MapAction (UK) Operation in Pakistan
It has been possible to deploy initial MapAction staff to Islamabad within hours of the disaster on 8th October. These were followed by a full mapmaking team to work closely with the UN on 11th October.
MapAction volunteers Nigel Woof and Nick McWilliam flew to Islamabad on the evening of the 8 October and have been asked by the UN to provide spatial information support within the UN On-Site Operations and Coordination Centre (UN OSOCC) in Islamabad. Over the past year MapAction has trained with OSOCC personnel and instructed on many of their courses and so integration into the OSOCC is straight forward.
At the UN’s request MapAction is flying out additional volunteers this evening (11 October) to man the cell. David Spackman, MapAction’s Director together with volunteers Kathrin Renner, Geoff Dart and Phil Bridges leave on tonight’s flight and others are on standby to reinforce as necessary. Nick and Nigel have also met with two local people at the World Food Programme offices that have a GIS capability and they have agreed to work with MapAction in the OSOCC. Their equipment including large format plotters and data will be a great help.
Today, MapAction is helping with setting up the new OSOCC in Islamabad and creating the first sets of information overlays showing the general orientation of the affected area to assist the work of the rescue teams and assist them to prepare for the relief phase. Much will be ready for the UN information manager when he arrives from New York on Wednesday.
Source: MapAction
MapAction volunteers Nigel Woof and Nick McWilliam flew to Islamabad on the evening of the 8 October and have been asked by the UN to provide spatial information support within the UN On-Site Operations and Coordination Centre (UN OSOCC) in Islamabad. Over the past year MapAction has trained with OSOCC personnel and instructed on many of their courses and so integration into the OSOCC is straight forward.
At the UN’s request MapAction is flying out additional volunteers this evening (11 October) to man the cell. David Spackman, MapAction’s Director together with volunteers Kathrin Renner, Geoff Dart and Phil Bridges leave on tonight’s flight and others are on standby to reinforce as necessary. Nick and Nigel have also met with two local people at the World Food Programme offices that have a GIS capability and they have agreed to work with MapAction in the OSOCC. Their equipment including large format plotters and data will be a great help.
Today, MapAction is helping with setting up the new OSOCC in Islamabad and creating the first sets of information overlays showing the general orientation of the affected area to assist the work of the rescue teams and assist them to prepare for the relief phase. Much will be ready for the UN information manager when he arrives from New York on Wednesday.
Source: MapAction
Angelo Embuldeniya at 6:41 pm |
Background: During the tsunami aftermath of December 2004 MapAction volunteered in Sri Lanka at CNO (Center for National Operations) and assisted relief/aid organizations there with many useful GIS resources and produced. Their maps were also made available by the SEA EAT - TsunamiHelp Wiki team for usage by aid organizations and search and resuce teams.