🇿🇲 Zambia
Last verified: July 2026 — validate with your local authorities during the annual update of the club directory.
1. Emergency numbers
| Service |
Number |
| Police (emergency) |
991 |
| Ambulance / medical emergency |
992 |
| Fire Brigade |
993 |
Important — verify locally. These national short codes are the ones published by the Zambia Police Service, but their reliability is uneven: independent monitoring has found that 991/992/993 are frequently unreachable or work only on certain mobile networks or districts. In practice, save the direct landline of your nearest police station, hospital and fire station in advance, and confirm the working numbers with your district authorities during the annual update.
2. National disaster management
| Element |
In Zambia |
| National agency |
DMMU (Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit), within the Office of the Vice-President — dmmu-ovp.gov.zm |
| Legal framework |
Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2010; DMMU established in 1994 |
| National coordination |
DMMU coordinates preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery across sectors; reports to the Vice-President through a National Coordinator |
| Territorial crisis authority |
Provincial and District Disaster Management structures (Provincial / District Disaster Management Committees) relay coordination locally |
| Water / hydrology |
WARMA (Water Resources Management Authority) for hydrological monitoring and river-flow forecasts — warma.org.zm |
3. Alert systems
| System |
What it is |
Access |
| Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) |
National weather forecasts and warnings (rain, storms, extreme temperatures) |
zmd.gov.zm |
| Flash-Flood / Floods Monitor Advisory |
Daily ZMD product flagging high / medium / low flood-risk areas |
zmd.gov.zm |
| Zambia Flood and Drought Monitor |
Operational flood and drought early-warning system (ZMD / partners) |
Online monitor |
| WARMA drought & flood forecast |
Hydrological early warning (river basins) |
warma.org.zm |
| DMMU / ZRCS early action protocols |
Forecast-based / anticipatory action triggers for floods |
Via DMMU and Red Cross |
4. Key non-Rotary actors
| Actor |
Role in disaster |
| Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) |
Emergency shelter, relief, first aid, family reunification, forecast-based action — redcross.org.zm |
| DMMU (Office of the Vice-President) |
Lead government coordinator for response and relief |
| WFP, UNICEF, UNDP, IFRC |
International relief, logistics, food security, coordination support |
| Provincial / District Disaster Management Committees |
The club's institutional local contact |
| Faith-based and community organisations |
Distribution, shelter, local mobilisation |
5. Dominant risks → guide cards
| Risk |
Where |
Card to print |
| Flood / flash flood |
River valleys (Zambezi, Kafue, Luangwa, Barotse plain); urban Lusaka |
Card B2 |
| Drought / prolonged dry spells |
Southern and Western provinces, agricultural areas |
Card C1 |
| Bush / wildfire |
Widespread during the dry season |
Card C2 |
| Earthquake (moderate) |
Rift-related zones, Lake Tanganyika / Luangwa region |
Card A1 |
| Epidemics (cholera during floods) |
Flood-affected and urban areas |
Dedicated card in preparation — see roadmap |
| Dam / infrastructure risk |
Kariba and other reservoirs |
Card B6 |
6. Equivalences with the guide's terms
| Generic term in the guide |
Zambian equivalent |
| National disaster management agency |
DMMU (Office of the Vice-President) |
| National response plan |
Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2010 / National DM framework |
| Emergency medical service (EMS) |
Ambulance (992) + hospital services |
| Territorial state authority |
Provincial / District Disaster Management Committee |
| National meteorological service |
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) |
| National Red Cross society |
Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS), IFRC member |
| Inter-agency coordination |
DMMU-led sectoral coordination |
Donation tax rules: to be confirmed locally — the tax treatment of charitable donations in Zambia is governed by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA); check current rules with ZRA and your club treasurer before publicising any deductibility claim.
7. Rotary section — to be completed by your club
| Element |
Your information |
| Rotary district |
____ |
| District Governor (DG) |
____ |
| District disaster officer (DRO/DRC) |
____ |
| ShelterBox contact |
____ |
| National coordination body (DMMU / district committee) |
____ |
| Neighbouring clubs (< 50 km) |
____ |
| Last update of this section |
//______ |
Sources: Zambia Police Service (zambiapolice.gov.zm), Alliance for Community Action (acazambia.org), DMMU / Office of the Vice-President (dmmu-ovp.gov.zm) & UN-SPIDER, PreventionWeb, Zambia Meteorological Department (zmd.gov.zm), Zambia Red Cross Society (redcross.org.zm) & Wikipedia, ThinkHazard! / World Bank (thinkhazard.org). Report any error: g.bourgogne.rtn@gmail.com