Soldiers study disaster administration
Watching the natural disasters that routinely parade across the screens of international T.V. newscasts, it becomes clear that the world’s military forces do far more than fight wars. That’s why the uniformed men and women now in Belize are not just shooting guns.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
The training participants are part of the contingent taking part in TradeWinds 2007. These service members classified as civil affairs soldiers will be called upon to conduct assessments and key infrastructure before and after any natural disaster.
Lt. Col. Robert Conforto, United Sates Army
“Hospitals, clinics, evacuation routes, how relief supplies would be moved in and out of the affected areas, setting up also and administering refugee camps. Really kind of assessing the entire status of country pre and post disaster.”
“Being able to advise the commander on the necessary resources that are required and try to mitigate the damage as soon as possible.”
The soldiers are also required to work with others outside the military.
Lt. Col. Robert Conforto
“It is important that they understand how to work together in that joint coalition environment but more importantly how to work with civilian agencies that are primarily responsible to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.”
Following the indoor training, they will be touring emergency facilities to conduct assessments. The findings will be presented to key officials that are expected to use the information when they review the country’s disaster mitigation plans. Meanwhile another group of the contingent is learning how to handle and properly dispose hazardous materials.
Lt. Col. David Conaway, Commanding Officer, Environmental Services Division
“In days past they use to just throw the batteries away wherever they threw them and if you had on oil leak or anything, old oil, you just throw in into the environment. Whereas the world’s getting smaller and there’s more people we realize that you can’t do that anymore and so if there is an oil spill on the ground we’ll come collect the contaminated ground. We’ll also if there is a chemical spill we’ll take air samples to make sure it’s safe for people to breathe.”
There is a combined number of ninety soldiers including representatives from the coast guard and port authority taking part in the seminar.
The training is being facilitated by NEMO, CEDERA, and USAID.
