International Lessons Learned in Disaster Response
What the U.S. Can Learn from Other Nations

Oliver R. Davidson
Consultant
Private-Public Partnerships for Disaster Reduction

October 10, 2007

DAMON COPPOLA

Damon Coppola is author of several emergency management academic and professional texts, including Introduction to International Disaster Management, Introduction to Homeland Security, and Introduction to Emergency Management. He is also co-author of two FEMA Emergency Management Institute publications, "Hazards Risk Management" and "Emergency Management Case Studies." As Senior Associate with the Washington, DC-based emergency management consulting firm Bullock & Haddow, LLC, Mr. Coppola has provided planning and technical assistance to emergency management organizations at the local, state, national, and international levels, and in both the nonprofit and private sectors. Mr. Coppola received his Masters in Engineering Management (MEM) degree in Crisis, Emergency, and Risk Management from the George Washington University.

OLLIE DAVIDSON

Ollie Davidson has over 25 years of experience in International and Domestic Emergency
Management with developed expertise in analyzing disaster needs, resolving complex
problems, identifying necessary resources and implementing workable solutions, including:

OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE, USAID
Directed 320 U.S. Government international relief operations, 1978-89, including Earthquakes (Mexico City, El Salvador, Armenia), Volcanic eruptions (Colombia, Indonesia, Philippines), six major Caribbean Hurricanes, etc. He developed International Search and Rescue Teams, expanded by FEMA.

INTERNATIONAL DISASTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, USAID
The Agency for International Development (USAID) organized the first "public-private" disaster partnership with business and industry, 1989 - 1994. As Executive Director, he developed and managed the advisory committee, consisting of major U.S. corporations, a labor representative and two universities. This initiative served to reduce vulnerability in five countries.

Current activities include:

• Senior Disaster Advisor, The Humane Society of the United States
• Director, In Kind Donations, American Red Cross national headquarters
• Business Disaster Advisor, Civic Leadership Center, US Chamber of Commerce
• World Bank, OECS Disaster Preparedness and Recovery, Caribbean
• Business Continuity Planner, CONTINUUM, INC., worldwide projects