Deutsche Post DHL’s Disaster Response Team (DRT) helped enable the efficient flow of nearly 3,500 tonnes of relief goods to survivors of last month’s combined earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi in Indonesia.
Over the course of 23 days from October 4 – 26, a total of 26 specially trained DHL volunteers worked at two different airports to provide logistics support during relief efforts. They worked together with members of the UN to facilitate logistics planning and operations across non-governmental organizations (NGOs), airport authorities and military organizations, the company said in a summary of the deployment.
The volunteers worked tirelessly in three teams during week-long rotations to support international efforts in response to the disaster in Palu, Sulawesi. As international aid poured in, the DRT coordinated efforts from public and private organizations across borders to ensure a smooth flow of aid for the quake survivors, while fostering civil military relations.
On the ground, volunteers were split between operating on the runway of Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie airport in Palu, ground zero of the earthquake and tsunami which took place on September 28, 2018, and at the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport in Balikpapan, which served as a staging airport for incoming aid. While the team in Palu were tasked with helping to manage incoming aid for further distribution to the survivors, volunteers in Balikpapan were responsible for coordinating the supply chain of aid transportation to Palu.
Carl Schelfhaut, GoHelp Manager, Asia Pacific, DPDHL Group said: “This deployment was unlike others as the DRT took on the unique role of managing the transportation of aid. As incoming relief goods needed to be ferried from Balikpapan to Palu, and emptied-out pallets in Palu needed to be returned to their respective organizations in Balikpapan, there was a need for a central coordinator for this process. This would ensure the right aid would get to Palu at the right time for onward distribution to those most in need.”
He continued: “The DRT would organize daily briefings with non-governmental organizations and national military forces to match available aid and returning pallets with the relevant aircraft. The team also had to confirm the corresponding flight itineraries with airport authorities. We are proud to have been entrusted with such important responsibilities and we are most heartened by the relief we bring to the quake survivors.”
Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL Group, commented: “Our company purpose is to connect people and improve their lives. Our DRT team comprises highly trained volunteers who provide logistical expertise to help coordinate the relief aid for further distribution to the victims in the speediest manner possible."
Agustina Tnunay (Rina), the Humanitarian Logistics Specialist of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), welcomed the DRT’s support. “The Centre works closely with government and non-governmental organizations in the area of disaster management and emergency response. During past emergency responses, the DRT’s expertise in removing bottlenecks at airports upon the sudden influx of relief supplies was highly valued. This latest deployment has shown that the DRT is also well placed to support civil military relations in response to natural disasters,” she said.
The DRTs are part of DPDHL Group's GoHelp disaster management program, which it has operated in partnership with the United Nations (UN) since 2005. Through this partnership, Deutsche Post DHL Group provides the UN and national disaster management agencies with pro bono access to its core logistics expertise, and the logistics skills of more than 500 specially-trained employee volunteers worldwide who can deploy within 72 hours after a natural disaster.
The DRTs have so far completed about 40 deployments following natural disasters in over 20 countries. The separate Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) initiative trains airport management in risk regions to be better prepared should disaster strike.
