of these questions is no, is not to respond. The Italian government is seemingly well within its ability to address the impacts and did not request international assistance. There is significant rebuilding to be done in the communities affected by the earthquake, but the resources needed to do so are within their reach.

If you'd still like to lend your support to the response and recovery effort in Italy, you can donate to the Italian Red Cross campaign on Ammado. The National Italian American Foundation has also set up a fund to help earthquake victims. Recipients for this fund have not been designated, but the organization says all funds will go to rebuilding projects in the affected communities.