Together We Stand

[ 31 ] clutching first aid kits, calmly and efficiently separate the dead from the injured, treat the most severely hurt, and bring shock victims to safety before the ambulances arrive. None of those people are employees of Magen David Adom (MDA) 2 , Israel’s ambulance service; they are its dedicated and professional volun- teers — doctors, teachers, grocers by day and lifesavers when duty calls. Only 1,200 of MDA’s 14,000-strong workforce are paid staff. Its volunteers are trained to the same cutting-edge standards as the employees and undertake the same tasks. An Israeli who needs an emergency ambulance will be met by a highly trained and experienced paramedic, but will have no way of discerning whether this is an MDA employee or a volunteer. In fact, Rescuers without Borders 3 has trained journalists in first aid and emergency rescue procedures, as they are often among the first to come into contact with distressed populations. A unique operational model is the Israeli network of local resilience centres coordinated by the Israel Trauma Coalition, 4 which prepares municipalities for crises and helps them to cope with emergency situations in real time. It combines clinical response to individual psychotrauma, team training and support for care-giving volunteers and professionals, and coordination of emergency response plans in partnership with local municipalities. Flexible thinking is key. Disasters rarely appear as expected, and being drilled to respond to an exact formula becomes a liability when the real crisis conflicts with the planned-for scenario. Israeli organizations have discovered that, rather than teaching rigid responses, it is best to enhance leadership and resilience so a suitable response can be formulated to the specific challenge once the situation emerges. When conven- tional wisdom and pre-packaged formulas are bracketed in favour of creative responses by resourceful responders, inge- nuity can emerge from unlikely quarters. Israelis have become widely recognized for their improvisation, encouraging proac- tive and imaginative leadership in the face of a crisis. Israeli emergency response organizations have revolution- ized their thinking, advocating that chaos be managed instead of organized. Rather than organize stretchers into lines or ensure responders abide by strict hierarchy, the preferred approach is to jump into the situation and deal with it as one finds it. When a crisis breaks, MDA staff will head directly to the disaster scene and start acting. Creative approaches are also adopted to treat emotional harm inflicted by disasters. For example, Inspiration — Arts for Humanity 5 harnesses artistic expression, social activ- ism, leadership development and community engagement Image: Tag International Development Disasters affect individuals, families, communities, state, civil society and commerce – so disaster response needs to be comprehensive T ogether W e S tand