Emergency communications and disaster management workshop

The Asia Pacific is the most disaster-prone region in the world. Natural disasters including major earthquakes, cyclones, flooding and tsunamis are becoming more frequent and increasingly destructive. According to the UN, natural disasters are now recognized as an integral part of the wider constellation of risks related to food and energy insecurity, financial and economic instability, environmental degradation, disease and epidemics, conflicts and extreme poverty. Climate change is projected to have an enormous magnifying effect on disaster risk. The greatest burden is borne by the poor who live in compromised and high-risk areas.

Disaster relief and response depend on effective collaboration between state authorities and the global humanitarian community. Today, however, a huge communications and operational gap exists between NGOs, local militaries and civilian disaster management authorities. Many new advanced collaboration tools are available. How are communications links established for relief operations? What improvements are possible in the future? In what circumstances is data shared? What are the challenges to establishing shared situational awareness for coordinated response? How will the military and NGOs work together and on what terms?

PTC’s fifth annual Emergency Communications and Disaster Management Workshop will address these issues and more.