E. General Checklist for All DART Members
1. Predeparture
1. Predeparture
1. Predeparture
Establish contact with your supervisor and receive a briefing on:
The latest situation status of the disaster.
DART objectives and priorities.
Scope of your assignment in the DART.
Organizational structure of the DART.
Visa and medical requirements.
Special equipment needs.
Functional staffing needs.
Travel arrangements and coordination with OFDA.
Security situation and safety precautions.
Check on availability of local maps.
Inform supervisor of in-country support needs.
Contact unit personnel, brief them, and ensure their preparedness.
Ensure that equipment is acquired, prepared, and ready for shipment.
Notify Embassy through cable of the type, amount, and serial numbers of all equipment being taken by the team into the affected country.
Review Individual Team Member and Team Support Checklists in Chapter I, "General Responsibilities and Information."
Leave family names and contact numbers with OFDA.
Leave family with power of attorney.
2. In Transit
2. In Transit
2. In Transit
Review briefing materials from supervisor, including:
USAID/Embassy disaster relief plan.
State Department background notes.
Disaster history.
Lessons learned from previous responses.
In-country contact list.
Maps.
3. In-Country
3. In-Country
3. In-Country
a. Immediate Actions
a. Immediate Actions
a. Immediate Actions
Discuss the following with your DART supervisor:
Response strategy.
Known cultural sensitivities of affected country.
Role of USAID/Embassy and affected country officials.
Initial work assignment.
Daily shift and briefing procedures, including time schedules.
Ordering and procurement procedures.
Property accountability.
Types of documentation required.
Reporting requirements by individual and team.
Media contact philosophy and procedures.
Policy on communicating with family members.
Perform an initial evaluation of the situation from your functional point of view.
Discuss the situation with the USAID/Embassy, local officials, other assisting country teams, and UN/PVOs/NGOs/IOs as appropriate.
Assess the affected country’s and other response organizations’ abilities to manage the situation.
Determine additional requirements (personnel, equipment, facilities, logistical support) and make recommendations to the supervisor.
Provide inputs to your supervisor for the operational planning.
Implement the operational plan.
b. Ongoing Actions
b. Ongoing Actions
b. Ongoing Actions
Contribute to the team’s operational planning process.
Provide leadership and technical guidance and resolve any coordination and personnel problems within your function.
Inform your supervisor and others of the current situation as needed, including:
Work accomplishments.
Inability to operate as planned.
Potential political problems.
Internal and external coordination problems.
Shortage or surplus of resources.
Accidents involving assigned resources.
Safety or security concerns.
Coordinate continuously as directed with the affected country’s local officials, USAID/Embassy, other response teams, and UN/PVOs/NGOs/IOs.
Record significant actions and events in the unit log each day, and submit it to your supervisor.
Constantly critique the operation of the function, and recommend changes to your supervisor.
Evaluate the ability of assigned resources to meet demands.
Review the need for replacement of supplies, equipment, and personnel. Request more of each as needed.
Identify evidence of public health problems.
Constantly monitor activities to ensure they are carried out safely.
Monitor team personnel for signs of critical-incident stress syndrome.
4. Demobilization
4. Demobilization
4. Demobilization
Review staffing and resource requirements, and recommend the release of excess personnel and equipment.
Coordinate demobilization with your supervisor and/or planning function.
Close out with the affected country and other cooperating organizations as necessary.
Close out with USAID/Embassy as necessary.
Account for all your equipment and supplies.
Prepare nonexpendable items for return shipment, including completion of customs documents.
Evaluate your function’s performance, including:
Lessons learned.
Individual performance of unit personnel.
Concerns.
Future training needs.
Recommended changes.
Submit all reports, evaluations, unit logs, and time records to your supervisor or the planning function.
Review the General Checklist for All DART Members (this section) and your position specific checklist (see sections F - K), and make recommendations.
Prepare for and participate in debriefings as requested.
Clean up your work area.
TOC:
Disaster Assistance Response Team
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