The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department has emphasised the importance of capacity building, innovation, knowledge sharing, and technology-driven rescue operations in disaster management.
Speaking at the inaugural symposium of the International Association of Emergency Managers in Abuja on Tuesday, the acting Director General of FEMD, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, highlighted the need for emergency responders to adapt to emerging challenges.
“In the past, we prepared for river or flash flooding during the rainy season, but now we have to contend with building collapse, drought, and suicide attempts,” Wenegieme said.
“I hope this symposium will come up with a methodology to handle these emerging challenges in the country,” she added.
The pioneer Director-General of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Abbas Garba, while speaking at the event, stated that disaster response is a multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, and multi-agency issue.
“Multi-agency activities require networking to share information, expertise, and resources,” he said.
In his paper, “Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, and Collaboration: A Multi-Agency Approach for Effective/Efficient Disaster Management Across Africa,” Abbas argued that understanding these key elements would enable emergency managers to work more effectively and efficiently in responding to disasters and minimizing the impact on communities across Africa.
The symposium aimed to bring together emergency management professionals to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices in disaster management.