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