Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance

Responsible for providing foreign disaster assistance and coordinating the USG response to disasters abroad.

Authority comes from the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

OFDA mandate is to “Save lives, reduce suffering, and alleviate the economic impact of disasters.”

Disaster Assistance and Response Team (DART)

One of several response options for OFDA

Operational element within OFDATested and codified organizational

structure• Staffing, managing, training and equipping

from existing resources• Experience from many previous

deployments• Field Operations Guide

Operational ground presence to carry out sustained relief activities

Develops and implements OFDA’s humanitarian response strategy

Coordinates USG relief efforts with:• UN/IOs and NGOs• Donor nations• Military• Host Nation

Disaster Assistance and Response Team (DART)

Coordinates commodity shipments

Expeditiously funds relief organizations

Monitors and evaluates USG funded relief activities

Disaster Assistance and Response Team (DART)

DART Organization

Approximately 60 personnelUnified management

• Four operational components• Core DART plus three field offices

Multiple Offices – Multiple Agencies• OFDA, FFP, OTI, ANE, GH• State/PRM, CDC/PHS

Phased Deployment based on ability to access populations and implement programs

DART Admin

Phased Deployment:• Maximize number of operational days• Minimum required footprint• Pre-deploy selected individuals to Amman,

Turkey, and Kuwait• Call forward of remainder of team• Rear operations under of direction of Plans

Officer

Lodging and accommodationsAuthorities:

• Chief of Mission • US Central Command (CENTCOM)

Personal Equipment• Remote location kits and PPE pre-positioned

in theater• Bring personal demand items as required

DART Admin

Travel Authorization/Orders handled by OFDA

Training: Extensive Training Package to support operations in a hostile and austere environment• Additional/refresher training conducted in

the field• CBRNE, Communications, others as

required

DART Admin

DART Training Courses• Orientation to OFDA• DART/RMT Training• Assessment • Intro to Field Communications• First Aid and Trauma Meds• CBRNE Tier II• Vehicle Safety and Security• Landmine Awareness• Hostage Survival• Working with the Media• Stress Management• Military 101• International Humanitarian Law and Principles• Iraq Country Briefing• IDP Camp Management• Women and Children Protection• Food Distribution and Feeding Centers• Shelter Construction and Plastic Sheeting• Human Rights, Protection and Stability

DART Deployment SitesKuwait City

Amman

Diyarbakir

Deployment in-country dependent on security situation

• DART In-country Deployment Sites– Kuwait City– Baghdad– Basrah– Erbil– Al Hillah

DART RolesCoordinate and disseminate Humanitarian

InformationFacilitate HA operations

• UN/IO – NGO - MilitaryConduct assessments of Humanitarian

SituationExpedite Commodities and funding for

implementing organizationsCall forward expertise and commodities to

address needs of vulnerable population

Facilitate and implement Transition Activities Assist in Protection activities and prevention of

civilian atrocities Assist in provision and delivery of food

commodities Facilitate Development activities through

coordination with MIW, GH, DG, and ANE staff Assist in coordination of consequence

management activities

DART Roles

DART Sectors

Health, Water/Sanitation, Nutrition Food Distribution IDPs and Refugees Shelter Protection and Prevention of Atrocities Commodity and Grant Expedition Transition Activities Consequence Management Assistance Reconstruction Coordination

Water and Sanitation

Most urgent sectorAssess damage to water supply and

sanitation facilitiesDetermine wat/san needs in major urban

centers, villages, rural zones, and campsDevelop an operational plan for

minimally adequate levels of potable water, sanitary excreta disposal, and waste water removal

Assist in developing strategic plans for rehabilitating and reconstructing wat/san facilities throughout Iraq

Primary partners: CARE, UNICEF, WHO, ICRC, OXFAM and other NGOs

Rapid assessments to identify sources of potable water

Call forward additional expertise and equipment

Water and Sanitation

HealthPrevent excess morbidity and mortality

through effective response in public health• Primary health care• Preventative health response

Assess local health infrastructure• Health facilities• Availability of medicines• Immunization status• Health care capacity

Assess basic statistics, level of communicable diseases, severe trauma, etc

Assist in facilitating treatment for civilian casualties Assess the environmental status with respect to

vector control and wat/san Develop linkages with Iraqi MOH, IOs, and NGOs in

the region Facilitate establishment of nutritional programs,

where required Primary partners: UNICEF, WHO, ICRC, NGOs

Health

Food Distribution

Assist in provision and distribution of food commodities to meet the needs of the Iraqi population

Coordinate with and assist WFPFocus on reestablishing the existing PDS Assist in facilitating Port operationsAssess and respond to food needs for

displaced populations

Shelter

Assess emergency shelter needsAssess and respond to displaced

populations’ needsDevelop an operational plan to distribute

and monitor plastic sheetingFacilitate procurement and distribution

of tents for environmentally insecure populations, if required

Primary partners: NGOs, UN Habitat, UN Agencies

Logistics

Support humanitarian response through prepositioning of commodities and establishment of logistics system

Commodities to meet needs of 1 millionWarehouses located throughout region

and worldwideDelivery of commodities by most effective

means• Air, sea, or overland

Commodity Stockpiles• 10 liter water containers• 3,000 gallon water tanks• 10,000 and 11,500 liter water bladders• Hygiene kits• Plastic Sheeting• Blankets• WHO Emergency Health Kits• LMS Water Purification Units

Logistics

Protection and Prevention of Atrocities

Protection Officer and Abuse Prevention Unit added to DART structure

DART not the primary implementation agent DART will assist in development of prevention

strategy DART will assist in coordination of prevention

programs All field elements tasked with assessing

potential atrocities DART core (especially Info Officers) tasked

with identification of potential problems

Transition Activities

Transition Activities led by OTI staff on DART

Core DART will facilitate access and implementation

Primary activities include (but not limited to):• Assisting media and information activities• Small grants to jump start activities• High impact/high visibility projects

Consequence Management

Primary DART function is protection of DART members from exposure/risk

All DART members required to have PPE within reach

DART role in larger CM effort not clarified

DART staffing and training can assist in call-forward and facilitation of CM teams from inter-agency arena

Military Liaison Military Liaison Officers integral to overall effort DART will coordinate with, but not subordinate to

the HOC HOC function is to facilitate civ-mil information and

assist in access for humanitarian community MLOs will be located in the Core DART, Field

Teams, and at CENTCOM Forward Primary effort will be with the Civil Affairs units DART will assist CA units with HA assessment

mission

Reconstruction Coordination

DART will coordinate and assist with larger reconstruction effort, when possible

DART ANE staff primarily responsible for passing information to/from MIW, GH, DG, and ANE staff

DART will coordinate activities with reconstruction effort in order to enable expansion of initial projects

Every effort will be made to avoid “stand-alone” activities

Security

Security is non-negotiableSecurity Officer has the authority to speak for

Team LeaderSecurity plan will be refined in countryEvacuation plans: All elements of the DART

will have and understand the evac planEach field element/assessment team will have a

situation specific evac plan prior to mission• Primary, secondary and tertiary

Relief ActivitiesRelief ActivitiesRelief ActivitiesRelief Activities

OBJECTIVE – Provide Emergency Humanitarian Assistance

• Support to IDPs including registration, monitoring, food support through WFP, and support to IDPs and host communities in water/sanitation and primary health

• 112 compact water treatment units and 7 plants completed to date; nearly 200 more ongoing or planned

• 49 hospital/clinic rehabs completed; 131 more ongoing or planned

• 7.5 kilometers of water networks completed, 216 more ongoing or planned

• More than 2,000 health care professionals trained at health centers throughout Iraq

OBJECTIVE – Provide Emergency Humanitarian Assistance

• Support to IDPs including registration, monitoring, food support through WFP, and support to IDPs and host communities in water/sanitation and primary health

• 112 compact water treatment units and 7 plants completed to date; nearly 200 more ongoing or planned

• 49 hospital/clinic rehabs completed; 131 more ongoing or planned

• 7.5 kilometers of water networks completed, 216 more ongoing or planned

• More than 2,000 health care professionals trained at health centers throughout Iraq

Progress as of 9/16/03 More Information at www.usaid.gov/iraq

DCHA/OFDA Response Management Team

Chief purposes:• Support DART field operations • Report humanitarian information to global

audience • Oversee Washington-based support• Single USAID point of contact for inter- and

intragency coordination of relief/operational activities

• Planning and strategy developmentAllows for unity of effort and streamlined

management structure

RMT provides necessary support to a deployed DART team• Manage USAID response activities• Coordinate interagency cooperation

Full-time, focused, and continuous attention

Flexible organization • Allows for management of entire Agency

portfolio – Operational to Strategic

DCHA/OFDA Response Management Team

Five Core Functions to Support Operations:• Management – including press, interagency

coordination, information, and financial • Planning• Logistics• Administration – Field and Washington

based support• Communications and Records

DCHA/OFDA Response Management Team

Established structure• Policy and Procedures published and in

place• Tested, trained and exercised

Proven success in large crisesComprehensively addresses Agency and

USG requirements• Augmented by non-DCHA staff and skill sets

DCHA/OFDA Response Management Team

LPAM edia R elations

PP CAsst Adm in istrator

I nteragency

Press O ffi cer

Program O ffi cer

Program O ffi cer

I n form ation Specialists

I n form ation O ffi cer

H I U L iaison

G I S Offi cer

R esources Offi cer

Technical Specialists

Plann ingCoord inator

Log istics O ffi cers

Technical Specialists

Log isticsCoord inator

C & R R ecorders

Technical Specialists

Com m unications &R ecords Coord inator

Contracts O ffi cer

G rants O ffi cer

Technical Specialists

Adm in istrativeCoord inator

Deputy ManagerR esponse

U SAI D I nternalCoord inator

I nteragencyCoord inator

Technical SpecialistsU SAI D B ureaus

Donation sCoord inator

DoD L iason

U SG L iaison

Deputy ManagerCoord ination

DCHA/ O FDAR esponse M anager

DCHA/ O FDADirector

DCH AAsst. Adm in istrator

R elief

AN EAsst. Adm in istrator

R econstruction

U SAI DAdm in istrator

USAID Senior Management

DCHA

ANE/Technical Bureaus

PPC

Other USG

LPA

DART

USAID SrRep