Emergency Planning Crucial in Disaster Recovery

ABU DHABI, UAE, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- "All developed nations should be on standby for immediate response to limit damage and to aid recovery," advise MENA disaster and emergency response experts

The apocalyptic images coming out of Japan following the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami are a bitter reminder of the devastation wreaked by natural disasters. As the reported death toll rises and the threat of a nuclear disaster continues, it is impossible to predict exactly what the long-term impact on Japan's economy will be.

However, one of those most notable facts is that experts are saying that it is only Japan's planning and preparation for such an eventuality that has prevented the loss of life and the economic impact from being significantly worse. The same experts have noted that the Japanese earthquake was 500 times stronger than the quake that hit Haiti in January 2010, which wasn't followed by a catastrophic tsunami, but the loss of life in Haiti was reportedly ten to twenty times higher than the death toll seems to be in Japan.

These facts highlight the critical importance of ensuring that governments and private sector organisations alike invest in putting the appropriate safeguards in place to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and man-made emergencies. In a recent interview conducted by IQPC, Ali Asad, Emergency Response Coordinator for Kuwait Oil Company and Andrew Ameen Hoar, Clinical Disaster Coordinator for the King Faizal Specialist Hospital in Saudi Arabia, both reiterated that planning to limit the damage before disasters occur, makes countries and organisations better positioned to recover.

Clinical Disaster Coordinator Andrew Hoar explained that "one of the biggest challenges facing emergency response practitioners is the time that it takes to mobilise the rescue forces," which means that it becomes much harder to get the situation under control with every passing hour. He argues that all developed nations should have teams on standby for immediate response with the supplies in place needed to respond to a cross-section of likely disaster and emergency situations.

"The actual immediate requirement of the people affected," was emphasised by Ali Asad, Emergency Response Coordinator at KOC. Without proper planning, it can be difficult to ensure that the aid received is actually appropriate - donating uncooked food and blankets to people without the means to cook that food or basic shelter is not going to be helpful.

Ali Asad also pointed out that the threats faced, the technologies available and the legislative environment are constantly evolving so it is critical that the education of the emergency practitioner is ongoing to enable them to keep up to speed with these changes. Education is at the heart of improving emergency response operations.

Both experts will be speaking at the third annual Disaster Management & Crisis Response Middle East Summit next month. The Abu Dhabi event, run by a notable list of disaster and emergency response veterans, will provide a chance to review the response to natural disasters and to identify best practice strategies to improve both the readiness to deal with these situations and to improve the way in which organisations deploy effective business continuity strategies to mitigate the economic impact of such disasters.

About IQPC:

For over thirty years, IQPC has helped the world's leading corporations solve their business challenges through the sharing of practical industry solutions and global best practice. In the process, the company has built a formidable reputation for quality and value. The world's most progressive companies have benefited from IQPC's unrivalled global reach, which has connected international expertise with regional and local leaders.

For information about Disaster Management And Crisis Response Middle East taking place 24-27 April 2011 at Yas Island Rotana, Abu Dhabi, UAE please visit http://www.disasterandcrisisresponseme.com or alternatively please contact: Katia Andrejev, Marketing Manager, IQPC at katia.andrejev@iqpc.com or call; +9714-446-274