DHL has set up its first Disaster Response Team (DRT) under its strategic partnership with theUnited Nations for disaster coordination measures. The initial team, called the DHL DRT Asia
Pacific, is based in Singapore.In December 2005, DHL entered into a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in thearea of Disaster Management. It is the aim of DHL and OCHA to establish a global network ofDisaster Response Teams. The task of the DRT is to ensure that relief reaches people quickly andeffectively by reducing bottlenecks at airports close to the scene of major natural disasters.DHL’s Disaster Response Teams will apply their professional knowledge of logistics and organize thehandling, warehousing and loading of relief goods at the airport for onward transportation in aneffective manner.
The DHL DRT Asia Pacific consists of a pool of about 80 specially trained DHL experts, who, inaddition to their normal jobs at DHL, have volunteered to take part in the DRT’s humanitarian work.The teams will normally be deployed for a period of up to three weeks following a major naturaldisaster. By that point in time, the initial surge of international charter aircraft bringing inaid supplies has normally decreased to a manageable level for the airport authorities and theirlocal partners to handle.
“By setting up Disaster Response Teams, DHL is enhancing its commitment to supporting the UnitedNations and the international community’s humanitarian missions on a long-term basis,” Dr. KlausZumwinkel, Chairman and CEO of Deutsche Post World Net pointed out. “We have already gainedextensive experience in responding to recent major natural disasters.” DHL provided assistance, forexample, after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, as well as after Hurricane Katrina in the UnitedStates in the summer of 2005 and last year’s South Asian earthquake in Pakistan.
Singapore was chosen as the site for the DHL DRT Asia Pacific because of its strategic locationin the region and for its excellent telecommunications, transportation and logisticsinfrastructure. Scott Price, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific, said: “We are committed to sharing ourcore competence in logistics and our manpower in order to achieve this goal. And working with allour partners, we believe that we will be better prepared in the unfortunate event of a majornatural disaster in the South Asian region.”
The next Disaster Response Team will be established in Miami, and will cover the Latin Americaand Caribbean regions. The Disaster Response Team’s services are provided as an in-kind donation.In addition to the existing work in the field of Disaster Response, the strategic partnershipbetween DHL and the UN System will also cover other areas of Disaster Management – such as DisasterPreparedness.
