 |
CHENNAI, India and SINGAPORE, April 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Deutsche Post DHL Group and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today began its four-day "Get Airports Ready for Disaster" (GARD) workshop with Chennai International Airport to help enhance its function as an aid and relief hub during natural disasters.
After a natural disaster, the nearest airport can quickly become overwhelmed due to the large volume of incoming relief supplies. This can often delay -- or even stop -- the onward transport of lifesaving supplies. With Chennai and its surrounding region prone to heavy flooding, the GARD workshop will help airports like Chennai develop a clear and adaptable action blueprint to support immediate relief efforts in the wake of a natural disaster.
"The frequency and severity of natural disasters will continue to rise in the years to come," said Marina Walter, Deputy Country Director, UNDP. "Practical experience gained through other disasters, can help us ensure that the most critical functions during any relief effort -- particularly airports, which act as the gateway for emergency aid -- are able to operate with life-saving speed and precision, even under extremely testing circumstances," she added.
Chris Weeks, Director of Humanitarian Affairs, DHL, said, "The GARD workshops have seen DHL and the UNDP collaborate with authorities all over the world to analyze and define the capacities needed at airports in case of natural disasters. That gives us a uniquely informed perspective when it comes to understanding how airports like Chennai can best adapt their infrastructure, personnel resources, and processes to seamlessly enter 'relief mode' if and when the need arises, with an especial focus on disasters like floods which are most common in their particular geography."
In India, Deutsche Post DHL Group is represented by its four business units, DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Supply Chain and Blue Dart. As part of the Group's GoHelp program, volunteers from these DHL business units are engaged in the GARD workshop.
The workshop will see participants share their experiences, brainstorm scenarios, and develop action plans for responding to emergencies caused by natural disasters. This includes planning how to prevent, quickly restore, or otherwise work around damaged infrastructure during a disaster, such as when much of the airport's main landing areas were rendered inoperative.
Participants in the workshop include a mix of staff from Chennai Airport terminal management including cargo handling, operations, communications navigation services, electric, civil and electric engineering, fire and security services, immigration, customs and district officials.
"Chennai Airport is the fourth-busiest airport in India, playing host to more than 11 million passengers between April and December 2015[1]. With the continued threat of natural disasters occurring in the region, we recognize the vital role that our airports play in the relief efforts. This GARD workshop in Chennai follows our previous session in Guwahati in December 2015 as we remain committed to ensure that our airports remain operational during and in the aftermath of disasters," said Mr. A. K. Dutta, Member (Operations), Airports Authority of India.
Notes to Editors:
About the GARD Program
GARD was developed by Deutsche Post DHL Group in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme with the aim of preparing airports in disaster-prone areas to handle the surge of incoming relief goods. It also enables the various organizations and aid agencies to better understand the processes at the airport in the aftermath of a disaster, which will help facilitate relief efforts and enhance overall coordination.
GARD trainers and materials are provided free-of-charge by DPDHL while UNDP leads the project implementation and facilitate the coordination with the government authorities. GARD training workshops arrangement and logistics costs are fully covered by UNDP with funding contribution by government of Germany.
Deutsche Post DHL Group's disaster management program
The GARD concept complements the disaster management program of Deutsche Post DHL Group, including the DHL Disaster Response Teams (DRT). DRTs step in to organize the logistics at airports following a disaster and this has been implemented at over 30 airports since its launch in 2005. The DRTs, which work free-of- charge and in close cooperation with the UN, help keep the flow of incoming relief goods moving at disaster-site airports. Both GARD and DRT form GoHelp, part of the Group's Corporate Responsibility Program "Living Responsibility". Both programs are conducted in partnership with the United Nations on the basis of a voluntary engagement.
To this date GARD has been implemented at over 30 airports in Indonesia (2009, 2011), Nepal and Bangladesh (2010), Lebanon and Turkey (2012), El Salvador, Panama, Philippines, Armenia (2013), Peru, Philippines, Jordan, Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka (2014), as well as Macedonia, Dominican Republic and India (2015).
Since 2002, UNDP has partnered with the Ministry of Home Affairs in India in empowering communities to manage disaster risk in urban and rural areas. Pilot interventions with communities across India have been instrumental in strengthening community-based preparedness to tackle the onslaught of disaster across India. From 2002 to 2008, UNDP's programs reached out to approximately 300 million people living in areas vulnerable to multi-hazards.
- Ends -
About Deutsche Post DHL Group
Deutsche Post DHL Group is the world's leading mail and logistics company. The Group is focused on being the first choice for customers, employees and investors in its core business activities worldwide. It makes a positive contribution to the world by connecting people and enabling global trade while being committed to responsible business practices and corporate citizenship.
Deutsche Post DHL Group operates under two brands: Deutsche Post is Europe's leading postal service provider. DHL is uniquely positioned in the world's growth markets, with a comprehensive range of international express, freight transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services.
Deutsche Post DHL Group employs approximately 500,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories worldwide. The Group generated revenues of more than 59 billion Euros in 2015.
Die Post fur Deutschland. The logistics company for the world.
About the Airport Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing civil aviation infrastructure in India. It provides Air traffic management (ATM) services over Indian airspace and adjoining oceanic areas. It also manages a total of 125 Airports, including 21 International Airports, 8 Customs Airports, 77 Domestic Airports and 19 Civil enclaves at Military Airfields. AAI also has ground installations at all airports and 25 other locations to ensure safety of aircraft operations.
AAI has entered into Joint Ventures at Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Nagpur Airports to upgrade these airports. AAI has four training establishments viz. The Civil Aviation Training College (CATC) at Allahabad, Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) at Delhi and Fire Training Center (FTC) at Delhi & Fire Service Training Center, Kolkata. In addition to in-house flight calibration of its navigational aids, AAI undertakes flight calibration of navigational aids for the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and other private airfields in the country.
About UNDP
UNDP works in close to 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.
UNDP has worked in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development, from democratic governance to poverty eradication, to sustainable energy and environmental management. UNDP's programs are aligned with national priorities and are reviewed and adjusted annually.
Please visit: www.in.undp.org for more information.
Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160406/8521602156
Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160303/8521601408LOGO
