USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance UN CMCoord Brief

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USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance UN CMCoord Brief

How the USG conducts joint USG international disaster response operations

September 2012 Rob Dunsmore and Andrew Kent

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USAID/OFDA is the lead USG agency for organizing and managing foreign disaster assistance

– Develops overall response strategy

– Provides on-scene management in support of U.S. Ambassador

– Provides USG funding to implementing partners

– Collects and analyzes information on the response

– Primary reporting source for the total USG response

When necessary, USAID/OFDA requests support from other USG agencies (including DoD) in HA/DR.

USAID/OFDA’s Role in a Disaster Response

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OFDA’s Mandate

1) Save Lives

2) Alleviate Human Suffering

3) Reduce the Economic and Social Impact of Disasters

Annually, USAID/OFDA

responds to approximately

70 disasters and every

response needs to fall into

the three parts of the

mandate

OFDA’s Response Criteria

1. Host country must ask for, or be willing to accept, USG assistance. 2. The disaster is of such magnitude that it is beyond the host country’s ability to respond adequately. 3. It is in the interest of the USG to provide assistance.

Once these criteria are met,

the U.S. Ambassador may declare that a disaster exists and the USG

will respond in SUPPORT of the host nation.

OFDA Response Options

1. Funding: $ 50,000

2. Funding: Grants

3. Humanitarian Commodities

4. Personnel: Regional Advisors

5. Personnel: Assessment Team

6. Personnel: Disaster Assistance Response Team

7. Personnel: RMT - Response Management Team (DC)

8. Any Combination of Above

9. Recommend nothing

Miami 30,000 ft2

•Plastic Sheeting •Blankets

•Collapsible Water Jugs •Lg water storage bladders

•Hygiene Kits •Water purification trailers

•Rubber boats

Pisa, IT 50,000 ft2

•Plastic Sheeting •Blankets

•Collapsible Water Jugs •Lg water storage bladders

•Hygiene Kits •Water purification trailers

Dubai, UAE 38,000 ft2

•Plastic Sheeting •Blankets

•Collapsible Water Jugs •Hygiene Kits

•Lg water storage bladders •Water purification trailers

•Rubber boats •Armored Vehicles

Emergency Relief Commodity Stockpiles

Bahamas 2011

Disaster Declaration: Aug 31, 2011 1007 hrs

Commodities: Hygiene Kits (480), Water

Containers (1800), Plastic Sheeting (50

rolls), Chain Saws (5)

ETR: Aug 31, 2011 - 1130 hrs

RFP: Aug 31, 2011 - 1551 hrs

Awarded: Sept 1, 2011 - 0951 hrs, $7,205

Whse to MIA: Sept 1, 2011 - 1150 hrs

Flight Plan: Sept 1, 2011

ETD: 1540 hrs, Actual: 1605 hrs

ETA: 1642 hrs, Actual: 1655 hrs

Total Time DD into Country: 30hrs, 48min

El Salvador 2011

Disaster Declaration: Oct 21, 2011 1019 hrs

Commodities: Hygiene Kits (9,984), Water

Containers (10,200), Plastic Sheeting (100)

Blankets (2,500), Kitchen Sets (1,020)

ETR: Oct 21, 2012 - 1300 hrs

RFP: Oct 21, 2012 - 1446 hrs

Awarded: Oct 21, 2012 - 1834 hrs, $87,500

Whse to MIA: Oct 22, 2012

Flight Plan: Oct 23, 2012

ETD: 0600 hrs, Actual: 0955 hrs

ETA: 0900 hrs, Actual: 1010 hrs

Total Time DD into Country: 47hrs, 51min

Recent Deployments of OFDA Commodities

Familiar with the region’s disaster profile

Relationships/contacts with key U.S. embassies, USAID missions, countries, U.N. and NGOs in the region

Attuned to cultural issues, sensitivities, regional disaster profile, language

Regional Offices Located in: Africa – Nairobi, Kenya; Dakar, Senegal; Pretoria, South Africa

Asia/Pacific – Bangkok, Thailand

Latin America – San Jose, Costa Rica

Regional Civ-Mil Advisor (1), Consultants (20) and Surge Staff (330+)

Europe, Middle East, Central Asia – Budapest, Hungary; Cairo, Egypt; Almaty, Kazakhstan

Regional Advisor/Regional Team

USAID/OFDA/LAC Prep

for Hurricane Season

• Regional Advisors

• Disaster Response Management Specialists (DRMS)

• Surge Staff

• Civil-Military Advisors at SOUTHCOM and San Jose Regional Office

• Annual MDRO Training Throughout Region

• NGO Implementing Partners

• Emergency Relief Commodities

• Individual Country Plans

• Internal USG Haiti Hurricane Preparedness Planning

• Contracts for Aerial Assessment

• MOU with USCG

/OFDA

OFDA/LAC

Disaster Risk Management Specialist (DRMS)

20 Total DRMSes in OFDA/LAC

/OFDA

OFDA/LAC Surge Staff

USAID/OFDA Haiti Stockpiles—

•USAID/OFDA has pre-positioned emergency relief commodities in Haiti.

•The supplies are sufficient to support 10,000 families (approximately 50,000 individuals) in the event of significant humanitarian needs arising from rains, floods, or hurricanes.

•The stockpiles are housed in four warehouses across Haiti, and include blankets, hygiene kits, water containers, and other non-food items.

•IOM, which manages the stocks, releases the commodities to humanitarian actors upon USAID/OFDA’s approval. USAID/OFDA’s Haiti Program Office works closely with IOM to determine whether there are needs and supplies should be released.

For more information on GoH, USG, and international organization preparedness measures of Haiti, please see the 2012 Haiti Hurricane Preparedness Assessment and Priorities document

Haiti--Hurricane Season 2012

DOD and USAID Coordination During Disaster Response

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OFDA – Military Cooperation:

Recent Examples

• 2004: Indian Ocean Tsunami • 2005: Pakistan Earthquake • 2006: Philippines Mudslides • 2006: Indonesia Earthquake • 2006: Lebanon CE • 2007: Bangladesh Cyclone • 2008: Burma Cyclone • 2008: China Earthquake • 2008: Philippines Typhoon • 2008: Georgia CE • 2008: Haiti Storms • 2009: Pakistan CE • 2009: Philippines Typhoon • 2009: Indonesia Earthquake • 2010: Haiti Earthquake • 2010: Guatemala Storms and Volcano • 2010: Kyrgyzstan CE • 2010: Pakistan Floods

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FY 2011 OFDA Disasters

OFDA Disaster Response: 66

DOD Disaster Response: 4 (~6%)

Time

Need for

Assistance

Concept of Operations

International Military

and Civil Defense Assets

International Civilian

Relief

Local/National Response including military

“DOD’s role in disaster response is part of a comprehensive U.S. Government (USG) approach in which the U.S. Agency for International Development/Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is the lead agency…. “In this capacity, USAID/OFDA is responsible for determining appropriate USG contributions and coordinating overall USG disaster response activities…. “Prior to the Combatant Commands’ commitment of resources to disaster response, USAID/OFDA validates the humanitarian requirement and the Office of the Secretary of Defense approves specific requests for DOD support.”

OSD Guidance Cable

OSD Guidance: DOD Mission

in Foreign Disaster Relief

• The U.S. military is not instrument of first resort humanitarian response but supports civilian relief agencies

• The U.S. military may be involved when:

– The military provides a unique service

– Civilian response capacity is overwhelmed

– Civilian authorities request assistance

• When the U.S. military does become involved:

– The military mission should be clearly defined

– The risks should be minimal

– Core DOD missions should not be affected

Questions?

Rob Dunsmore

USAID/OFDA Civ-Mil Advisor for LAC Region

BB: +1.202.460.2890

[email protected]

Andrew Kent

Program Officer for USAID/OFDA Haiti Office

BB +509.3702.9117

[email protected]