WFP honours its emergency response team in Dubai
UAE-based UN team celebrates 20 years of delivering humanitarian aid to the affected
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) yesterday celebrated 20 years of selfless service by one of its teams of unsung heroes, for being the first on the scene during natural disasters, conflicts, wars to facilitate delivery of aid.
The team, called Fast IT and Telecommunications Emergency and Support Team or FITTEST, is the first group of people deployed during emergencies to set up critical communication lines to so aid could be delivered.
Rehan Asad, WFP Chief of Staff, said FITTEST’s role in the field is crucial.
“Communication is at the heart of the response in any emergency. Before any support starts, it’s critical to set up communication lines first. FITTEST, to me, is an absolute critical part of our emergency ■ response,” Asad said during the celebration at the International Humanitarian City (IHC).
Over the last two decades, the WFP FITTEST team has been deployed to some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts, providing life-saving communications through more than 1,500 missions in more than 130 countries.
Since disasters strike, having responders such as the FITTEST team is important. Some of them were recognised in the ceremony like Michael Dirksen who received the FITTEST Resilience Award.
Dirksen, senior ICT emergency coordinator of FITTEST, was injured in 2003 while deployed in Baghdad when a suicide bomber drove a truck full of explosives to the UN headquarters that killed 22 humanitarians.
Also recognised for his contribution was Peter Casier who received the FITTEST Award of Honour and Dane Novarlic with the FITTEST Spirit Award.