Gregg Nakano introduces fundamentals of risk assessment for disaster planning to Fellows attending the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies’ Advanced Security Cooperation Course.
With a determination to better collaborate on disaster risk management education and security cooperation, the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) partnered with three other organizations located in Hawaii to enhance crisis and disaster related programs, courses and research.
This partnership is based on a Letter of Understanding signed on November 1, 2013 between APCSS, the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DMHA), the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), and the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center (NDPTC) at the University of Hawaii.
The most recent example of this partnership is the participation of all Centers in the Disaster Risk Management and Cooperation elective conducted during the recently completed Advanced Security Cooperation Course, 14-1. Each organization provided a subject matter expert to teach one of the four-session elective. Mr. Gregg Nakano from NDPTC introduced fundamentals of risk assessment for disaster planning, Dr. Imes Chui from CFE-DMHA discussed the importance of investment in risk reduction, Dr. Heather Bell focused on information use for enhanced decision making and APCSS’ Prof. Jessica Ear emphasized strategies and mechanisms for effective disaster coordination.
The partnership and team approach to teaching was greatly appreciated by the APCSS Fellows who attended the elective, “I enjoyed the guest speakers that were brought in to contribute to the course. They provided a lot of good information about managing risk that I will be able to apply beyond that of just disaster scenarios.” Another Fellow commented, “We had different lecturers to talk in the class and all of them were professional and knowledgeable who successfully prompted us to concise and meaningful discussions. It was a very good elective that I have chosen.”
APCSS plan to continue the effective collaboration with our LOU partners in future courses and programs.
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Disaster Risk Management Training enhance the capacity of a individual to address the crisis timely.