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How
does DASP help US Missions become better prepared?
The
Mission Disaster Relief Plan (MDRP), also known as Annex J of a post's Emergency Action Plan (EAP), is a first step
in achieving a US Mission's state of disaster preparedness
and is an essential reference document during an emergency.
The MDRP assigns responsibilities, clarifies authority
and lines of communication, assesses host nation vulnerability
to disasters, and sets forth guidelines for the conduct
of emergency operations including the provision of USG
relief assistance. A toolbox with important reference
materials, templates, and examples has been developed
by OFDA and DASP to make it easier for US Missions to
prepare high quality MDRPs. In addition to the
toolbox, DASP and OFDA field staff provide direct technical
assistance, either through workshops or planning meetings,
to help US Missions:
- Understand
the resources and capabilities of OFDA, the appropriate
procedures for accessing these resources, and the
role of USAID in the event of a disaster;
- Build
a good network of interaction, cooperation, and communication
between the Mission, OFDA/Washington, and OFDA Regional
Teams; and
- Compile
and further refine the MDRP, which includes information on past disasters, existing vulnerability, and in-country response capacity.
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RECENT ACTIVITIES -- 2007-2008
 Southern Africa
From April 8-11, 2008 , the US Forest Service’s Disaster Assistance Support Program and the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance sponsored a Regional Mission Disaster Preparedness consultation. The consultation was held for Mission Disaster Relief Officers (MDRO) from eight countries in southern Africa . Appointed by the US Chief of Mission, the MDRO is the focal point for disaster-related information, planning and activities that affect the host country.
Given the amount of disasters in the region over the past several months – including flooding in Angola , Malawi , Mozambique , Namibia , and Zambia ; cyclone Jowke in Madagascar ; and complex emergencies in the Comoros and Zimbabwe – the participants readily shared their experiences with each other. In addition, at the training, the MDRO’s learned about the US government’s disaster response option, the resources and capacities of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the procedures for accessing these resources. Participants also met with a variety of disaster relief and preparedness partners, including the University of Cape Town Disaster Mitigation and Sustainable Livelihoods Program, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Latin America
On April 25, 2008, OFDA’s Latin America and Caribbean regional office sponsored a meeting in El Salvador for MDRO’s from Central America and Mexico . Seventeen participants from the region reviewed protocols and procedures in preparation for hurricane season. Presentations at the meeting highlighted work with the military and media coverage.
Asia
From May 20-22, the Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP) and OFDA’s Asia regional team conducted a regional Mission Disaster Preparedness in Dhaka , Bangladesh . Nineteen people from seven US Government (USG) Missions—including MDRO’s and alternates, a representative from the Department of Defense Pacific Command and staff from USAID/Bangladesh—attended. Catastrophic natural disasters in Burma and China provided the backdrop for this event and underscored the importance of planning and preparedness in facilitating a rapid and effective USG response to declared disasters. During the consultation, participants met with a variety of relief partners, which included representatives from Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children, and World Vision and which exposed participants to appropriate sector-specific emergency programs. A variety of case studies were used during the consultation including cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh , flooding in Indonesia , and the complex emergency in Sri Lanka to illustrate response options. The case studies provided an opportunity to discuss challenges encountered in the emergency phase and provided and opportunity to exchange lessons learned.
Mission Disaster Relief Officers from Asia
US Mission in Kathmandu Prepares for Disasters
Since the last major earthquake in 1934, the seismic risk in the Kathmandu Valley has increased significantly due to rapid population growth, uncontrolled development, and poor construction practices. This risk for catastrophic earthquakes and how the US Mission would subsequently respond weigh heavily with senior USG officials in Nepal . As a result, DASP and OFDA’s regional office in Nepal conducted a half-day orientation to disaster response for forty nine employees from USAID, State Department, and Department of Defense in Kathmandu . The event provided a platform to introduce Mission staff to the MDRO and alternates and discuss how a large-scale disaster would impact the entire staff.
Mission staff in Nepal working on the Gujarat Earthquake Timeline
USAID/Serbia Updates its Mission Disaster Relief Plan
From November 13-16, 2007 , DASP coordinated disaster preparedness consultations for OFDA and USAID/Serbia in Belgrade . The consultations were led by USAID Serbia’s Mission Disaster Relief Officer (MDRO); the OFDA Disaster Operations Specialist for Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia; and the DASP’s Mission Disaster Preparedness Coordinator.
The US Mission in Serbia had experienced large staff turnover during the summer of 2007, and believed it opportune to reacquaint staff with USG roles, responsibilities, and procedures for disaster response. The consultation included meetings with key members of USAID, the Department of State, Department of Defense at post, and first responder organizations including the Serbian Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
At the end of the week, the consultation was capped off with a workshop, which was attended by twenty six people representing a cross section of the USG community including the Department of State (Regional Security Office, Consular Affairs, General Services Office, Public Diplomacy, and the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration), the Department of Defense (Defense Attaché Office), and USAID (Office of the Director, Financial Management Office, Executive Office, Program Office, Economics and Governance Office, and Information Technology Office), and representatives from USAID Serbia’s three field offices (Nis, Novi Pazar, and Vranje). The Serbia Desk Officer from the E&E Bureau in Washington , DC and the alternate MDRO from USAID/Montenegro also participated.
Preparing for floods in Serbia , courtesy of USAID/Serbia SCOPES project
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