Honduras: ADRA Opens New Warehouse and Training Center for Disaster Preparedness Response

Tegucigalpa, Honduras….[Libna Stevens/IAD]

In response to the devastating destruction that Hurricane Mitch brought to Honduras and its neighboring countries in 1998, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency of Honduras inaugurated a new warehouse and training facility in the capital city of Tegucigalpa on March 8. The building will provide storage for relief supplies and will also be a center for disaster response training for government and non-government agencies, as well as civilians.

“This is the first initiative of its kind among the NGO (non-government organizations) community,” says Wally Amundson, ADRA’s director for Inter-America, who attended the inauguration.

Although there was an immediate response of food, clothing and water in the wake of the hurricane, rebuilding the communities’ homes, schools and roadways took a long time, explains Amundson.

“During that reconstruction period after the hurricane, it became apparent to ADRA-Honduras that they should look seriously at increasing their capacity for disaster mitigation and preparation,” he says. “So ADRA’s main focus was not only to design a building to house and stage supplies in the event of another disaster, but to dedicate a center for disaster response. The center will also help Nicaragua and El Salvador.”

Walter Britton, director for ADRA-Honduras, was in charge of the project.

“Hurricane Mitch and two others which hit the north and south part of the country last year taught us that the population is not prepared for these events,” says Britton.

Thanks to the generous donations by the church in the Mid-Central American Union, ADRA-Inter-America, ADRA International and its partnering offices in Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Help International and Hope for Humanity, the center and warehouse will greatly benefit the region, he adds.

Prior to the official inauguration, a two-day training session was provided to NGOs and volunteers such as medical doctors, nurses, firemen, paramedics, rescue workers, church administrators and members. They received training from Loma Linda University Trauma Team, which led by Dr. Beverly Buckles director of LLU trauma team, Dr. Kim Freeman Ph.D. in Psychology and Dr. Kimball Chan, M.D.

Dorothy Gutierrez, deputy for the national congress of Honduras and chairperson for the National Commission for the Prevention of Disasters, was present at the inauguration, which was covered by the Honduran television and newspaper media. She thanked ADRA-Honduras for its committed involvement and LLU for their initiative and their training.

“Our plans are to offer monthly training to master guides, pathfinders, church members and the public in general who are interested in better preparing themselves to face disasters,” says Britton.

One of challenges, says Britton, is to obtain equipment and relief supplies for the next hurricane season. “But we are working together with COPECO which is the official emergency disaster response in Honduras to offer better assistance.” Britton adds that Japan’s embassy in Honduras has offered ADRA-Honduras financial support for the training preparedness disaster response.

Amundson praises the efforts of this project, saying ADRA-Honduras will continue its commitment to serving the community. He says it will also continue coordinating with ADRA-Nicaragua and ADRA-El Salvador to provide the best disaster response in that region.

For more information on ADRA and its projects visit www.adra.org