Israelis to coordinate UN bodies in times of worldwide disasters

Two Israelis, Dr. Efraim Laor, chairperson of Israel's national civilian search and rescue teams F.I.R.S.T., (F.I.R.S.T is a member of IsraAID) and Mr. Gili Shenhar, have just returned from a UN international disaster response training exercise held in New Zealand on Oct. 15 - 26, 2007.

Both Israelis are now a part of a worldwide team with representatives from 24 countries who were trained to respond as the key point personnel on behalf of the UN in times of massive disasters such as Tsunami, earthquake and other natural and man made disasters mainly in Asia – Pacific region.

The United Nation’s Disaster Assessment & Coordination unit (UNDAC) teams respond to disasters by deploying teams to affected countries to support the national government and co-ordinate the international response of all UN agencies and international non government groups.

Upon receiving a request from a disaster-stricken country, the UNDAC team will be deployed within hours to carry out rapid assessment of priority needs and to support national authorities and the United Nations Resident Coordinator to coordinate international relief on-site.

Some of the relief programs utilizing UNDAC personnel in the past few years included the earthquake and volcanic eruption in Papua New Guinea 2001, cyclones in Federated States of Micronesia in 2002, Tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, 2004, Hurricane Katrina in the USA in 2005, Earthquake in the Solomon Islands in 2007, Earthquake in Peru, floods in Western Africa and recent floods in Uganda.

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