Ghana urged to adopt command system in disaster management

December 11, 2009
Ho, Nov. 11, GNA - Disaster management in Ghana could be enhanced through the adoption of a formalised "Incident Command System" (ICS) at all levels tailored to the Ghanaian situation.

Lieutenant Steve Kilde of the North Dakota National Guard of the USA said this at a three-day emergency disaster management course at Ho on Friday.

The Volta region Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) organised it for its district Co-ordinators and heads of disaster management related institutions in the region.

He said ICS would help eliminate lingering rivalries among disaster management related institutions and stakeholders to ensure the safety of their personnel, harmonise the effective use of limited management resources and facilitate a disciplined approach to disaster management at all levels.

The ICS would allow personnel from agencies to melt into a common management structure, provide logistical and administrative support to operational staff and to ensure cost effectiveness by avoiding duplication of efforts.

Lt. Kilde said the USA's success in managing its disasters was due largely to the adoption of ICS through legislation about 32 years ago.

He said before then there was so much rivalry among disaster management institutions to the extent that their personnel fought each other physically on the disaster scenes while victims were left to their fate.

Mr Doug Friez, former Co-ordinator of North Dakota Homeland Security and Disaster Management, said disaster management was a shared responsibility and therefore every citizen's duty.

He said the citizenry and stakeholders in disaster management needed to be constantly trained to be able to respond appropriately to disaster situations.

Mr Friez said volunteerism must be promoted and encouraged and volunteers should be willing to offer their services without expecting any rewards because as citizens they are duty bound to respond to national emergencies.

Mr Freiz said Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTS) made up of young people especially students must be formed and trained to acquire skills in disaster management.

GNA