INITIAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST (INAC) – Version 06/05/10

PRIOR TO THE FIELD VISIT: Population Profile (of CA): Livelihoods (of CA): Logistics (of CA): Coordination:
Clearly choose and identify (within the boundaries of the disaster stricken area) a Name of Catchment Area (CA) Which social groups are at risk/why? Local transport network and constraints? Local system of coordination
few “Catchment’s Areas” (CA) which you plan to visit Original population? Main livelihood strategies? Nearest road; airport; seaport; rail station/customs procedures? Presence of local first responders?
Collect basic existing baseline data/maps/etc. on these CA Influx/outflux into/out? Impact of disaster on different livelihood Car, truck and air transport for hire/availability of warehouses? Presence of international partners in the field now?
Verify security/weather/ transport conditions, access clearance and agree on trip Number of injured? assets and strategies? Electricity / communication infrastructure?
itinerary to the CA Number of dead? Loss of livelihood assets? Availability of emergency power generation? Safety and Security (of CA):
Set up the assessment team and define individual roles/responsibilities with regard Number of missing? Coping strategies adopted? Availability of fuel? Security threats/constraints/UN Security Phase?
to data collection Number of disabled (if available)? Opportunities to recover or support Local transport permits (for goods/persons)? Safety issues? Threat of crime?
Verify if all team members are familiar with the tool and aware of the time Children < 5 years (as % of pop) appropriate coping strategies? Local topographic characteristics/constraints Attitude of the local authorities?
constraints during the assessment (provide a short briefing if required) Sex ratio = # of females / # of men Livelihood challenges relating to social Local weather patterns/constraints Use and nature of roadblocks?
Agree on how the data collected from the different CA will be assembled into one Any ethnicity/minority issues? difference (gender, disability, marginalised Local procurement (shops open; markets functioning; availability of local Constraints on humanitarian access?
report. Average household size? groups etc) construction material and other material and man power)? Humanitarian community targeted?
If possible, all population data to be disaggregated by sex Agricultural seasonality and climate patterns Options to relieve logistical constraints? Gender vulnerabilities and coping mechanisms as a result
in the region Local logistics coordination / support mechanisms? of disaster?
Main sectors Health Food and nutrition WASH Shelter and NFIs Protection
General impression of the affected population and health condition of the Percentage damage to crops, livestock and other Environmental health conditions: General conditions of drainage, The magnitude of structural damage and estimate of Observe the relationship between the civilian
child population livelihood assets and markets waste water, solid waste and/or medical waste disposal systems; area affected. population and the authorities.
Visit the morgue, burial place, count the number of new graves General observations on HH consumption presence of vectors of diseases; evidence of hazardous Response of the population (congregating in public Frequency and nature of check-points and related
patterns and the nutritional status and trends of environmental hygiene practices (open defecation, etc.) infrastructure, tents/tarpaulin, out in the open, with constraints on movement.
the affected population; identify specific Vulnerability of water sources: Distance and topographical host families, etc.). Are there children in the armed forces?
OBSERVE vulnerable groups. position in relation to potential contamination sources. Safe and accessible distribution NFI/food site (mainly
Food diversity available in markets (staple food, Physical conditions of main water systems and excreta disposal to most vulnerable groups)
vegetables/fruits, protein sources) facilities? Lines at water points?
Catchment area of assessment What percentage of crops, livestock and other What are the water sources /systems people rely on for drinking Determine ratios (%) of intact, partially damaged or Is family separation a problem – are there
Number of deaths in this catchment area in the last 1, 2, 3 days (adults & livelihood assets / markets have been damaged water? completely destroyed homes. unaccompanied children or families reporting lost
children, by sex) or destroyed? What is total quantity of drinking water available (m³/day)? Identify risk factors (rain, snow, extreme children?
Number of injured in this catchment area, which injuries? – How many Has the demand and/or wage rate for casual In how much has the water supply system/source(s) been temperatures, topography, soil conditions, and Are there efforts to register unaccompanied or lost
injured to be evacuated? labour changed? disrupted or damaged? What is the extent of the damage? drainage contamination). children?
What first aid systems have already been set up? Have food prices been affected (purchasing Has the quality and/or quantity of the drinking water been Damage to infrastructure (health structure, roads, Are there specific problems regarding violence?
Any higher number than usual of the following symptoms: diarrhoea, high power of HHs)? affected? How? bridges, culverts, schools, etc.) SGBV? Who are the perpetrators?
fever, coughing, skin problems, vomiting, loss of consciousness Is there any evidence of reduced food What kind of excreta disposal system(s) does the community rely Public infrastructure (schools, stadiums) available for What are the coping strategies of the communities
KEY Any health posts or health clinics within walking distance? consumption / hunger as a consequence of the on? How many excreta facilities is there? Are most of these emergency shelter. and threatened groups?
INFORMANTS How can injured/sick people be evacuated? shock? facilities functional? What are the local construction styles and materials If a specific group is under threat from the
Are people at ease or afraid to go to health facilities? What is the nutritional status and trends of the What is the extent of the damage caused by the disaster to the used (mud/thatch, masonry, reinforced concrete, authorities, what is the position of the community?
Note name and affected population and specific vulnerable excreta disposal system/facilities (if any)? timber, etc.)? Are there child headed HHs?
contact groups? Availability and sources of construction materials Are children recruited into the armed forces?
(consult both What food assistance – both emergency and (government, commercial, HHs). Do the children in the community attend school?
long-term in nature – is being provided and how Potential problems related to land use and ownership. Any form of child labour?
men and women) reliable is this support? (include both food and Are there any landmine and UXO issues in the place
cash assistance) of settlement or re-settlement?
Name and contact of the head of facility Were food stocks in the markets damaged Who manages the water system? Is water freely available (to all Where spontaneous emergency group shelters have Discuss with the authorities:
Type of health service provided (OPD/IPD/etc.) /destroyed/looted? Is market activity being re- gender groups)? been established (in schools, stadiums, open public Do the authorities recognize that there are
General condition of the health facility: adequate electricity, cold chain, established? Per water system: System functions (Y/N); yield at source areas etc.), discuss with community representatives: protection issues?
water supply and (medical) waste disposal services? Is access to markets disrupted – limiting the (lts/sec), physical state, contamination risks, treatment capacity, Number of people/families settled in the location. Is there a political commitment to protection?
Number, gender, type and seniority of health personnel ability of purchasers to reach markets or sellers storage capacity (m³), water transport and/or distribution Access to health and WASH services, transportation Are there detention centres in the vicinity and
Number of injuries seen so far in last 1,2,3 days to restock? network capacity, HH/public connection, local capacity for infrastructure. would humanitarian access be acceptable?
Number of patients (other than trauma) seen so far in last 1,2,3 days. How have the prices of staple foods, fuel and emergency repair (skills/equipment)? Access to land and land tenure issues. If there are children in the armed forces, what is
Most frequent symptoms seen. livestock changed since the shock? Per facility for excreta disposal: Facility functions (Y/N); Type Exposure to natural hazards their position on this?
Availability of medicines and equipment – any out of stocks of essential Have school attendance rates been affected? (public / private)? Number of users? Cleanliness? Presence of Potential security threats Have schools been destroyed?
medicines? vectors? Safety? Distance to nearest drinking water source? Who Need for shelter materials and NFIs. Do children still have opportunities to go to school
VISIT Availability of referral possibilities to more specialised health facility – is responsible for cleaning and maintenance? (access and provision of educational activities)?
FACILITIES how is it done? WASH conditions in Health/Cholera Treatment/Nutritional Is there any registration mechanism for protection
Any specific health problems in the area BEFORE the disaster? (Any centres - Communal shelters - Markets – Schools. related issues and assistance?
(health, WASH, nutritional problems?)
schools, possible Any suspicion of serious health threat SINCE the disaster?
Is there provision for emergency evacuation for pregnant women
camp sites, and
presenting delivery problems?
markets) Are blood transfusions tested for HIV?
Are any SGBV cases reported or suspected?

General state and condition of the HH. How has the shock affected the HH’s production Principal source(s) of drinking/treated water? Other sources of Availability and access to: In general, following an acute crisis, during this first
Number of death(s) in the HH during the last few days and cause(s). and income (both agricultural and non untreated water? Clothing (reflect on the prevailing climatic conditions). assessment, it may not be proper to interview HHs
Any increase of sick HH members with specific symptoms such as: agricultural production) Volume (lts) of water used/pers/day? Mats, blankets. on protection issues, in particular if you are not
diarrhoea, high fever, coughing, skin problems, vomiting, Which coping mechanisms are HHs adopting to Is water treated at HH level? How? WASH NFI (see WASH column) familiar with the area and context. If there is a
unconsciousness? ensure basic food consumption (eg. are Distance to nearest water point? Cooking utensils (pots, pans, etc.). good understanding of the context, you can
Do the health personnel treat all people equally? girls/women or elderly eating less food, what is Volume and type of water containers at HH level (for transport Cooking and heating fuel (which type of fuel?) consider some indirect queries on protection
the use of wild foods, reliance on remittances, and storage) and soap? Other NFI needs (bednets, etc.)? issues.
migration, asset sales, etc.? Excreta disposal facility private or shared? Is it accessible to Are you facing any problems with the authorities or
How long will the HH food and fuel stocks last? everyone in the HH? other groups?
HOUSEHOLDS Is assistance being provided and if so are there Hygiene practices: Evidence of hand washing practice and use of Is anyone missing from your family?
specific constraints facing certain groups in soap? Safe disposal of children faeces? Need for sanitary hygienic Are your children safe – do you feel safe?
(HHs) (time securing access? supplies? Risky cultural beliefs/customs? Are your children going to school?
allowing; consult Number of children in HH with diarrhoea and/or skin and eye Who in the HH collects water and/or firewood and
women, men, infection in the past 96 Hrs? where?
How has the host community reacted to your
children) arrival?
 Health Food and nutrition WASH Shelter and NFIs Protection
Point mortality: # of death per catchment area Are all social groups able to meet their short-term food Is the water quantity < 15 lts/pers/day? Settlement - Will affected HHs: What immediate steps can be taken that will have an
Is there a major problem with 1st aid provision to the injured? consumption needs? Water stress: Is the quantity of water available/pers Return to the site of their original dwellings? important impact on addressing protection issues?
Is there a major problem with evacuation of the injured and Is the problem due to insufficient food availability, food substantially less (< half) than normally used? Settle independently within host Compliance aptitude – how willing are the authorities to
pregnant women? access or both? Are there any problems of access to water supplies? communities/families? address protection issues (including GBV)?
Is there an adequate health facility available dealing with Do people have the ability to prepare meals (water, fuel, Is it preferable to conduct emergency repair on the existing Be accommodated in temporary planned or self- How can the coping strategies of the vulnerable
immediate problems of the population? (Personnel and medical cooking utensils, etc.)? water supply system or to construct new emergency water settled camps? populations be strengthened?
supplies, waste management?) Estimate what % of HH require food assistance, what is the supply system(s)? What are the options for emergency shelter? What are the main security threats?
ANALYSIS Is there any suspicion of a major epidemic of health problem level (shortfall in total food consumption requirements) and Is there a high risk of contamination of water sources Are there critical environmental factors to take into
(based on emerging or already present? the duration of assistance required? and/people from faeces? consideration?
information of Is the disaster causing a major psychological trauma for a part Would assistance in cash or kind be most appropriate? Are there constraints to good hygiene behaviour? Which How can shelter materials best be mobilized?
of the population? Should assistance be freely provided or linked to ones? Identify key infrastructure in need of repair to
the current conditionality (e.g. labour, training etc)? facilitate emergency response.
situation) Are there specific vulnerable groups and nutritional needs? What is the scale of the need for NFIs?
What is the capacity of the authorities or communities
to respond?
Organise or reinforce immediately the mass casualty Unconditional Food Transfers, either food commodities Emergency (new/rehabilitated) drinking water supplies Provision of emergency shelter material (tarpaulin, Set up registration mechanisms for documenting
management, in particular the first aid facility and the triage of provided on a blanket basis (General Food Distributions), measures are urgently required if less than 15 lts/pers/day tents, rope, etc.). unaccompanied and lost children and basic measures to
injured persons commodities targeted according to specific criteria / is available (particularly if environmental risk factors such as Provision of specialized emergency and/or transitional take care of them during the emergency period.
Organise or reinforce immediately adequate evacuation facility locations; or as unconditional cash transfers. dense population, contaminated water supply, poor shelter (tents). If appropriate and possible, negotiate with the
for the seriously injured and pregnant women with delivery Cash or food provided on the basis of training or labour hygiene are high). Adapt shelter needs according to HH sizes, gender and authorities on protection issues.
problems provision Emergency “shock” treatment of the drinking water supply disability factors, taking into consideration long-term Negotiate access to detention facilities with the relevant
Organise or reinforce health facility (which inputs are needed Blanket nutritional interventions (e.g. blanket is required if the existing system is still functional, but has displacement needs. authorities.
as priority?) Is there a need to bring in additional medical staff? Supplementary Feeding programmes) where nutritional likely been contaminated (as a result of physical damage to Mobilize service provision around public infrastructure Consider protection issues in all conventional emergency
ACTION NEEDED Is medical waste management in place? commodities are distributed to all individuals of a certain its infrastructure, interrupted/intermittent service functioning as emergency shelter. interventions.
(think about the Evaluate the need to vaccinate children and/or adults urgently age, in a certain area deemed to be facing or at risk of a provision, etc.). Source and provide NFI, according to priorities If appropriate, consider GBV minimum package
(if epidemics are expected and coverage is below 80%) nutritional crisis. HH water treatment is recommended if the quality of (clothing, cooking, access to water). (detection, counselling, PEP, antibiotic, emergency
possible Evaluate the need to establish an EWARN (Early Warning and Provision of food preparation and food storage materials. drinking water is poor and most HH understand or can be Provision of fuel for cooking/heating. contraception etc.)
following actions Response Network) with rapid investigation capacity (if Items required for preparing food, such as cooking sets, quickly taught how to use home water treatment Negotiate with the relevant actors on gaining
epidemics are expected) cooking fuel and water. effectively. adequate land for emergency/ temporary shelter.
and prioritize) Evaluate the need to establish basic psycho-social or mental Provision of information on entitlements, The need for adequate HH water transport and storage Provision of tools/materials for the emergency repair
health services Road/market infrastructure rehabilitation facilities should be assessed in all cases. of damaged homes.
Imposition, information, education and communication on Support to further food-security assessments, and Emergency sanitation (particularly excreta disposal) and
public or environmental health hazards and measures to be nutritional screening, surveillance and surveys. hygiene promotion measures are required immediately if
observed by the population people are settled in high density areas and exposed to
Emergency replacement of key drugs for chronic diseases (HIV, poor sanitary conditions and/or probable diarrhoeal
TB, diabetes, Hypertension, Thyroid problems,…) outbreaks.
Emergency distribution of WASH NFI is required when acute
shortage has been objectively observed.
Cut-off values for emergency warning Food Water Camps (Site Plans) What is it?
Total needs of 2,100 Kcal/person/day Minimum 7.5 - 15 lts/pers/day Min area available per person: 45 m2 The INAC is a “first contact” multi-sector tool designed to
Health status A 100% daily ration (needs may be partial) consists of: drinking: 2.5-3 lts/pers/day Min shelter space per person: 3.5 m2 contribute to the overall effort of immediate assessment
Crude death rate: more than 1/10,000 people/day 350-400 g/person/day of staple cereal drinking and cooking: 3-6 lts/pers/day Min distance between two shelters: 2 m and response to a humanitarian disaster.
Under fives death rate: more than 2/10,000 U5/day 20-40 g/person/day of an energy rich food (oil/fat). hygiene: 2-6 lts/pers/day Open space/public facilities/roads: 15-20%
Health Facility Utilisation 50 g/person/day of a protein rich food (legumes). No faecal Coliforms/100 ml (for non treated water supplies Favourable drainage & soil conditions. Why?
Among stable pop: 0.5 – 1.0 new contacts/pers/yr at point of delivery) Shelter: Few existing assessment tools have been successfully
Among displaced/refugee population: up to 4.0 new To supply 10,000 people with food for one week this is Maximum 250 users per tap; 500 users per hand pump; 400 Socially acceptable, durable, disaster safe and applied to provide a needs-based analysis within the first
72 hours of a disaster.
THRESHOLDS contacts/pers/yr approximately: users per open well upgradeable HH design/ materials.
After a natural disaster: contacts for first aid will be much 28.0 MT of staple cereal Distance to water points < 500 m from housing Optimal thermal comfort and ventilation In which contexts?
& STANDARDS higher, a solid part of the affected population may visit the 2.8 MT of an energy rich food Queuing time at water source < 15 minutes (on average, but Access to WASH facilities incorporated For the first assessment of sudden onset crises or
established first aid centre or the surviving health facility in the 3.5 MT of a protein rich food not at peak times); max. 3 minutes to fill 20 lts at water Vector control measures incorporated deterioration of protracted crises or where access
first few days. (Count on 20 to 50% of the catchment Cash point/tap. Locally sourced materials and labours becomes available to complex crises.
population looking for contact with the health facility). Cash transfer necessary to purchase equivalent food ration At least two 10-20 lts water collecting containers (+enough Local standard of workmanship & materials When?
Health Personnel Requirements calculated according to local market costs (to be adjusted storage capacity per HHs) Accountable procurement of resources
Usually within the first 3 days of the start of a sudden-
Activity Output of 1 pers/hr of work on the basis of market price trends). Sanitation Limited environmental impact of settlements
onset crisis or when access becomes available.
OPD consultation 6 consultations Cash for work rates should take into account both the local Latrine: ideally one/family, minimum one toilet/20 persons NFI
OPD treatment (dressings etc) 6 treatments casual labour rates and the cost of meeting basic needs (eg. (but up to 50 persons at initial stage) Clothing, bedding and sleeping mats Who should use it?
Vaccination 30 children the food basket). Distances: Hygiene NFI (see WASH column) It is designed as a common tool for the use of DG ECHO,
U-5 clinic & growth monitoring 10 children Work conditionality should not undermine recovery of max. 50 m – min. 6 m from housing Cooking and eating utensils and any other interested humanitarian worker. No
ANC 6 women livelihoods min. 30 m from closest water point Stoves, fuel (15 kg firewood/hh/day) & lighting particular sector expertise is required.
Assisted delivery 1 delivery Workers should not have to travel unacceptable distances Check soil conditions and water table level (pits) materials How does it work?
Note: one person/day = 7 hours of field work to access work or cash / food distribution Use of toilets arranged by HHs or gender Tools and equipments (bed nets if necessary) The INAC draws basic conclusions from first-hand key
Health workers emergency requirements for the above = 60 Gender roles should be factored in appropriately. Refuse disposal: one communal pit/500 people data collected during rapid field assessments to
staff per 10,000 people. Nutrition status Hygiene recommend priority life-saving actions to be taken within
Acute malnutrition (W/H < -2Z scores in under 5 yr 1 Hygiene Promoter for 500 people the first few days after the crisis.
population: > 10% of under fives Soap: 250g /pers/month
Laundry soap: 200g/pers/month
What it is not:
Based on NCHS) GAM SAM Sanitary hygienic supplies & washable nappies. The INAC is not a full assessment methodology. It will
Normal rate <5% <1% only provide a basic indication of the severity of the crisis
Poor 5 to 9 % <2% and of the priority actions to be undertaken in the first
Serious 10 – 14 % >2% day(s)/week(s). As soon as possible, it should give way to
Critical > or = 15 % >5% expanded rapid needs assessments to guide the design of
emergency interventions.
AFTER THE FIELD With the entire team, collate the results of all the CA assessments and draw the main conclusions (per sector); extrapolate you conclusion to determine the severity of crisis and prioritize the humanitarian actions needed.
VISITS Where possible, it is recommended to triangulate your data and conclusions with that of other rapid needs assessments. If relevant, identify possible assessment gaps for follow up. When designing the immediate response
consider key advocacy messages.