Title: U.S. Office of Foreign
1U.S. Office of Foreign
Disaster Assistance
(O F D A)
2WHAT IS OFDA ?
- Part of the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID)/Bureau for Democracy,
Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA). - DCHA/OFDA is responsible for coordinating the USG
response to international disasters.
3Legal Authority
- USAID is the U.S. federal agency authorized under
Chapter 9, Section 493 of the Foreign Assistance
Act (FAA) of 1961, to provide International
Disaster Assistance. - The USAID Administrator is appointed by the
President of the United States as the Special
Coordinator for International Disaster
Assistance. - USAID may coordinate and chair the inter-agency
working group during major disasters.
4USAID Organization
U.S. Agency for International Development
Transition Initiating
Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian
Assistance
Food for Peace
American Schools and Hospitals Abroad
Private Volunteers Cooperation
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Operations Support
Disaster Response Mitigation
Program Support
Africa Region
Asia-Pacific Region
LATAM Caribbean Office-Costa Rica
5USAID
- Provides assistance to developing nations in the
areas of - Improving health and population conditions
- Protecting the environment
- Promoting economic growth
- Supporting democracy
- and ...
6USAID
- Provides humanitarian assistance to victims of
natural and manmade disasters through OFDA
7OFDA LAC Office
Senior Regional Coordinator
Consultants
Support Staff
Emergency Operations Center
Advisor SOUTHAM
Advisor Caribbean (Barbados Office)
Advisor CENTAM/ Mexico
Regional Disaster Response
Military Liaison/ Logistics Officer
Information/Reports Officer
Communications Support
- EOC has DSN, CNN, SAT Phones, teleconferencing,
Internet/Email via SAT Links
8OFDA Latin America Caribbean Office The Region
We Assist
Historical OFDA Funding
OFDA/LAC Main Office in San Jose, Costa Rica
9OFDAs Mission is To
- Save lives.
- Alleviate suffering of disaster victims
- Support prevention, mitigation, and preparedness
activities. - Reduce the economic impact of the disaster.
10Comparison FEMA and OFDA
- FEMA - responsible for the coordination of
federal assistance to domestic disasters in the
U.S. and its territories. - OFDA - responsible for coordinating USG foreign
disaster relief activities.
11U.S. Military Involvement Process
SECSTATE
SECDEF
Head of Government
USAID/OFDA
50K Limit
Joint Staff (JCS)
U.S. Ambassador
National Emergency Management Office
OFDA/LAC (Costa Rica)
SOUTHCOM
Local Disaster Office
Most Probable DoD Request
Component
USMILGP or JTF
12OFDA Response Options
- Initial provision of up to 50,000 to the
Ambassador/CM - Fund NGO/PVO/IO/UN directly, or provide funds
through the Embassy or USAID Mission - Provide disaster relief commodities
13OFDA Response Options
- Deploy
- Regional Advisors
- Assessment Teams
- Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) or
portions of DART
14OFDA Relief Commodities
- Located in 5 stockpiles Guam, Italy, Honduras,
Homestead, and Maryland - Types of commodities
- Blankets wool and polyester
- Body bags, chainsaws, gloves
- Plastic sheeting
- Water containers 5 - 3,000 gal.
15Regional Advisors
- Regional Disaster Management Specialists
- Language skills
- Located in
- Latin America-Caribbean
- Africa
- Asia-Pacific
16Assessment Teams
- Assess disaster situation
- Define needs and priorities
- Recommend USG response actions
- OFDA responses are demand driven and are based on
reliable assessments
17What is a Disaster Assistance Response Team
(DART) ?
- It is a rapid response management team made up of
disaster relief specialists
18What is the purpose of a DART?
- Assist the Ambassador or Chief of Mission.
- Identify and prioritize needs
- Report on the situation.
- Recommend response actions.
- Coordinate with the affected country and other
response organizations.
19When Disaster Strikes !
- Conditions under which the U.S. Government
(through USAID/OFDA) may respond - Disaster is beyond the ability of the affected
country to respond - Affected country requests (or will accept)
outside assistance - It is in the interest of the U.S. Government
20Disaster Declared
- By the Ambassador, who may request assistance up
to 50,000. Further assistance requires OFDA
review and approval.
21USG Disaster Response Coordination
- Coordinated with/through the U.S. Ambassador or
Chief of Mission of the affected country. -
- Based on the support and the needs of the
affected country.
22International Humanitarian Relief Community
Affected Country
The Fog of Relief
OFDA
Red Cross
USG
PVOS
NGOS
ICRC
GOVERMENTS
IOS
DONOR
UN Agencies/PAHO
23OFDA Disaster Preparedness Training Program
- Through its regional office in San Jose, Costa
Rica, OFDA supports disaster management training. - OFDA/LAC spends the majority of its time in
disaster mitigation and preparedness efforts.
24Program Background
- OFDA/LAC's training activities commenced in 1989
with the Disaster Management Training Program
(DPM). - Beginning with its anchor course, Training for
Instructors (TFI), OFDA/LAC began the DPM as a
multi-course venture with instruction in disaster
management concepts, training capacity
strengthening, and technical disciplines such as
search and rescue and fire management.
25Program Background
- The DPM was divided into four series of courses
- Training Management, teaches effective
instruction skills, focusing on organization of
materials, lesson planning, and classroom
presentation. - Disaster Program Administration/Management,
presents an introductory survey of disaster
management concepts and definitions designed to
teach participants a uniform approach to managing
disasters in order to better coordinate and
administer programs.
26Program Background
- DPM Continued
- Event Management, provides technical training in
areas such as damage assessment, needs analysis,
and shelters. - Technical/Skills Support, emphasizes specific
emergency response knowledge in technical areas
such as fire suppression, search and rescue, and
hazardous materials handling.
27Training for Instructors (TFI)
5 Days long
- Participants learn training methodologies, how to
establish teaching goals, performance objectives,
and how to manage a classroom environment course
includes - Informing vs. instructing
- Communication and platform skills
- Purpose and objectives
- Lesson plans
- Methods of instruction
- Audio-visual equipment/Classroom facilities
- Testing and evaluation methods
28Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (EDAN)
3 Days long
- This course includes many key elements of
disaster program management - Disaster Cycle
- Characteristics of events that generate adverse
events - Team work and group dynamics
- Operation and logistics
- Data gathering techniques
- Information analysis and interpretation
- Measurement of the impact of an event
- Critical decision-making
- Use of assessment forms
29Damage Assessments and Needs Analysis for
Discision-Making (DANA/DM)
3 Days long
- This is a follow-on (advanced) DANA course with
focus decision-making. - Participants must be graduates of DANA to be
eligible for this course.
30School Security Course(CUSE)
5 Days long
- Provides and prepares participants with knowledge
required to promote and execute school security
course includes - Country and community risks
- Country and community resources
- Cycles of disasters
- Educational system and disasters
- School Security Plan
- Stress management
31Advanced Course for First Aid Assistants(APAA-EM
T)
12 Days long
- Provides participants the necessary knowledge and
techniques to provide first aid at an accident
scene. - Course also covers proper care of sick person,
how to stabilize, and properly transport a
patient to a hospital or clinic. - This course is also known as Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT).
32Disaster Management Course
5 Days long
- This basically a management course with some
focus on disaster management (such as cycle of
disasters). - Discusses ideal characteristics of a disaster
manager. - Exposes participants to the qualities and
attitudes expected of a disaster manager.
33Forest Fire Fighting
6 Days long
- This Basic Course of Prevention and Control of
Forest Fires is comprised of 16 lessons and a
duration of six days. - The course employs the interactive method of
teaching and the practical demonstrative way and
is based on objectives. - Course includes classroom exercises and field
practice.
34Hazardous Material Handling Training(HAZMAT)
3 Days long
- Introduces participants to directive/regulations
and knowledge necessary to - Recognize presence of HAZMAT
- Be able to take initial proper steps to ensure
safety and protect the environment - Course includes U.S. procedures to use in case of
a HAZMAT emergency and how to secure an incident
site.
35Collapsed Structures Search Rescue
8 Days long
- Purpose of the course is to teach participants on
techniques to find, stabilize, and extract
trapped victims from collapsed structures. - Course includes how to organize and start a SAR
mission. - Course focuses on using local tools and local
capacity vs high tech that maybe unavailable in
the the affected country.
36Incident Command System (ICS)(Currently Offered
by PAHO)
3 Days long
- Teaches participants first response and efficient
command of an emergency scene. - The course includes the following
- ICS
- Basic system structure
- Human relations at the scene
- System installation
- Plan of action and organization
- Execution, control, closure, and evaluation
37Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Management
Training
- This is currently basically the FEMA EOC course
(in English only) with minor adjustments for use
outside the U.S. - OFDA is coordinating with countries and other
organizations to determine need for an EOC course
in Spanish. - If needed, the course will be redesigned to
reflect political and resources realities of
Latin America.
38www.usaid.gov/hum_response/ofda/
Questions ?
www.ofdalac.org