Glossary Term: early warning early action

When disasters strike, Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers are often among the first to provide relief to the victims. But in most cases, we can save more lives and reduce more suffering if we can act before a disaster. We have known for decades now that it is much more effective to evacuate people before a flood than to rescue people during the flood, or to provide relief to its victims. It is also much more effective to support farmers to find alternative livelihood options than to provide food aid when the harvest has failed. The Red Cross Red Crescent is investing more into people-centred early warning systems so that their early action (preparedness and mitigation/prevention) are suited to face the rising risks of extreme weather events as a result of climate change. Source here