Australian volunteers to help Dominican Republic deal with disasters

Santo Domingo.- The Economy Ministry on Wednesday announced the addition of two Australian volunteers who’ll assist the country in disaster risk management and to develop local responses systems to natural disasters.

Mary Estrella Melero, who will be in the National Emergency Commission and Karen Barns, assigned to the NGO Habitat for Humanity were introduced at a ceremony in the National Palace by José Ronaldo Torres, Deputy minister for the. International Cooperation Monitoring Dept. directed

Melero Star will help the National Emergency Commission improve vulnerability mapping for communities to reduce disaster risk, particularly for the populated arras along the Yuna river’s lower basin.

Torres said they will also develop tools to empower communities and train personnel to develop vulnerability maps by hand or with the help of software.

For her part, Karen Barns will support Habitat for Humanity to provide assistance in developing a strategy for local response to disasters and increase the capacity of communities to undertake construction activities on risk management and mitigation.

In a statement, the Economy Ministry added that both volunteers will be providing services in those areas for a period of two years. “They are the second group of six volunteers who will arrive in the country during 2013.”