When major disasters strike, it takes at least 24-48 hours for professional responders to reach, assess and react to risks. Other factors may further delay emergency response; infrastructural damage may limit accessibility, damage across expansive areas may wear responders thin, and interagency coordination may present logistic complications. In the aftermath of disaster, affected communities are alone and at their most vulnerable.

The onus of disaster response in the first 24-48 hours, thus, falls upon members of affected communities. In Ayutthaya, community leaders in flood vulnerable areas have realized this reality and have elected to take the Community Action for Disaster Response (CADRE) training course offered by ADPC. The course aims to empower community members with skills to effectively deal with a wide range of emergency situations.“In my community floods are an annual occurrence,” states Somporn Boonporm from Bang Ban District in Ayutthaya. Mr. Boonporm is currently a member of the Nam Tao Sub-District management, in Bang Ban. “However, in my lifetime I have never seen flooding as bad as that in 2011. It must have been the worst instance of flooding in my community in 70-80 years.”

Mr. Boonporm is among the community leaders that chose to participate in the 3 day CADRE training course at the Center for Army Air Defense in Wangnoi, Ayutthaya. It has been a particularly hot day in Ayutthaya, Mr. Banlerd is still sweating from the training and his eyes are slightly glazed. In his arms he is holding an orange hard hat, a requirement of the CADRE training.

“It’s been hard work, but I’ve learned many important skills I could have used in 2011,” Mr. Boonporm continues, “Today we’ve practiced basic emergency medical treatment, CPR, dead body management, collapsed building evacuation, fire emergency management and water rescue. I feel more confident that in the future I will be prepared.”

The objective of the CADRE training course is to continue building the capacity of community leaders like Mr. Boonporm, so that they may pass those skills on to other members of the community. CADRE teaches community leaders to be prepared for complex and volatile disaster situations.