By Precious D. Freeman
The Liberia National Red Cross Society (LNRCS) has successfully completed a two-day intensive “Early Warning for All” (EW4ALL) National-Level Training on disaster preparedness and response.
Held in Montserrado County, the training aimed to strengthen the capacity of emergency responders, government officials, disaster managers, and media personnel to improve Liberia’s disaster management efforts.
Speaking at the opening and closing sessions, Head of Programs at LNRCS, Christopher Johnson who represented Secretary-General Gregory Blamoh, expressed gratitude to participants for their active engagement.
“This training is critical because disaster management in Liberia is everyone’s responsibility. The knowledge gained here will only be valuable if applied in the various sectors represented government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and the media,” Johnson emphasized.
He urged stakeholders involved in the Early Warning for All initiative to remain committed to strengthening Liberia’s disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.
Participants received training in various areas, including: Disaster preparedness management, Risk assessment and early warning mechanisms, psychosocial support, Community engagement and Rehabilitation and resilience-building.
Delivering remarks, Director for Emergency Response and Recovery at the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Augustine Kollie, emphasized the importance of inter-agency coordination for effective disaster response.
“Coordination is key in disaster preparedness and response. Agencies such as the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, the Liberia National Red Cross Society, and the National Disaster Management Agency must work together to ensure a comprehensive and effective disaster management strategy,” Kollie stated.
He commended LNRCS for organizing the training, describing it as a “vital initiative that strengthens coordination and deepens understanding of disaster management components.”
Kollie elaborated on key aspects of disaster management, highlighting the importance of risk assessments and early warning systems (EWS).
Risk assessment involves identifying potential hazards and analyzing their likelihood and impact.
Early warning systems detect and communicate imminent threats, allowing people to take preventative action before disasters strike.
He explained that risk assessments use methodologies such as qualitative, quantitative, and semi-quantitative approaches, with tools like: Risk matrices, Decision trees, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and the Bowtie model.
These tools help prioritize risks based on their likelihood and impact, enabling targeted early warnings.
Kollie further described an effective early warning system as an integrated process involving: Disaster risk knowledge through systematic data collection and assessments.
Monitoring, analysis, and forecasting of hazards, dissemination of timely, accurate warnings by official sources, preparedness and response planning to ensure appropriate action is taken.
“An end-to-end, people-centered early warning system ensures that communities receive timely and actionable warnings to reduce disaster risks before hazardous events occur,” he added.
Meanwhile, participants applauded LNRCS and its partners for organizing the training and urged that such capacity-building initiatives continue in the future.
The “Early Warning for All” training aligns with the global initiative to ensure that every community has access to life-saving early warning systems by 2027. The Liberia National Red Cross Society remains committed to enhancing disaster response efforts by equipping key stakeholders with the skills and knowledge needed to mitigate risks and respond effectively to emergencies.