DP DHL and UNDP train Amman Airport in disaster planning

Deutsche Post DHL and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a “GetAirports Ready for Disaster” (GARD) workshop at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman/Jordan to

Running from 7 – 11 September, the five-day workshop gets airport personnel prepared for thelogistics of emergencies, including handling high volumes of incoming goods and passengers in theaftermath of a natural disaster like an earthquake, floods or hurricanes. The 30 participants are amix of staff from airport operations, air traffic control, security and relevant disastermanagement agencies.  

Kjeld Binger, CEO of Airport International Group (AIG), the Jordanian company responsible forthe rehabilitation, expansion and operation of QAIA, said: “Given Jordan’s active role infacilitating regional humanitarian efforts and QAIA’s importance as the Kingdom’s prime airport,ensuring QAIA’s crisis readiness is always a priority.”  
  
“Jordan is located in an earthquake prone area in the Middle East region, therefore I am gladthat we at DHL can offer a training that will help to prepare the airport for any exceptionalcircumstance following a natural disaster,” added Mahmoud Haj Hussein, Country Manager DHL ExpressJordan.   

During a GARD workshop, airport employees and representatives of the national governmentdisaster management body learn which mechanisms are effective in the wake of a natural disaster;which actors of the international community – the United Nations, for example – take action.Particular emphasis is placed on evaluating the capacity of participant’s own airport, includingpotential storage opportunities for relief goods, available personnel and equipment, and technicalrequirements or corresponding alternatives.

In the end, airport specialists from DHL, representatives from UNDP and participants fromairports and emergency services jointly develop a crisis plan. This plan highlights efficient andpractical contingencies for handling a surge in international relief goods and humanitarianpersonnel following a disaster.  

“In case of natural disasters, airports turn into vital hubs to accommodate the incoming reliefgoods. Through the GARD workshops, Deutsche Post DHL and UNDP jointly work with authoritiesworldwide to analyse and define the capacities needed. Most importantly, it helps all partiesinvolved to develop a blueprint specific to each location in times of disaster,” said ChristofEhrhart, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications and Responsibility at Deutsche PostDHL.   
  
Deutsche Post DHL’s GARD program was developed in cooperation with UNDP five years ago andaims to prepare airports in disaster-prone areas to handle a disaster-related surge in people andgoods. GARD trainers are DHL experts in the field who conduct the training on a free of chargebasis and provide relevant training materials while UNDP manages the project, leads thecoordination with local government authorities, and provides funds to shoulder workshop costs. Todate, GARD workshops have been conducted in Armenia, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Indonesia, Lebanon,Nepal, Panama, Peru, the Philippines and Turkey, training at least 430 people.   
  
“For almost a decade, UNDP has been supporting national counterparts to increase awareness,to promote disaster preparedness and risk reduction, to establish the concept of national disastermanagement; as well as to change institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks. Substantialprogress has been made. Developing National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and Action Plan isunder consideration by the government of Jordan”, said Zena Ali- Ahmad, Country Director UNDPJordan. “GARD is a very praxis-oriented initiative that makes the work at airports after a disastermore efficient”. The training makes it possible for us to work hand-in-hand with Queen AliaInternational Airport employees. We are pleased to be able to make a contribution here,” sheadded.  

GARD is part of the disaster management programme of Deutsche Post DHL, which also includes theDHL Disaster Response Teams (DRT). DHL’s Disaster Response Teams step in to organise the logisticsat airports following a disaster and have been deployed over 25 times since its launch in 2005. TheDRT, in close cooperation with UN OCHA, help keep the flow of incoming relief goods moving atdisaster-site airports.