The last Logistics Cluster Logistics Response Team (LRT) Training took place at Punta della Contessa, Brindisi, from 16 – 22 April 2012, and was most generously sponsored by UPS.
This was the 11th emergency response simulation training that the Logistics Cluster and the Logistics Development Unit has conducted, since 2007, in order to train professional logisticians in the emergency response methodology of the Logistics Cluster and aims to improve the collaboration of the humanitarian community in future emergency operations.
The biannual LRT Training has been a winning success for the last four years; in total, 222 logisticians have participated in the 11 LRT Trainings, representing over 32 humanitarian organisations and 204 Senior Logisticians have participated as facilitators. This April, 22 participants that completed the LRT Training represented 20 humanitarian organisations.
The training began on the ominous Friday 13 April; before the two emergency response teams were despatched to the scene of the disaster they received a phone call from the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell, informing them of the earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, devastating the fictitious country ‘Brinland’, and wishing them a successful mission.
Despite the torrential rain for the first few days, activities ran smoothly in ‘Brinland’; The two teams worked flat out, collecting essential information to create the Concept of Operations, liaising with various organisations (played by facilitators) to ensure coordination and partnership and dealing with numerous requests for their provided services – all this in order to respond to the needs of the Logistics Cluster participants and ensure an efficient emergency response took place in ‘Brinland’.
The LRT Training is integral to the Logistics Cluster; not only as an opportunity to educate logisticians in the Logistics Cluster’s emergency response approach but it also acts as a fundamental platform for building and strengthening partnerships between WFP, the Logistics Cluster and all the humanitarian and private sector organisations that participate in and facilitate the training.