U.S. Office of Foreign

U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (O F D A)

WHAT 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.

Legal 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.

USAID Organization U.S. Agency for International Development Transition Initiating Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Food for Peace Private Volunteers Cooperation Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance American Schools and Hospitals Abroad Operations Support Disaster Response & Mitigation Program Support Africa Region LATAM & Caribbean Office-Costa Rica Asia-Pacific Region

USAID • Provides assistance to developing nations in the areas of : • Improving health and population conditions • Protecting the environment • Promoting economic growth • Supporting democracy and ...

USAID • Provides humanitarian assistance to victims of natural and manmade disasters through OFDA

OFDA LAC Office Senior Regional Coordinator Consultants Support Staff *Emergency Operations Center Advisor SOUTHAM Advisor CENTAM/ Mexico RegionalDisaster Response Advisor Caribbean (Barbados Office) Communications Support Information/Reports Officer Military Liaison/ Logistics Officer • *EOC has DSN, CNN, SAT Phones, teleconferencing, & Internet/Email via SAT Links

12.1 Million Square Miles 1/6 World’s Landmass • Direct Assist: 15% • IO Grants: 27% • NGO: 58% 31.3 Million Square Kilometers OFDA Latin America & Caribbean Office The Region We Assist Historical OFDA Funding OFDA/LAC Main Office in San Jose, Costa Rica

OFDA’s Mission is To: • Save lives. • Alleviate suffering of disaster victims • Support prevention, mitigation, and preparedness activities. • Reduce the economic impact of the disaster.

Comparison 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.

Disaster Site U.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

OFDA 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

OFDA Response Options • Deploy • Regional Advisors • Assessment Teams • Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) or portions of DART

OFDA 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.

Regional Advisors • Regional Disaster Management Specialists • Language skills • Located in: • Latin America-Caribbean • Africa • Asia-Pacific

Assessment Teams • Assess disaster situation • Define needs and priorities • Recommend USG response actions • OFDA responses are demand driven and are based on reliable assessments

What is a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) ? It is a rapid response management team made up of disaster relief specialists

What 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.

When 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

Disaster Declared By the Ambassador, who may request assistance up to $50,000. Further assistance requires OFDA review and approval.

USG 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.

International Humanitarian Relief Community Affected Country “The Fog of Relief” OFDA Red Cross USG PVO’S NGO’S ICRC GOVERMENTS IO’S DONOR UN Agencies/PAHO

OFDA 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.

Program 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.

Program 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.

Program 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.

Training 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

Damage 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

Damage 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.

School 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

Advanced Course for First Aid Assistants(APAA-”EMT”) 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).

Disaster 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.

Forest 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.

Hazardous 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.

Collapsed 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.

Incident 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

Emergency 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.

www.usaid.gov/hum_response/ofda/ Questions ? www.ofdalac.org

U.S. Office of Foreign