Uwe Reischl presented a three-day workshop on the topic of public health disaster preparedness planning July 19-21 in Ica, Peru. The workshop was sponsored jointly by the Universidad Alas Peruanas and the Peru Medical Association in Ica. Reischl presented information on international disaster preparedness planning strategies, and hazard and vulnerability assessment methods, and reviewed organizational structures enabling local participation in disaster planning and recovery efforts. The workshop focused specifically on earthquake events relevant to Peru. Workshop participants included physicians, police, firefighters, local government officials, hospital administrators and university public health faculty.
As part of the workshop outcome, the participants developed recommendations for the establishment of local alliances among schools, churches, service organizations, small businesses, libraries and women’s organizations to create networks that will be capable of implementing family oriented relief and support activities when centralized government response efforts are inadequate to meet the humanitarian needs of a local community. The Universidad Alas Peruanas has reached out to Boise State University to explore the potential of future collaboration in addressing international public health issues.