An orientation forum for candidates to the Saudi Humanitarian Emergency Aid and Response Team (Saudi HEART) started on 2 March 2014 in Riyadh. Eighty semi-final candidates attended the three-day orientation, after which Saudi Red Crescent Authority and representatives from Asian Disaster Preparedness Center selected sixty persons to serve on the team.
Saudi Red Crescent Authority, with support from ADPC will build the capacity of Saudi HEART to provide emergency response to disasters in Saudi Arabia and to assist in international disaster humanitarian response.
The two-year program includes courses on disaster management, emergency response, incident command system and disaster risk communication. The topics will also cover public health in emergencies, logistics, shelter management, relief, gender radio communication and information management as well as numerous simulation exercises.
The training of the Saudi HEART team starts on 13 April 2014.