Group Two: Partnerships, Communications and Technical Expertise

1
Group Two Partnerships, Communications and
Technical Expertise

• Context
• Country cannot independently manage Sea-Burn
  situation.
• Expected Role for NGOs.
• Thee Scenarios considered
• 1. Isolated event Bali, first WTC, Bhopal,
  Chernobyl. (Not focus of discussions.)
• 2. Natural disaster with Sea-burn event
  (intentional or accident). Host government in
  charge and requesting additional assistance
  (including military support from other
  governments) as needed. UN system providing
  support as needed, requested, or required. NGOs
  having secondary roles. Focus of discussions -
  broadest possibility, most likely (Pakistan)
• 3. Conflict zone conventional and non-conflict
  weapons. Active fighting and support areas. Not
  necessarily a conventional war going on.
  Refugees outside area of active conflict.
  Situation as in 2, but likely significant
  humanitarian role for NGOs.

2

• Coordination
• Different scenario each time.
• NGOs coordinate themselves and UN (OCHA, UNHCR,
  WFP)
• US coordination of US-funded NGOs.
• Government coordination body.
• Information collection centers.
• Basic coordination process will be
  context specific.
• May not be new structure, but new actors
  unfamiliar with traditional systems.
• Coordination goes on. Best if people move to same
  location. Coordinated relocation. Structural
  integrity important.
• Need to maintain communication systems at all
  levels.
• Barriers to movement and operations (security
  incident)
• Level of operational inhibition depends on nature
  of agent and duration of event.

3

• New Roles and New Partners
• Closer relationship to military, which may be
  uncomfortable for some NGOs
• UNEP/OCHA Can help NGOs and access private
  sector.
• UNEP Post Conflict unit new partner, support
  unclear.
• FAO Pesticide disposal project experience in
  working with hazardous chemicals and in difficult
  conditions.
• IAEA and other IOs (need to identify names and
  roles).
• Chem. Information Services other commercial
  sources of product and security information.
• Interaction CBRNE Working Group Current
  Information clearinghouse.
• Intl. Council Chem. Assoc. - and similar
  organizations/associations.
• Companies which clean up things Bekdel, Unv. Oil
  Products.
• Commercial Suppliers of equipment (know where to
  buy things in advance.)
• NGOs may get into new environmental areas. New
  (Environmental) NGOs will be involved, so there
  will a steep learning curve.
• Need for management/security staff awareness
  training for decision making.

4

• Logistics
• Start with what is already there systems and
  materials.
• Use local resources and means as much as
  possible, but pay attention to quality.
• Need to bring specific types of assistance, but
  you need to know what to bring in. (Importance of
  rapid assessment and decision making).
• Chemical/ and biological response is not unusual
  viz normal disasters. Radiation response material
  needs will be different.
• Need to know who commercial suppliers are, what
  they provide and how fast things can be
  delivered. This leads to a need for contingency
  planning.
• Possible dependency on military assets to deliver
  large quantities of supplies if large numbers of
  people affected.
• Maintain standards as much as possible even if
  circumstance are uncertain (e.g. need to move
  camps because of changes in security situation).
• Consider possible options to move materials if
  population needs to move (e.g., tents that are
  easy to take down and dont have too many parts).

5

• Decontamination
• Technical doable to decontaminate at individual
  level soap water
• Population management AKA Crowd control
• Decontamination chain
• Initial triage (agent/syndrom specific)
• First aid
• Wash, Dry and Redress
• Further triage.
• A lot more is needed after this step, much within
  traditional NGO roles.
• Issue of finding people to do washing and keeping
  people in decontamination suits. Look to Iranian
  experience for procedures.
• Self-contamination will still be needed if large
  numbers of people involved. Soap and water best
  method. Education and communication of message on
  how to self-decontaminate critical.
• Challenge of dealing with contaminated materials,
  such as clothes.
• Self-Protection critical