Overview
ISO 22327:2018 - Security and resilience - Emergency management - Guidelines for implementation of a community-based landslide early warning system - provides practical guidance for designing, implementing and sustaining a community-based landslide early warning system (LEWS). The standard defines LEWS elements, explains methods and procedures, and gives example activities and annexed templates to support local implementation. It focuses on communities vulnerable to landslides and emphasizes population behaviour and preparedness planning.
Key topics and requirements
The standard organizes a community-based landslide early warning system into seven core sub-systems and requirements:
- Risk assessment: technical (geomorphology, geology, geotechnics), institutional and socioeconomic/cultural surveys. ISO 31000 is recommended as the basis for risk assessment adapted to landslide contexts.
- Dissemination and communication of knowledge: clear, multi-channel communication about landslide types, triggers, warning levels, signage and authoritative sources.
- Disaster preparedness team: establishment of a local team with expertise in monitoring, first aid, logistics, data management and evacuation leadership (Annex A provides an example).
- Evacuation map and routes: development of operational evacuation maps, routes and assembly points based on identified landslide risk zones (Annexes B–D provide examples and symbols).
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs): documented triggers, evacuation commands and response sequences (Annex G).
- Monitoring, early warning and evacuation drills: procedures for instrument placement (based on observed indicators), monitoring, warning dissemination and repeated evacuation drills.
- Sustainability and commitment: local authority and community commitment to long-term operation, maintenance and training.
The standard also references ISO 22300 for vocabulary and aligns with the four UN/ISDR early warning elements: risk knowledge, monitoring/warning service, dissemination/communication, and response capability.
Practical applications
ISO 22327 is designed to be applied where structural mitigation or relocation is impractical and non-structural community preparedness is needed. Practical uses include:
- Designing a community-based landslide early warning program
- Creating evacuation maps, SOPs and training curricula
- Defining roles for community disaster preparedness teams
- Planning monitoring placement based on local ground movement indicators
- Running evacuation drills and public awareness campaigns
Who should use this standard
- Local and municipal authorities in landslide-prone areas
- Emergency managers, civil protection agencies and disaster risk reduction practitioners
- Community leaders, NGOs and international development organizations
- Geotechnical and hazard assessment professionals involved in community preparedness
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 22327, landslide early warning system, community-based LEWS, risk assessment, evacuation map, disaster preparedness team, monitoring and warning, evacuation drill.
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