SINGAPORE: November 2, 2018. Deutsche Post DHL's Disaster Response Team (DRT) has provided staff and logistics support to Indonesia to help in the aid efforts following September's earthquake in Palu, Sulawesi.

The Disaster Response Team (DRT) of Deutsche Post DHL (DPDHL) Group saw 26 DHL volunteers provide logistics support during relief efforts in Indonesia following a request of the government through BNPB (Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management) and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).

The volunteers together with members of the UN, facilitated logistics planning and operations across NGOs, airport authorities and military organizations during its latest DRT deployment, a first for the team. During the course of this deployment, the DRT facilitated the smooth processing and efficient flow of nearly 3,500 tonnes of relief goods.

On the ground, volunteers were split between operating on the runway of Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie airport in Palu, ground zero of the earthquake and tsunami which took place on September 28, 2018, and at the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Airport in Balikpapan, which served as a staging airport for incoming aid. While the team in Palu were tasked with helping to manage incoming aid for further distribution to the survivors, volunteers in Balikpapan were responsible for coordinating the supply chain of aid transportation to Palu.

Carl Schelfhaut, DPDHL GoHelp Manager, Asia Pacific said: “This deployment was unlike others as the DRT took on the unique role of managing the transportation of aid. As incoming relief goods needed to be ferried from Balikpapan to Palu, and emptied-out pallets in Palu needed to be returned to their respective organizations in Balikpapan, there was a need for a central coordinator for this process. This would ensure the right aid would get to Palu at the right time for onward distribution to those most in need.”

Agustina Tnunay, the Humanitarian Logistics Specialist of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) added: “The Centre works closely with government and non-governmental organizations in the area of disaster management and emergency response. During past emergency responses, the DRT’s expertise in removing bottlenecks at airports upon the sudden influx of relief supplies was highly valued. This latest deployment has shown that the DRT is also well placed to support civil military relations in response to natural disasters.”

The DRTs are part of DPDHL Group's GoHelp disaster management programme which it has operated in partnership with the UN since 2005.