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DHL PREPARES AN AIRPORT IN ARMENIA FOR EMERGENCIES
WebWire
Oct 8 2013
WEBWIRE - Tuesday, October 08, 2013
~U "Get Airports Ready for Disaster" training program in Yerevan
~U 20 airports worldwide have already received training
Deutsche Post DHL is taking its GARD program ("Get Airports Ready
for Disaster") to the Zvartnots international airport in the Armenian
capital of Yerevan and the Gyumri regional airport in the northwestern
part of the country. The training will take place from October 7-10
and will prepare airport personnel and infrastructure for the special
logistical challenges that accompany natural disasters. The training
demonstrates how logistics capacities and local expertise can be
optimally utilized, bottlenecks prevented and inbound relief supplies
handled quickly and efficiently after an extreme natural event.
Twenty-five years ago, Armenia was hit by a devastating earthquake
that left some 25,000 people dead. One of the 60 most disaster-prone
countries in the world, the country faces a heightened risk of natural
catastrophes, including earthquakes, drought and flooding.
"Again and again, we have experienced that natural disasters pose
special challenges for logistics in particular and require a fast
support," said Christof Ehrhart, Director of Corporate Communications
und Responsibility at Deutsche Post DHL. "Our GARD initiative is
designed to provide our logistics know-how to local experts in a timely
fashion and thus make the work following a natural disaster easier."
After conducting successful GARD trainings in Indonesia, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Lebanon, Turkey, El Salvador, the Philippines and Panama,
DHL, the world's leading transport and logistics company, together
with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will head to
Yerevan and Gyumri and provide emergency preparedness training to
its 22nd airport.
Disaster preparedness and risk reduction
"Lessons from the devastating earthquake in 1988 forced national
authorities to reconsider their response to natural disasters. For
almost a decade, UNDP has been supporting national counterparts
to increase awareness, to promote disaster preparedness and risk
reduction, to establish the concept of national disaster management;
as well as to change institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks.
Substantial progress has been made - a National Disaster Risk Reduction
Strategy and Action Plan have been developed and a National Platform
was officially adopted by the government," said Claire Medina, UNDP
Deputy Resident Representative in Armenia.
"Airports are considered one of the most important and strategic
objects of any country and their role in emergency preparedness and
response is outstanding. Recently the Ministry of Emergency Situations
of the Republic of Armenia took control over the "Stepanavan" airport
in the northern part of Armenia. It will be reconstructed and used for
humanitarian purposes! The GARD training will improve the skills of the
airport's personnel and cooperation between airports and Ministry,"
said Sergey Azaryan, General-Major and Head of Rescue Service,
Ministry of Emergency Situations - Armenia.
Fast and effective processing of relief goods
As part of the program, airport staff and representatives of local
agencies and government authorities will assess the local site and
develop customized and detailed emergency response plans. Employees
from different local airports took part in previous training sessions
so that they could apply what they learned at their own facilities.
Participants will include the Zvartnots airport staff as well as
security officials and government agency representatives. This will
ensure that every participant in the logistics operations internalizes
the training.
"GARD is a very praxis-oriented initiative that makes the work at
airports after a disaster more efficient," said Edward Kaspersky,
Managing Director of DHL Armenia. "The training makes it possible
for us to work hand-in-hand with Armenian airport employees. We are
pleased to be able to make a contribution here."
The GARD training program was created in 2009 by Deutsche Post DHL
and UNDP. It was developed on the basis of the personal experiences
of DHL Disaster Response Teams and UN personnel made during relief
operations, and aims at the fast and effective processing of relief
goods. The program is conducted by experienced trainers and logistics
experts from Deutsche Post DHL.
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=181185
WebWire
Oct 8 2013
WEBWIRE - Tuesday, October 08, 2013
~U "Get Airports Ready for Disaster" training program in Yerevan
~U 20 airports worldwide have already received training
Deutsche Post DHL is taking its GARD program ("Get Airports Ready
for Disaster") to the Zvartnots international airport in the Armenian
capital of Yerevan and the Gyumri regional airport in the northwestern
part of the country. The training will take place from October 7-10
and will prepare airport personnel and infrastructure for the special
logistical challenges that accompany natural disasters. The training
demonstrates how logistics capacities and local expertise can be
optimally utilized, bottlenecks prevented and inbound relief supplies
handled quickly and efficiently after an extreme natural event.
Twenty-five years ago, Armenia was hit by a devastating earthquake
that left some 25,000 people dead. One of the 60 most disaster-prone
countries in the world, the country faces a heightened risk of natural
catastrophes, including earthquakes, drought and flooding.
"Again and again, we have experienced that natural disasters pose
special challenges for logistics in particular and require a fast
support," said Christof Ehrhart, Director of Corporate Communications
und Responsibility at Deutsche Post DHL. "Our GARD initiative is
designed to provide our logistics know-how to local experts in a timely
fashion and thus make the work following a natural disaster easier."
After conducting successful GARD trainings in Indonesia, Nepal,
Bangladesh, Lebanon, Turkey, El Salvador, the Philippines and Panama,
DHL, the world's leading transport and logistics company, together
with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will head to
Yerevan and Gyumri and provide emergency preparedness training to
its 22nd airport.
Disaster preparedness and risk reduction
"Lessons from the devastating earthquake in 1988 forced national
authorities to reconsider their response to natural disasters. For
almost a decade, UNDP has been supporting national counterparts
to increase awareness, to promote disaster preparedness and risk
reduction, to establish the concept of national disaster management;
as well as to change institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks.
Substantial progress has been made - a National Disaster Risk Reduction
Strategy and Action Plan have been developed and a National Platform
was officially adopted by the government," said Claire Medina, UNDP
Deputy Resident Representative in Armenia.
"Airports are considered one of the most important and strategic
objects of any country and their role in emergency preparedness and
response is outstanding. Recently the Ministry of Emergency Situations
of the Republic of Armenia took control over the "Stepanavan" airport
in the northern part of Armenia. It will be reconstructed and used for
humanitarian purposes! The GARD training will improve the skills of the
airport's personnel and cooperation between airports and Ministry,"
said Sergey Azaryan, General-Major and Head of Rescue Service,
Ministry of Emergency Situations - Armenia.
Fast and effective processing of relief goods
As part of the program, airport staff and representatives of local
agencies and government authorities will assess the local site and
develop customized and detailed emergency response plans. Employees
from different local airports took part in previous training sessions
so that they could apply what they learned at their own facilities.
Participants will include the Zvartnots airport staff as well as
security officials and government agency representatives. This will
ensure that every participant in the logistics operations internalizes
the training.
"GARD is a very praxis-oriented initiative that makes the work at
airports after a disaster more efficient," said Edward Kaspersky,
Managing Director of DHL Armenia. "The training makes it possible
for us to work hand-in-hand with Armenian airport employees. We are
pleased to be able to make a contribution here."
The GARD training program was created in 2009 by Deutsche Post DHL
and UNDP. It was developed on the basis of the personal experiences
of DHL Disaster Response Teams and UN personnel made during relief
operations, and aims at the fast and effective processing of relief
goods. The program is conducted by experienced trainers and logistics
experts from Deutsche Post DHL.
http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=181185