Disaster management has been termed a ‘social issue’ calling for community participation and stakeholder collaboration owing to its emergence aspect. County ‘’minister’’ for Administration and Disaster Management docket, Edna Kangwana attributed disaster incidents in Kisii town’s county headquarters to its rapid growth. She also blamed the county’s geographical setting for some of the disasters and mentioned South Mugirango and Kitutu Chache North as areas recently affected.
She cited that the collapse of buildings, freak floods and landslides are some of the incidents being handled. Kangwana explained of a five year partnership between the county and USA Minnesota State Fire Rescue Unit. Under the partnership, the county Disaster Management Department benefited from training on its personnel and protective gears among other equipment which will be shared with the neighbouring county, Nyamira.
”The county preparedness to handle disasters had been boosted to the extent of being engaged to intervene in the Lake Region Economic Bloc.” She added. To mitigate disasters, the county government had put in place elaborate policies and interventions including training school principals and sensitizing business people on fire prevention and fighting techniques .