Emergency Aid Preparedness” Project Start

The first week of training  on "Emergency Aid Preparedness" project took place on December 10-14, 2007 in the Emergency Management State Academy (EMSA).
The process of training went smoothly and in a friendly atmosphere.  All the trainees expressed their satisfaction about the quality and the content of the training.  Many of them told that at first they had been rather skeptic about this  project, but now were looking forward to its continuation, understanding its importance. Topics covered in 40 training hours: crisis management issues, emergency situations typical for Armenia, classification of emergencies, organization of civic protection, etc.
The last day the participants mentioned convenient time and topics for further trainings.
The project will be continued in 2008 covering topics such as first aid, disaster and contingency planning, international response mechanisms, agricultural disasters, etc.  "Disaster chaplain" training will be organized for clergy. 
In the end trainees will pass exams and get certificates.  Trainees suggested organizing also dissertation presentations: each trainee will choose a topic and develop a presentation on it, thus ensuring deeper understanding of the topic both on the part of dissertants and the rest of trainees who will listen, ask questions, and get the materials of the dissertation.
Upon completion of the project we plan to have a net of well prepared organizations, which together with government structures, will be able to immediately react to emergency situations.
As for the work with the beneficiaries of the participant NGOs and Churches, that is more community level, we plan awareness raising activities in the communities and among target groups and also distribution of kits (to be provided by UMCOR) as a drill/rehearsal during an emergency situation.
Those who work with children could organize trainings (methodology is provided by EMSA) and competitions "Are you ready for a disaster?"  Those working in the rural areas could organise after school groups to identify possible disasters in their community, develop risk maps, learn right behaviour, etc.   You see that this is more than in the project proposal, but these new ideas are born during the training, discussions, and if the training participants decide to carry out them, the ART is more than wiling to assist.
The number of participants was 30: three staff members of the ART, one of UMCOR, Shen NGO-3 participants, "Syunik" NGO — 1, YMCA — 2, "Zangakatun" NGO — 2, "Caravan-88" NGO — 2, "Sustainable Development of Communities" Foundation — 2,"Cross of Armenian Unity" NGO -1, "Future is yours" NGO — 2, "Youth of Jrvezh" NGO -2, "Youth Union" of Karakert community of Armavir Diocese of the AAC -2,clergy from Gegharkunik, Aragatsotn, Gugark and Kotayk Dioceses of the AAC — 5, lay from Gugark and Shirak Dioceses — 2, total 30 people.
The training will re-start in March- April of 2008.