The On-Site Operations Coordination Centre

Tenets of International Natural Disaster Response

•• All international assistance is in support of All international assistance is in support of national authorities national authorities -- on requeston request

•• The UN General Assembly has mandated the The UN General Assembly has mandated the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) to Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) to coordinate international responsecoordinate international response

•• Bilateral assistance predominatesBilateral assistance predominates

OCHA’s mandate for coordination2816(1971) to 46/182(1992)

• assist government of affected country• coordinate/facilitate/mobilize assistance• provide services that maximize efficiency• mobilize resources• develop competent staff• act as focal point for advocacy• ensure relief contributes to development• support and strengthen national capacity

OCHA’s Coordination Role in International Disaster Response

Disaster affected country• National disaster relief coord.

• Embassies/Donor Reps

• UN agencies’ reps.

• National Red Cross/Crescent

• National NGO’s

International response

• Donor governments/Agencies

• UN agencies

• Red Cross/Crescent family.

• International NGO’s

•Others (including military)

OCHAGeneva

Information onNeeds & national response

Information onneeds/international response

Representatives ofOCHA (ResReps/UNDAC)

ASSISTANCE

Local Emergency Local Emergency Management LevelManagement Level

International International levellevel

Level of Coordination

National levelNational level

OCHA Response Mechanisms and ToolsOCHA Response Mechanisms and Tools•• 24 hours Duty system24 hours Duty system

•• Reliefweb.intReliefweb.int

•• Emergency Cash GrantsEmergency Cash Grants

•• Register of Disaster Register of Disaster Management CapabilitiesManagement Capabilities

•• MCDA & MCDA & CMCoordCMCoord**

•• BrindisiBrindisi Warehouse Warehouse

•• CAP sectionCAP section

•• IRIN (IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks)Integrated Regional Information Networks)

•• Humanitarian Info Centre *Humanitarian Info Centre *

*) UN Common services*) UN Common services

•• UNDAC TeamsUNDAC Teams

•• IHP Support modules (+)IHP Support modules (+)

•• Standby PartnersStandby Partners

•• IASC secretariatIASC secretariat

•• On Site Operations Coordination On Site Operations Coordination centre ( OSOCC) in fieldcentre ( OSOCC) in field

•• Virtual OSOCC (GDACS)Virtual OSOCC (GDACS)

•• INSARAG SecretariatINSARAG Secretariat

•• Disaster Response advisorsDisaster Response advisors

•• Environmental Emergency Section Environmental Emergency Section

•• Emergency Emergency telecommstelecomms**

OCHA Tools

Purpose of the OSOCC• To assist national authorities with the coordination of

international assistance on-site, particularly USAR teams

• To facilitate information exchange between international and national relief actors (meetings, reports, lists, etc.)

• Provide a platform for joint operations planning for international responders

• Establish coordination infrastructure (sub-OSOCC(s) and Reception/Departure Centres, when needed)

• Facilitate logistics support for international responders in cooperation with local authorities

Establishment Considerations

• The OSOCC is established by the UNDAC Team

• In the absence of an UNDAC team, first arriving Urban Search and Rescue Teams should establish an OSOCC until the UNDAC team has been deployed

• International USAR teams strength the OSOCC and take active part in the planning of the USAR operation

Search and Rescue Teams linked into the OSOCC in the Bam

earthquake

National Authorities

UNJLC & CMOC

UN Resident Coordinator & OCHA

OSOCC Management

Administration

Communications

Operations

Information management

Security & safety

Reception/Departure Centre

International Organisations

Logistics

Media

Liaison

Sub OSOCC Sub OSOCC Sub OSOCC

If coordination of international actors is required in remote areas of the disaster, the UNDAC team or international USAR teams can establish sub-OSOCC(s) to assist local authorities with the coordination of international responders

The OSOCC Management should comprise functional elements according to the requirements of the situation. Some staff members can be responsible for multiple functions

The OSOCC has to establish reliable communication links with all counterparts and to define procedures for reliable information exchange

The OSOCC should be set up in the proximity to LEMA and other international coordinating bodies (such as UNJLC)

OSOCC Structure

Systematic and reliable information exchange between OSOCC and Reception / Departure as well as Sub-OSOCC(s) has to be put into place

Reception and Departure Centres might be set up at the airport in cooperation with national authorities to facilitate arrival/departure of international (USAR) teams

UNJLC or any other international coordination body, if established

LEMA

Rest and dining area for OSOCC staff and waiting area for visitor(with tables, seats and refreshment/coffee)

InformationManagement(in isolated, undisturbed area)

Communications

Meeting roomwithLCD screen, computers and displayed charts

OSOCC Operations

Desks for functional elements, inluding liaison officers

Head OSOCC

OSOCC

OSOCC

Front Desk

Admin

Rest Area

Rest A

rea

Entran

ce

OSOCC InfrastructureThe OSOCC should be set up in the proximity to LEMA and other international coordinating bodies (such as UNJLC)

Systematic procedures for information exchange should be agreed upon (daily meetings, copying of documents, exchange of liaison persons)

Marking and signalling to ensure visibility and facilitate crowd management

Front desk and rest area for visitors to facilitate crowd management. The front desk should be prepared to provide briefings and handouts of requested information

The meeting area should be sufficiently large to accommodate sectoral meetings, press conferences and could ideally be located in a separate tent or building

Separate operations room for operational meetings and briefings with facilities to display large maps

Sufficient working area for OSOCC staff and external liaison personnel

Communications to be set up in an area not exposed to public interference

Information management should be located in an isolated area with minimum exposure to disturbance

Responsibilities of Functional Elements• OSOCC Manager

– Identify suitable venue in cooperation with LEMA an supervise the set-up

– Ensure close cooperation with LEMA during all phases of the operation

– Ensure overall functioning of the OSOCC– Ensure effective external and internal information exchange

• Reporting and meeting schedules• Preparation of handouts• Information front-desk

– Prepare an exit strategy (hand-over of activities to LEMA or other entities)

Responsibilities of Functional Elements• OSOCC Information Management

– Manage emergency related information• Collate incoming information• Ensure that collated information is analysed and

evaluated by sectoral experts• Initiate measures to clarify missing, ambiguous or wrong

information– Draft situation reports– Implementing information sharing

mechanism on-site

Responsibilities of Functional Elements• OSOCC Operations Element

– Ensure most effective use of international resources– Composed of liaison persons from international USAR teams– A facilitator should be appointed to ensure effective

cooperation within the Ops Element and with LEMA– Track capacity, assignment and availability of international

resources– In cooperation with with LEMA:

• Plan assessment and evaluateassessment results

• Assign and track international resources• Track mission results

• Visibility, acceptance, good working relations with local/national Authorities

• Integrative operations planning supported by Effective meeting policy

• Capability of serving as interested international relief operators present in the affected area in a

• Effective Information exchange tools including and well system of graphical display of information

• Interaction with the multitude of organizations and individuals with various roles and mandates

Challenges

• Operations planning that defines the division of responsibilities between LEMA and the OSOCC Management

• Registration of incoming and departing relief teams and a structured system for relief tracking

• That the relief operators second liaison officers to work in the OSOCC and that they develop the operational plans

• Consistent management of the OSOCC, utalisation of the liaison staff and ensure that the centre provides necessary and required services

Challenges

End presentationEnd presentation

Any questions?Any questions?