The Disaster Response Teams support the UN System and the international community's relief efforts, by providing logistical expertise for the incoming shipments of relief goods. They help to ensure an uninterrupted and effective relief supply chain, at the airport closest to the scene of major sudden-onset natural disaster.

How to activate the DRT:

please contact the Logistics Support Unit (LSU)  at lsu@un.org.

 

• Organization of the transfer of incoming relief goods from aircraft pallets to standard wooden pallets
• Set-up and management of a professional warehouse at the airport, including the sorting and inventoring of goods
• Organization of the loading of relief goods on to the vehicles for onward transportation.

Period of deployment

The DRT can be deployed to a crisis area within four days for a period of two to three weeks. By that point in time, the initial surge of international charter aircraft bringing in aid supplies has normally decreased to a manageable level for the airport authorities and their local partners.

Composition of the teams

Each team consists of a pool of about 80 specially-trained DHL experts at its respective home base, who, in addition to their normal jobs at DHL, have volunteered to take part in the Disaster Response Teams' humanitarian work. Fifteen members of the team are present at any time during the deployment. Team members usually work with local DHL employees and additional helpers in twelve-hour shifts.

Equipment