[110611.EN.AIR] DHL, UN Development Programme Run Airport Disaster Prevention Training

DEUTSCHE POST DHL and the United Nations Development Programme are conducting their "Get Airports Ready for Disaster" (GARD) training this month at the Dhaka and Chittagong airports in Bangladesh.

The aim of the training is to improve local logistics capacities so that bottlenecks at disaster-site airports can be avoided when huge volumes of incoming relief goods arrive ad hoc. This is the third country that has undergone such training after Indonesia and Nepal since the programme was launched in 2009. 

During the four-day programme trainees - airport staff as well as local and government officials - will learn to assess local requirements and create detailed contingency plans.

"We've gathered enough experience in disaster relief to know that efficient airport logistics are critical when it comes to getting aid to the people who need it most," says Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL. "The GARD initiative allows us to pass on our logistics expertise to local communities in disaster-free times. This way GARD is a smart addition to our regular disaster management activities following natural disasters."

The GARD instructors are specially trained logistics and training experts from Deutsche Post DHL, some of whom are already involved as volunteers in the company's disaster management programme. Trainees include not only airport personnel but security officers and military officials. Representatives from various humanitarian organisations, such as the UN World Food Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are also present as important partners on the ground.

"For many across the globe, Bangladesh is synonymous with disasters. Yet the country has a strong tradition of resilience in the face of natural hazards, and is now recognised as a leader in disaster management," says Robert Juhkam, country director, UNDP Bangladesh. 

"UNDP has been working hand-in-hand with Government of Bangladesh since the early 1990s on building disaster management capacity and a key player in coordinating emergency response and preparedness efforts. The importance of airports during the immediate aftermath of a disaster event cannot be understated."

Source : HKSG, 11.06.06.