ACTIVITY AFTER
ACTION REPORT
Guatemala City and
Zacapa, Guatemala
1 Iris Relief PO Box 845 Buffalo Gap, TX 79508 [email protected]
Activity After-Action Report
Iris Relief
Executive Summary
From July 25 to August 11, 2019, Iris Relief deployed a team of 8 ministry members and 12 volunteers to Guatemala to provide Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to representatives from the surrounding region and to participate in a Watts of Love outreach in the Zacapa Region of Guatemala.
Dates July 25 – Aug 11, 2019
Location
Guatemala City and the Zacapa Region of Guatemala
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Activity After-Action Report
History
Since 2017, Iris Relief (IR) has partnered with Casa de Dios to provide Community Emergency Response Team training at the church facility in Guatemala City. Prior to this training event, over 200 Guatemalan citizens have been CERT certified. Students have included members of the community, municipality employees, National Police and members of the Guatemalan Military. This fourth training event marks the first training conducted under the newly formed, non- governmental organization (NGO) United Response Alliance (URA), which represents many organizations including ZAKA Search and Rescue from Israel.
Partners United Rescue Alliance Iris Relief Watts of Love Casa De Dios
Team Details Iris Relief staff and volunteers began arriving in Guatemala on July 25, 2019. The trip was led by Lauren Hassell and Jace Johnson and supported by Rick Cutler, Kristen West, Joe Martin, and Jennifer Baldridge. The supporting staff and 16 volunteers representing South Africa, Australia, and the United States totaled 21.
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Activity After-Action Report
Action of Service The time in Guatemala had two main objectives. The first week in Guatemala City was devoted to conducting the CERT training for the volunteers, some of whom were continuing the journey with Iris Relief from Mozambique earlier in the month, and additional students representing Guatemala, El Salvador, South Africa, Australia, and the United States. The class included a total of 55 students from five different countries. With the completion of the class, over 250 students have now been trained in Guatemala.
All present at the FEMA Basic CERT training received material and hands- on practical application in a classroom setting, and final simulation the following areas; • Importance of disaster preparedness and preparation • Functionality within a team during disaster deployment. • Utility and Fire safety. Fire suppression practical • Disaster Medical Operations- treating burns, wounds, cuts, stopping bleeding, treating shock, safe carries, head to toe assessments, etc. • Search and Rescue- cribbing exercises, debris removal, triage. • Disaster Psychology (Spiritual and emotional care/ chaplaincy.) • Emergency Management Organization- how to operate with local/ state/ region/ national government authorities, churches, non-profits, and legal entities, in time of crisis. • What to do in a terrorist situation • Tools for leadership success- styles of leadership, ways of communication, character building, operating in structure with authority, and team dynamics.
During this time, our students had the opportunity to visit ground zero in Escuintla, where just a year before, Volcan Fuego erupted and destroyed numerous families and caused many injuries, and fatalities. Our team had the opportunity to hear testimonies of survivors while we visited the new community center in New Jerusalem with ENCA and Humanitarian Coalition.
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Activity After-Action Report
During the second week in Guatemala, a total of 19 IR staff and volunteers were able to partner with 6 Watts of Love (WOL) staff and volunteers to provide LED lamps to rural, mountainous farming communities, near the Guatemala/ Honduran border, that do not have access to electricity. The mission of Watts of Love is to reach people living without electricity, most of whom rely on dangerous, toxic, and expensive kerosene as their primary source of light. WOL offers free access to solar lighting, providing an opportunity to increase household income, improve health, enhance child development, and help start people on the pathway to prosperity. We had the opportunity to partner with WOL to provide lights to more than 300 families.
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Activity After-Action Report
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Activity After-Action Report
Testimonies
The 2019 United Rescue Alliance and Iris Relief FEMA CERT Guatemala class of 55!
“We are so proud of the youth who participated in this CERT training! Well done! You are the next generation!”
--Iris Relief Facebook Page
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Activity After-Action Report
“We visited an amazing community today and gifted the families with sustainable energy with Watts of Love solar lights! These lights brought joy and smiles to each face.”
--Iris Relief Facebook Page
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