Accra, March 16, GNA - The National Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), in collaboration with the Netherlands-based International Centre for Emergency Technique (ICET), woul= d soon establish an emergency preparedness centre to provide adequate trainin= g to security agencies for effective disaster handling. It would be equipped with modern satellite equipment, ambulances, disaster vans and other communication tools for efficient and effective handling of disasters.

Mr Kofi Portuphy, National Co-ordinator of NADMO, announced this at a day's 93Disaster Preparedness Workshop" to share international best di= saster management practices within disaster rescue management. It is being attended by 20 security personnel from Ghana National Fir= e Service (GNFS), Ghana Police Service, National Road Safety Commission (NRSC= ) and Ghana Navy. The rest are, West Africa Rescue Association, Ghana Air Force, TOR Fire Service and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

He said NADMO had been yearning for such equipment to control and put out fire because the absence of such equipment made rescue operations difficult. Mr Portuphy said Ghana required the multi-technique centre to respond to emergencies confronting the country, saying 93the country has been affected by many disasters such as accidents, fire outbreaks and floods tha= t usually claimed lives and properties worth millions of Ghana cedis because there is no adequate skills and equipment to combat them." He reiterated that NADMO had lived up to expectation in combating disasters and the establishment of the centre would ensure effective rescue management. Mr Portuphy emphasised that the equipment would help the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in their operations, while improving operation= s of NADMO not only as offering relief items, but providing pre-hospital response and other practices to support and provide safety for people. Mr Jan V. Meertens, Executive Director of ICET, said its objective wa= s to share, exchange ideas and identify gaps on how to strengthen disaster management system in priority areas in the country. He pointed out that its operations were focused on training, technica= l assistance, developing projects and implementation of integrated disaster response projects. Mr Meertens said the training would upgrade disaster management syste= m in fire service, ambulance and hospital services.