WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK FOR EMERGENCY FIELD OPERATIONS EHA/FIELD/99.1 Original English Distr.: Limited HANDBOOK FOR EMERGENCY FIELD OPERATIONS Acknowledgements The authors and editorial team (Stephen Bertrand, Sandro Colombo, Xavier Leus and Alessandro Loretti) would like to acknowledge the reference material, assistance and encouragement given by the following: Paul Acriviadis, Richard Alderslade, Andy Andreas, Tina Coleman-Appiah, Shigeki Asahi, Fabrizio Bassani, Angelo Belli, Frank and Ros Bertrand, Robin Biellik, Diego Buriot, Brandt Burkholder, Ildo Carvalho, Louisa Chan, Youcef Chellouche, Vincenzo Ciafré, Maire Connolly, Rosario D’Alessio, Danielle Deboutte, Claude De Ville Goyet, Pat Diskett, Rodger Doran, Jose Echevarria, Antonio Esteves, Cesare Forni, Gilles Forte, Magnus Grabe, Robin Gray, Robert Hagan, Heywote Hailemeskal, Laura Hammond, Laura Hawkins, Charlie Higgins, Paul Howard, ICRC, Randolph Kent, Peter King, Etsuko Kita, Adriaan Korver, Eliane Kristensen, Johanna Larusdottir, Laura Londen, Jean-Paul Menu, Dominique Metais, Luigi Migliorini, Najibullah Mojadiddi, MSF, Enrique Munoz, Gabriel Mweluko, Evaristo Njelesani, Eric Noji, Mastaneh Notz, Peter McAleese, OCHA, Enrico Pavignani, Pierre Perrin, Francoise Hery-Persin, Jean-Luc Poncelet, Gulam Popal, Garry Presthus, Trish Prosser, Margareta Rubin, Rino Scuccato, Archena Shah, Khalid Shibib, Rumishael Shoo, Luzitu Simao, Antonio Sitoi, Idrissa Sow, Julia Stuckey, Ganesan Sundaram, Daniel Tarantola, Yonas Tegegn, Nerayo Teklemichael, Jan Theunissen, Michel Thieren, Mike Toole, UNHCR, USAID, UNSECOORD, Stephan Van Dam, Hannu Vuori, WFP, Hillary Wild, Brad Woodruff, and Nevio Zagaria, Disclaimer “This document is not issued to the general public, and all rights are reserved by the World Health Organization (WHO). The document may not be reviewed, abstracted, quoted, reproduced or translated, in part or in whole, without the prior written permission of WHO. No part of this document may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical or other – without the prior written permission of WHO. “The views expressed in documents by named authors are solely the responsibility of those authors.” Table of Contents LIST OF ANNEXES ....................... 2 STARTING THE OPERATIONS .. 30 INTRODUCTION............................ 1 4.1 OPTIONS FOR ACTION .....................................30 4.2 IDENTIFYING PARTNERS................................31 AUDIENCE ...................................................................1 A. NATIONAL PARTNERS ............................................ 31 PURPOSE ....................................................................1 B. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS ................................ 32 CONTENTS...................................................................2 4.3 COORDINATION ................................................32 READINESS .................................. 4 A. UNITED NATIONS..................................................... 33 1.1 MISSION READINESS..........................................4 B. GOVERNMENT........................................................... 33 C. NGOS AND OTHERS ................................................. 34 1.2 WHAT TO CARRY ALONG.................................5 4.4 PLANNING...........................................................36 A. PERSONAL ITEMS....................................................... 5 A. THE MASTER PLAN FOR HEALTH RELIEF ......... 36 B. OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT .................................... 6 B. THE PLANS OF ACTION........................................... 38 C. ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTATION ............................... 6 4.5 MOBILISING RESOURCES ...............................39 1.3 ESSENTIAL BRIEFINGS ......................................7 A. EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE - THE UN GETTING TO THE FIELD.............. 8 CONSOLIDATED APPEAL ............................................ 39 B. LOCAL RESOURCE MOBILIZATION..................... 40 2.1 DEPARTURE..........................................................8 4.6 RECRUITING.......................................................43 2.2 ARRIVAL................................................................9 2.3 FIRST CONTACTS ................................................9 RUNNING THE OPERATIONS .... 46 2.4 FIRST ASSESSMENTS .......................................10 5.1 ESTABLISHING AND RUNNING A A. ASSESSING THE SITUATION AND THE TRENDS10 SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ......................................46 B. ASSESSING NEEDS ................................................... 11 5.2 MANAGING THE INFORMATION...................50 C. ASSESSING RESOURCES ......................................... 11 A. THE USE OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION ............ 50 D. LOOKING FOR INFORMATION .............................. 12 B. ESTABLISHING YOUR FILING SYSTEM .............. 51 2.5 THE MEDIA .........................................................14 5.3 ESTABLISHING THE OPERATIONS ROOM ..52 PREPARING FOR THE A. MAPS............................................................................ 52 B. CHARTS....................................................................... 52 OPERATIONS.............................. 16 C. USING THE OPERATIONS ROOM .......................... 56 3.1 INFORMATION NEEDED ..................................16 5.4 FIELD TRIPS........................................................56 3.2 SETTING UP AN OFFICE...................................17 5.5. REPORTING.........................................................57 3.3 STAFF 17 A. INTERNAL REPORTING........................................... 58 RECRUITMENT............................................................... 18 B. EXTERNAL REPORTING.......................................... 59 3.4 PROCUREMENT .................................................19 5.6 OTHER OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.61 A. LOCAL PROCUREMENT .......................................... 20 A. PROVIDING SERVICES TO YOUR PARTNERS.... 61 B. EXTERNAL PROCUREMENT................................... 21 B. SECURITY................................................................... 62 C. STANDARDIZATION AND COMPATIBILITY....... 21 C. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION ...................... 62 D. FURNITURE ................................................................ 22 D. NATIONAL STAFF..................................................... 63 E. OFFICE EQUIPMENT................................................. 22 E. 'LATERAL' ASSISTANCE.......................................... 63 F. VEHICLES.................................................................... 22 F. COMMUNICATIONS.................................................. 63 3.5 CUSTOMS ............................................................22 G. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS................ 63 CLEARING AND FORWARDING PROCEDURES...... 22 H. SUPPORTING HEALTH COORDINATION INSURANCE CLAIMS .................................................... 24 AT SUB-NATIONAL LEVEL.................................... 63 3.6 ASSET TRACKING .............................................24 I. DEVELOPING MANUALS.......................................... 64 3.7 FINANCE..............................................................24 PHASING OFF ............................. 66 A. BANK ACCOUNT....................................................... 24 6.1 PHASING OFF .....................................................66 B. WHERE THERE IS NO BANK................................... 25 C. THE IMPREST ACCOUNT......................................... 25 6.2 EVALUATION .....................................................68 D. ESTIMATING MONTHLY EXPENDITURES.......... 26 6.3 PREPARING FOR YOUR DEPARTURE...........72 E. ESTIMATING THE LEVEL OF THE IMPREST 6.4 RETURN TO REGIONAL OFFICE ....................73 ACCOUNT ........................................................................ 26 A. PLANNING FOR YOUR RETURN............................ 73 3.8 COMMUNICATIONS ..........................................27 B. FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ................................ 74 BRIEF OVERVIEW.......................................................... 27 C. PERSONAL ADMINISTRATION.............................. 75 POSSIBLE ACTIONS....................................................... 28 LIST OF ANNEXES ANNEX.1 ANNEX. 2 PERSONNEL TECHNICAL NOTES MISSION READINESS CHECKLISTS CHOLERA DIAGNOSTIC KIT STAFF PLAN EPIDEMIC RESPONSE KIT PART A & B STAFF ISSUES ITALIAN EMERGENCY KIT RULES AND TESTS FOR DRIVERS REFERENCE VALUES FOR RAPID HEALTH JOB DESCRIPTIONS ASSESSMENT IN AFRICA ATTENDANCE RECORDS SAMPLE FORMS FOR COORDINATION I AND II REQUEST FOR CONSULTANT SAMPLE FORM FOR HEALTH SURVEILLANCE MISCELLANEOUS PERSONNEL FORMS SUMMARY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS GUIDELINES FOR SUPPLIERS NOTES ON POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DRUG DONORS GUIDELINES SPECIAL CONTRACTS METRIC CONVERSION TABLES WHO MANUAL II.19 PRICE LIST OF KITS UN STAFF COUNSELLING RAPID EPIDEMIC RESPONSE KIT WHO GENERAL PRICE LIST LOGISTIC INFORMATION ON KITS PISA WAREHOUSE SAMPLE: HEALTH CARD/MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT/MORTALITY RATE ANNEX. 3 ANNEX. 4 SECURITY INFORMATION AND EMERGENCY PHASES DOCUMENTATION SECURITY CLEARANCES REQUEST/FORMS ESSENTIAL READINGS PERSONAL AND TEAM SECURITY UN AGENCIES AND INTERNATIONAL STAFF RADIO CALL SIGNS ORGANISATIONS CROSS BORDER PROCEDURES CONTACTS LANDMINES WEB SITES OF INTEREST STRESS MEDICAL EVACUATION PROCEDURES DEATH OF A COLLEAUGUE COMMUNICATIONS ANNEX. 5 MISCELLANEOUS SELECTING AND RENTING THE OFFICE FURNITURE CHECKLIST FORMS AND CONTRACTS