As readers know, I have been fixated recently on how a community should deal with a disaster that is relatively  small and how to determine whether or not to start the process of disaster declarations, starting at the local level. I still would like to hear from some U.S. local emergency managers.

I posed this question to a friend who is a American Red Cross official and here is his reply regarding the cash distribution system used in Toronto recently:

 ·       Max Baxerman’s “Predictable Surprises: The Disasters You Should. Have Seen Coming” comes to mind when looking at the gift card debacle.   In the United States, we have learned the good, bad, and ugly as it relates to distribution of gift/cash cards.  Plenty of research exists on Cash Transfer Programming that could easily mitigate the majority of the issues from the Toronto debacle.  Reference the IFRC and Oxfam guidance on cash programming

• IFRC
• ODI/HPN

·       Impactful humanitarian relief should assessment driven, not politically driven. Too many hidden agenda when impromptu cash/gift card programming is used, absent a needs based assessment.

When looking at cash based programming, it is important to first take time to ask several key questions.  The basic tenants of critical thinking have an established process map for analyzing situations which critics of the recovery process should be mindful in asking:

Keeping in mind that this is not the first time Toronto has seen an ice storm, it is hopeful that stakeholder learn from the experience and better plan for what future cash/gift card disbursement could look like.  Based on international best practices in developed economics such as Canada, I would argue that direct deposit/EFT based transfers would be a much more efficient/effective way in administering NEEDS BASED interventions such as cash or gift cards.  Emphasis on needs based. 

Thanks to Jono Anzalone of the Red Cross.