ABU brings broadcasters together for emergency warning training

The ABU partnered with ESCAP and UNESCO to help its regional broadcasters prepare for warning their citizens about developing disasters.

A workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) looked at The Role of Broadcasters in Emergency Warnings and Communications for Disaster Risk Reduction.

For two days, participants from Afghanistan, Iran, India, Maldives, Malaysia and Pakistan met to identify missing or weak links in chains of command for emergency warnings and communications before, during and after disasters.

They learned about end-to-end Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) for disaster warnings developed by international agencies since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Participants identified the need to develop their own Emergency Broadcast Plans linked to the SOPs of the Emergency Warning Centres and Disaster Management Authorities.

Work will also continue on educating their audiences on how to react to government alerts for disasters, as well as promoting and disseminating information on good practice for community awareness. 

The workshop was part of the ABU’s long-term campaign to integrate broadcasters into the national warning systems in the region.