Staff members of the Global CDMHA have established contacts worldwide in the areas of disaster management, health, and terrorism counter-action, preparedness and planning. Our contacts range from high-ranking government officials, to the local first responders providing direct assistance. Through this unique relationship, the Global CDMHA has assisted nations in developing and reviewing plans, conducting research and assisting with disaster mitigation measures.

 

 

 

Hazards, whether natural or man-made, are sources of damage to both the human and the natural environments. The vulnerabilities of the communities throughout the world to a wide range of hazards from hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding and drought, to civil unrest, famine, displacement and terrorism, is well documented by the media on a yearly basis.

 

 

 

The Global CDMHA at USF works collaboratively with Dr. Robin R. Murphy, Director of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), a perceptual robotic laboratory at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa. She is also the Director for the Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue (CRASAR) at USF, and leads the CRASAR Rescue Robot Response Team, the only such team in the world.

 

 

 

The Global-CDMHA is currently offering training in Disaster Management to members of the Venezuelan Civil Defense in the state of Carabobo as well as to the Fire Department in the state of Merida. The state of Aragua has recently requested that the Global-CDMHA offer the same training to their community and discussions are currently underway to plan for the extension of the program to this area of the country. The workshops currently offered have been made possible by funds provided by PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) and the Global-CDMHA.