Vol 41-Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), Ulaanbaatar
ASIAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (AMCDRR), ULAANBAATAR,
MONGOLIA, JULY 3RD – 6TH 2018.
The Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) brings together a diverse range of Asian stakeholders and policy makers to discuss latest developments in disaster risk reduction (DRR), of which forms a key element of disaster management efforts across the globe. The biennial meeting was this year held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from the 3rd to the 6th of July, 2018, with representatives from the AHA Centre in attendance. This meeting forms a key activity in the Asian region’s efforts to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 – with global and regional risk reduction platforms central to its overall implementation success.
While DRR is not a specific focus of the AHA Centre’s direct work, the meeting retains high importance and relevance, as it provides the AHA Centre the opportunity to engage with its partners, share knowledge, and gain relevant insight into actions that may benefit the AHA Centre’s work – particularly related to disaster monitoring and capacity development. 2018’s AMCDRR covered a range of important and strategic topics, including technical sessions on issues such as understanding risk, thematic sessions including private sector interventions, and public events raising topics such as World Tsunami Awareness Day. The meeting also resulted in the formulation of the Ulaanbaatar Declaration – a declaration from all engaged nations that recognises current disaster issues, calls on government and other stakeholders to increase and continue their disaster risk reduction efforts, and resolves to implement all outcomes and efforts stated within the declaration.
For the AHA Centre itself, particular value was gained through engagement in sessions regarding early warning and alert systems, which was a central topic during the 2018 meeting. The implementation and improvement of early warning and alert systems would serve to support increased speed and early engagement within the AHA Centre’s disaster response efforts. As a result, such improvements could lead to stronger instances of early recovery. The AHA Centre was also interested to learn further from civil society organisations about their initiative to develop CSO-led surge capacity, in which CSOs can also mobilise their own assets and capacities during disaster response. Integrating such ideas within the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP), for example, could increase the capacity and coordination within disaster responses across the ASEAN region through the use already-existing assets. Strategies such as this also provide strong evidence for the importance of the ongoing development of the ASEAN Standards and Certification for Experts in Disaster Management (ASCEND) project – increasing its strategic relevance to foster a united and strong ASEAN region under the implementation of the One ASEAN, One Response vision.
Written by : Dipo Summa | Photo: AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 2
Vol 41-ARDEX Final Preparation Meetings
ARDEX
FINAL PREPARATION MEETINGS
CILEGON, BANTEN, INDONESIA, 11-12 JULY, 2018
2018’s ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise 2018 (ARDEX-18) is planned to be held in Cilegon, Banten, Indonesia, from the 4th to the 10th of November, engaging all ten ASEAN Member States and a range of other disaster management stakeholders within this all-important disaster simulation exercise. During mid-July, the AHA Centre, alongside the National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia (BNPB) led the final preparations for ARDEX-18, undertaking the Final Exercise Planning Team (EPT) meeting and Final Planning Conference (FPC) for this key biennial regional exercise.
ARDEX-18 will form the 7th ARDEX simulation exercise for the ASEAN region, which has provided a substantial range of benefits to ASEAN nations as well as for a vast range of stakeholders within the international sector. Alongside this, it has formed an opportunity for the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedures (SASOP) to be practiced, evaluated, and reviewed as the key mechanisms for disaster response within the region. The finalisation of preparations included determining contributions of each actor engaged in the exercise, the roles that will be undertaken by each participant, as well as ensuring the exercise will be implemented in a smooth and efficient manner.
“Conducting exercises will help gather valuable and proper assessments to address gaps in real emergency situations. In addition, doing simulations will help clearly identify roles, types of communications and resources needed,” explained Mr. Dicky Fabrian S.H., LL.M., from the Bureau of Law and Cooperation of the BNPB.
Cilegon has been chosen to host ARDEX-18 due to its identification by the Indonesian Government as one of the most disaster-prone areas, and based on scientific risk analysis undertaken on the location. Cilegon is in close proximity to the Sunda thrust and Krakatau volcano, thus prone to earthquake, tsunami, and volcanic hazards. Furthermore, as an industrial area, Cilegon faces an additional risk of hazardous materials due to the presence of various factories within the city. Due to this factor, ARDEX-18 will be the first simulation exercise that includes training materials related to chemical hazards within the scenario.
“First, ARDEX serves as a key disaster response preparation tool. Next, it serves as a strong platform for the participants to learn from each other. The lessons learned and gathered will be significant for improving the preparations in the future. Third, ARDEX builds a bridge in linking and strengthening the emotional bonding of sisterhood and brotherhood of ASEAN, which is important factor in strengthening the context of ASEAN unity,” said Adelina Kamal, the Executive Director of AHA Centre.
Participants for the upcoming ARDEX-18 are comprised of emergency response teams from all ASEAN Member States, United Nations representatives, private sector, academia, and international partners who wish to contribute to the implementation of One ASEAN One Response.
Written by : Valerie Bayhon | Photo: AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 1
Vol 41-RedR Australia
RedR Australia
The ASEAN region, being prone to a range of natural disasters, aims to be a step ahead in delivering response to such disasters when they strike. To achieve this, well-trained and prepared human capital is required, with strong teams developed through relevant and up-to-date seminars and workshops. Through the recent formalisation of a long-standing working partnership between RedR Australia and the AHA Centre, both parties aim to mutually promote, develop, and strengthen their cooperation in disaster management to further improve response for the ASEAN region’s communities.
RedR Australia is a non-governmental, international humanitarian agency that provides disaster management training across the world. One of their key objectives is to help rebuild and support communities to recover immediately after disaster strikes, by both delivering and equipping key actors with appropriate and efficient humanitarian skills. Adelina Kamal, the Executive Director of AHA Centre, and Kirsten Sayers, the Chief Executive Officer of RedR Australia, recently signed and formalised a partnership through a Memorandum of Intent, on the side lines of the 8th Meeting of the Governing Board of the AHA Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the 27th of June 2018.
The partnership is channelled through the “Australia Assists – Technical Assistance in Disaster Risk Management” programme, managed and co-designed by RedR Australia and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The programme aims to develop and increase the capacity of deployable civilian resources that meet humanitarian policy and procedure requirements and standards. The formation of collaboration between RedR Australia and AHA Centre will not only strengthen disaster response, but also develop stronger disaster management capacity within the region. The platform of the partnership has been undertaken with the intention of providing the highest quality disaster response and management practices within a constantly changing environment and context, and more importantly, to build resilience and improve the quality of humanitarian action to alleviate suffering and save lives.
This MoI stands as a bilateral recognition of the value that both parties’ ongoing engagement has created, and to expand on this, the formalised partnership will allow both parties to engage on a wider level. It aims to provide the ASEAN region with access to a deeper pool of deployable expertise, efficient roster management practices, effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) processes, appropriate and effective risk management, and more opportunities to develop disaster-related activities with RedR Australia.
Since 2016, RedR Australia’s expertise has also been integrated within the AHA Centre’s existing training programmes, such as the AHA Centre Executive (ACE) Programme, in which they have provided specific training modules on project management elements. Such engagement has been an integral part of the ACE Programme, which focuses specifically towards developing ASEAN leaders from all 10 Member States, who hold the capacity and skills to lead the region in response and operations when a disaster strikes. Alongside the new overall MoI, RedR Australia and the AHA Centre have also agreed to continue and strengthen their partnership through the ACE Programme, developing stronger, more specific training materials and engagements as part of ACE Programme Phase 2, being implemented from 2018-2020.
Written by : Valerie Bayhon | Photo : RedR Australia, AHA Centre
- Published in Partnership
Vol 41-Types of Recorded Disasters in ASEAN Member States
TYPES OF RECORDED DISASTERS IN
ASEAN MEMBER STATES
Since its foundation, the AHA Centre has actively monitored seven types of natural disasters that have occurred on a frequent basis across the Southeast Asian region. The natural disasters types that have registered on the AHA Centre’s radar include drought, earthquake, flood, wind, storm, volcano, and landslides.
Throughout the previous six years, a total of 1380 disasters have been recorded by the AHA Centre’s team. While floods, winds, storms, and landslides top the list for frequency, slower-onset disasters, such as drought, still pose significant risk, primarily for ASEAN’s agricultural-based communities.
The most recent recorded disasters have been the floods in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, that occurred due to the accumulated impact of the monsoon season and Tropical Storm 11 (Son-Tinh/ Henry). Between end of July and early August, the AHA Centre activated three emergency responses, responding to severe flooding in Southern Lao PDR and 4 states/regions of Myanmar, as well as powerful earthquakes in Lombok, Indonesia. The following chart may support further development of mitigation plans for disaster managers, as part of wider disaster-preparedness strategies.
Written by : Shintya Kurniawan
DISCLAIMER
The presented information above is consolidated from the ASEAN Disaster Information Net (ADINet) and the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). Presented numbers may not reflect the actual risks due to lack of data availability in some ASEAN countries.
- Published in Insight
Vol 41-Response to Tropical Storm 11
RESPONSE TO
TROPICAL STORM 11
The formation of Tropical Storm 11 (TS 11 – also known as Son Tinh, or Henry in the Philippines) had been closely monitored by the AHA Centre since early July 2018, as the team worked alongside the National Disaster Management Organisations of ASEAN Member States to prepare for the potential disaster impacts that may materialise should the storm continue to gain strength. Towards the end of July, TS 11 intensified, with torrential rains and strong winds buffeting a number of nations, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, resulting in widespread flooding through many districts within these nations. By the end of July, the AHA Centre was engaged in two disaster responses to flooding in both Lao PDR and Myanmar – which stands as the first time the AHA Centre provided support to two different ASEAN nations in unison.
Floods were being reported across numerous ASEAN countries in the aftermath of TS 11. However, in the of evening of July 23rd, the walls of Xe Pien and Xe Nam Noy dams in Lao PDR burst, with flash floods impacting thousands of households downstream from the large water catchments. Within 24 hours, the AHA Centre’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Jakarta activated its emergency response operations, and an In-Country Liaison Team (ICLT) was deployed and arrived in Vientiane. For this response, the AHA Centre provided four key aspects of assistance to the Government of Lao PDR and its people, including logistical management and coordination, information management and mapping, advisory support for operations planning, and finally mobilisation of relief items.
During the handover, the AHA Centre’s Executive Director, Ms. Adelina Kamal, stated that “The spirit of One ASEAN One Response is well-demonstrated in times of crisis, such as today. The swift coordination is enabled through continuous partnerships between NDMOs of all ASEAN Member States and our partners, built over the years under ASEAN cooperation on disaster management”.
ASEAN’s relief items were delivered by the AHA Centre on both the 27th and 29th of July. The first batch included 1 alumunium rescue boat, 150 family tents, 2616 hygiene kits, alongside a mobile storage unit for use as a temporary warehouse for all incoming relief items. In addition, the National Disaster Management Agency of Malaysia (NADMA) also added to the assistance by providing an extra alumunium rescue boat. Whereas the first batch of relief items were flown-in to Wattay International Aiport in Vientiane, a second batch comprised of 3500 mosquito nets were delivered alongside Australian relief items, directly into Pakse Airport, Attapeu, one of the province’s hardest hit by the natural disaster. The mobilised relief items are crucial to the specific needs of Lao PDR’s NDMO, as well as the affected population.
“When we found out that we had a serious disaster, like the dam collapsing, the first thing that came to mind was the AHA Centre. Emergency response is not only about mobilisation of funds, materials and food. We also need to learn about coordination for medical support, military cooperation, and camp management. I would like to take this opportunity to train people and learn how to organise, starting from the village level”, said Mr. Prasong Vongkhamchanh, the Director-General of Social Welfare Department of Lao PDR’s NDMO, during a briefing with the AHA Centre’s ICLT.
Overall, TS 11 and the resulting flooding affected 10 out of 17 provinces across Lao PDR. On the 28th of July, the ASEAN Secretary-General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community – H.E. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, the Director-General of Social Welfare Dept. Head of NDMO Lao PDR – Mr. Prasong Vongkhamchanh, and the Executive Director of AHA Centre – Ms. Adelina Kamal, visited one of the severely affected provinces, handing over ASEAN’s assistance to the Governor of Attapeu and the Mayor of Sanamxay District.
“Being forced from our homes is not a choice anyone desires for oneself, nor impose on others. The storm may have rendered our lives tragic and difficult, but we shall weather it through the triumph of our spirit”
said the Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, upon his visit to Sanamxay.
Before the mission in Lao PDR was concluded, monsoonal conditions in Myanmar saw the AHA Centre launch its second response on the 30th of July, to support the Government of Myanmar as nine regions/states were inundated by floodwaters, damaging homes and threatening lives in the central and southern states of the country. As conditions worsened, more and more of the nation’s population felt the brunt of the monsoon, with the Government of Myanmar reporting that more than 150,000 people had been internally displaced floods and landslides across nine regions, with the regions of Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi most heavily impacted. With many of the affected communities living in rural areas, a key issue highlighted was the limited electricity supply. To address this, the AHA Centre provided 12,000 portable solar lanterns, procured locally at a value of approximately USD $79,883 that were then distributed to communities facing power outages throughout the flooded nation. These items, alongside the provision of an In-Country Liaison Team to support Myanmar’s NDMO, displayed the solidarity of the ASEAN region as it provided disaster relief assistance, through the AHA Centre, to the communities affected by flood in Myanmar. The relief items were received by Mr. Win Shwe, Yangon Director of Department of Disaster Management, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Department, in Yangon, Myanmar on the 3rd of August 2018. During the handover ceremony, Mr Win Shwe emphasised Myanmar’s gratitude by saying, “We would like to convey our deepest appreciation to AHA Centre for its readiness to support Myanmar. By taking this opportunity, we would also like to extend our personal thanks to the Government of Japan for its generous donation to ASEAN, through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. This assistance will definitely signify the unity and friendship amongst the ASEAN Member States and would enhance mutual understanding”.
The mission in Myanmar was concluded on the 4th of August 2018, with the overlapping responses forming the first time that the AHA Centre has activated missions to different countries at the same time. Although the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) was not activated for both responses, the AHA Centre managed to obtain the support of a Yangon-based ASEAN-ERAT personnel, who volunteered to help the AHA Centre’s ICLT during their mission in Myanmar. With less than 30 personnel, the AHA Centre also managed to gain ad-hoc support from various partners. At the end of its first ever in-unison response, the AHA Centre was already gearing up to support a Government-led emergency response in the earthquake-affected areas in Lombok, Indonesia, of which will be detailed in the next edition of the AHA Centre’s Column.
Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in Highlight
Vol 36-Gaynor Tanyang
Gaynor Tanyang
Managing Director, Lumina Ventures
ASEAN-ERAT Member from the Philippines
Gaynor’s path into the disaster management field, and direct engagement as an ASEAN ERAT member was formed through more than ten years of work in the development sector. Her first experience directly with disaster management in the ASEAN context came when she joined Oxfam on a programme being implemented within the AADMER partnership. She tells the AHA Centre, “I was just volunteering with a local organisation, when a contact recommended I apply for the role”.
Having gained some disaster-related experience in her time undertaking gender audits of disaster responses, Gaynor first heard of the AHA Centre through Oxfam’s support to the ASEAN Secretariat developing this new disaster management institution in 2011. She then acted as an observer of the 2013 ASEAN-ERAT training course, managing the simulation exercises, before strengthening her involvement by undertaking the role of facilitator during a 2014 ASEAN-ERAT refresher training. It is this training element that forms a large part of Gaynor’s passion for the work. “Most of my work with NGOs involved training, so that is what I really enjoy most” she states.
As an ASEAN-ERAT member, Gaynor has experienced one deployment. It was this deployment, however, that influenced significant change in the landscape and format of the ASEAN-ERAT course. The deployment was to her home nation of the Philippines, and the assignment was as an initial responder to the devastating Typhoon Haiyan that struck Tacloban in late 2013. Gaynor’s arrival into the affected area was an experience that would stay with her. “Usually, even after a disaster, there are still markets, and people are still going about their lives – but Haiyan was different.
Everything was destroyed. There were no markets, no shops open – no-one cared about your money” she recalls. “When we arrived in Tacloban, our only water was a half-bottle left over from our lunch”.
“AT THAT TIME, WE WERE NOT FULLY PREPARED, AND THIS PREPAREDNESS IS A KEY LESSON WE LEARNED FROM HAIYAN.” GAYNOR ADMITS. “TRAINING CAN HELP YOU PREPARE TO SOME DEGREE, BUT HAIYAN WAS JUST SO DIFFERENT. THE DEVASTATION WAS SO MASSIVE. ALL ASPECTS OF LOGISTICS WERE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING.”
Local knowledge and connections formed key elements of Gaynor’s and the other ASEAN-ERAT members’ ability to gain access to the disaster zone. Without their local Filipino contacts, gaining vehicles and transportation would have been almost impossible. This stands as one of Gaynor’s tips to first responders – “take advantage of local connections and personal contacts”.
The lessons learned from the Haiyan response have guided the AHA Centre during its more recent development, and Gaynor played a central role in the development of these lessons and the recommendations that followed. “After my experience in Haiyan, I realised that the ERAT course needed some changes” she recalls. Her input was accomodated when the AHA Centre expands the roles of ASEAN-ERAT, from assessment towards responses, including pre-deployment preparation. Regarding this preparedness, Gaynor’s primary tip to responders is to “expect the worse – take a bare minimum of items to survive in trying conditions and always carry a strong sense of purpose.”
Written by : William Shea | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in The Other Side
Vol 36-AHA Centre Welcomes The New ASEAN Secretary-General
AHA CENTRE WELCOMES
THE NEW ASEAN SECRETARY-GENERAL
2 FEBRUARY 2018
Within a month of his appointment as the new Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi visited the home of One ASEAN, One Response – the AHA Centre. Together with Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, H.E. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, and other ASEAN Secretariat delegates, Dato Lim Jock Hoi undertook a tour of the AHA Centre’s office in East Jakarta. During this visit, the Executive Director and staff of the AHA Centre shared updates regarding the activities of the organisation, as well as the updated status of the standby relief items in ASEAN’s warehouse.
The Secretary-General was highly supportive of the AHA Centre, and stated his aspiration to enhance multilateral and cross-sectoral cooperation for disaster management in the region. H.E. Lim Jock Hoi further commended the work of the AHA Centre and recommended that the AHA Centre continue to share information about its work and activities, coordinating disaster management across ASEAN. Alongside this, he also committed to support the AHA Centre in its resource mobilisation efforts.
Before his departure, the AHA Centre presented Dato Paduka Lim Jock hoi with an ASEAN vest embroidered with his Excellency’s name. The AHA Centre fully supports the leadership of Dato Lim Jock Hoi as the 14th Secretary-General of ASEAN as well as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator, and looks forward to further collaboration during his tenure throughout the next five years.
Written by : Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 2
Vol 36-Practice Makes Perfect
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
SIMULATION EXERCISE WITH GIDRM AND SDC, 24-25 JANUARY 2018
AT 04:23AM, THE AHA CENTRE’S WHATSAPP GROUP WAS ALIGHT WITH MESSAGES, AS STAFF IN JAKARTA AND BEYOND WERE ROUSED FROM THEIR SLEEP BY THE NEWS OF AN EARTHQUAKE. THIS SIMULATED EARTHQUAKE EVENT FORMED THE BEGINNING OF THE AHA CENTRE’S EXERCISE WITH GIDRM AND SDC.
EXERCISE
A 7.9 Magnitude earthquake was recorded near Pontianak with 10 Km depth. Disaster Monitoring and Analysis will update if there is a tsunami advisory issued.
EXERCISE
Twelve minutes later, another message appears on the mobile phone screens of the group.
EXERCISE
Given the shallow depth, tsunami warning may be triggered for Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
These alerts were followed by a request to gather at the AHA Centre’s Emergency Operations Centre at 7 a.m. and series of internal coordination meetings for the next 36 hours. For the first time ever, the AHA Centre was involved in a two-day scenario, responding to a fictitious large-scale disaster which presumably affected three ASEAN Member-States. Every few hours, new injects were given and complicate the situation. The injects include, among others, a biohazards leakage at an industrial area in Pontianak and a kidnapping case of the ASEAN-ERAT member.
This unique scenario helped staff to practice their internal preparedness and response mechanisms. At the end of the exercise, the AHA Centre evaluated its response mechanism, noting gaps and weaknesses, and discussed the solutions that could support the improvement of the organisation’s readiness in responding to complex disaster situations. This interesting and engaging exercise was facilitated by the Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Written by : Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 1
Vol 36-Pacific Disaster Centre
PACIFIC DISASTER CENTRE
Strengthening Disaster Preparedness across Asia-Pacific
with the Pacific Disaster Centre
THE PACIFIC DISASTER CENTER (PDC) IS A HAWAIIAN-BASED ORGANISATION WITH A FOCUS TOWARDS DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS FOR IMPROVING DISASTER MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY. FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES, PDC HAS DELIVERED A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND SERVICES TO THE GLOBAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY – INCLUDING TO THE AHA CENTRE. SUCH TOOLS AND SERVICES INCLUDE GLOBAL MULTI-HAZARD DISASTER MONITORING, EARLY WARNING MECHANISMS AND DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS, RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TOOLS, MODELING AND VISUALISATION PLATFORMS, SIMULATION EXERCISE SUPPORT, AND A RANGE OF CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.
ASEAN’s collaboration with the PDC began in mid-2004, prior to the Indian Ocean Tsunami, and the PDC has been constantly involved in the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER). More recently, the PDC – supported by the United States Government through its US Agency for International Development (USAID) programmes – has worked with ASEAN and the AHA Centre to implement programmes such as the AADMER Work Programme for Risk Assessment, Early Warning, and Monitoring Activity (2010-2015), the AHA Centre Information Communication Technology (ICT) Gap Analysis, and the development of a Disaster Monitoring and Response System (DMRS) powered by PDC’s DisasterAWARE™ platform.
The most notable recent collaboration between the two Centres has been the development of the DMRS. The system was initiated following an offer made by the United States’ President Barack Obama at the First ASEAN-US Leaders’ Meeting in November, 2009, in Singapore. The DRMS is supported by the United States Government through the USAID and US Department of State-funded ASEAN-US Technical Assistance and Training Facility. The United States has been an ASEAN Dialogue Partner since 1977.
The DMRS enables the AHA Centre to integrate all monitoring of hazard data within one system. The system compiles and transforms various hazard and other natural disaster information from national and international disaster monitoring agencies into a regional, event-tracking and decision-support tool, further enhanced by its utilisation of maps and modelling applications. Through this integration, the AHA Centre operations team can immediately obtain a global overview of any situation, which improves response times and leads to more efficient use of relief resources.
“I would characterise PDC as a very committed and sustainable partner of the AHA Centre. Through their support, we now have comprehensive disaster monitoring tools that allow us to monitor hazards in an almost real-time manner. The early warning alerts allow us to plan ahead of time,” explains Arnel Capili, the Operations Director of the AHA Centre.
Following more than a decade of collaboration, The PDC and the AHA Centre signed a new Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on the 5th of June, 2017, at the AHA Centre’s headquarters in Jakarta.
The MOI aims to strengthen the two Centres’ ongoing partnership in advancing disaster risk reduction and regional cooperation, including steps to progress the vision of One ASEAN One Response. The PDC and AHA Centre will continue working together to pursue new endeavours to support the vision, including a project to conduct a regional risk assessment for the ASEAN Member States that will support the development of sound policies for risk reduction across the region.
Written by : Carla Budiarto | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in Partnership
Vol 36-Singapore’s Disaster Overview
SINGAPORE’S
DISASTER OVERVIEW
Due to its geographical location which is outside the ‘Pacific Rim of Fire’, Singapore is spared from natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. However, Singapore cannot insulate itself from disaster prevention and management efforts as it is still susceptible to man-made disasters; which can be in the form of terror attacks or hazmat incidents. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), under the command of Ministry of Home Affairs, is the National Authority that will coordinate, plan, command and control all operations undertaken by the various agencies to mitigate major disasters.
SINGAPORE’S CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL AND GLOBAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT EFFORTS
Due to the increased interconnectivity between the ASEAN Member States, the effects of a natural disaster on a particular Member State can also affect the entire ASEAN region. In this regard, Singapore is strongly
engaged not only in ASEAN but also on a global scale, and strive to be a leader in disaster preparedness and response practices.
Singapore is represented in the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Advisory Board and the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Steering Group, helping to shape strategies and policies for adoption globally by the disaster management fraternity. The 76-member SCDF Ops Lionheart team is the first team in the Asia-Pacific region to be classified as a “Heavy” Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team under the INSARAG External Classification (IEC) – the highest classification provided to USAR Teams by the United Nations. SCDF’s Ops Lionheart Contingent had been deployed to 17 overseas humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions and is constantly on standby to offer assistance to any country which has been struck by disasters such as earthquakes, floods or tsunamis.
Other than the SCDF’s Ops Lionheart Contingent, SCDF has a pool of trained officers on standby round the clock throughout the year, ready to be activated alongside international humanitarian partners in disaster coordination in the following capacities:
⋅ Active UNDAC members who have supported several overseas missions and exercises regularly;
⋅ One of the founding members of Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Partnership (APHP). SCDF has an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Support Module Team that can support the UNDAC operations at the disaster site with specified communications equipment and assist in establishing the On Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC);
⋅ Specialised officers trained to form the Hazmat Assessment Unit (HAU) that respond to environmental emergencies in support of the UN Joint Environment Unit (UN-JEU); and
⋅ Operational officers trained as ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) that supports the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions that are coordinated by the AHA Centre.
Some of the recent major disasters which SCDF has provided support included the deployment of ASEAN-ERAT for the Aceh Earthquake in 2016, Ops Lionheart mission for the Nepal earthquake in 2015, responding to the Malaysian floods in 2014, the Christchurch earthquake in 2011, APHP support for Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 and UNDAC/APHP support for Typhoon Bopha in 2012.
Singapore has also played a key role in the ASEAN regional disaster management efforts. At the regional front, the SCDF serves as Singapore’s focal point for the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), and a member of the Governing Board of the AHA Centre. Together with Indonesia, Philippines and the ASEAN Secretariat, Singapore was a member of the Task Force set up in 2009 for the establishment of the AHA Centre and played a pivotal role in the operationalisation of the Centre, particularly in the setup of its ICT infrastructure and systems. As co-chairs of two of the ACDM Working Groups; Preparedness and Response with Malaysia and Knowledge and Innovation Management with Indonesia and Viet Nam, Singapore through the SCDF drives several key initiatives under the AADMER Work Programme. This includes the development of ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedures, or SASOP, ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan, establishment of ASEAN-ERAT, Disaster Emergency Logistics Systems for ASEAN, and developing thought leadership in ASEAN through the hosting of the annual Strategic Policy Dialogue in Disaster Management and the Senior Executive Programme in Disaster Management.
Singapore is actively engaged in a range of disaster management activities and shares her best-in-class practices, systems and processes with the international community through overseas exchange programmes, rescue assistance, and the provision of a plethora of training courses in disaster management. Singapore’s Civil Defence Academy, established in March 1999, conducts a wide range of training for the international community. The Academy frequently leverages on technology and has incorporated the use of immersive virtual technology for decision making and command training. CDA’s flagship programmes include the International Firefighting, Hazardous Materials (HazMat) and USAR courses. Besides training the operational personnel and developing countries, CDA has also been training senior officials at the strategic-level and developed countries through the conduct of courses such as the Leadership Programme in Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction and Response Course.
Written by : William Shea | Photo: SCDF
- Published in Insight