Sunara Fernando has been responsible for the set up and coordination of international emergency operations in response to pandemic influenza, cyclones, conflict, drought, floods, Earthquake and cholera. She has worked in Cambodia, Myanmar, Sudan and Haiti for Oxfam, CARE, UNICEF, World Health Organisation and International Organisation for Migration. Sunara has worked in public health and water, sanitation and hygiene, mitigation, vector and
waste control (WASH). Sunara will present her perspectives on operations and community engagement in emergencies in developing countries and the differences and similarities to practices in NSW.

In international response environments, community engagement does not operate as a separate unit but is part of the minimum standard in operations. Emergency response is measured against international standards for each functional area (including WASH, health, shelter, protection), utilise an all hazards approach and are coordinated by a UN agency. Community engagement is not an add-on but the basic foundation for operations.

Whilst there are similar challenges in making action-oriented staff engage with the community in a meaningful and productive way, the success of an international operation is based on outcomes and community engagement is seen as the conduit for achieving outcomes. Loss of life and property is on a large scale, often in isolated areas with poor infrastructure. The community are seen as the first responders and emergency services aim for community self-reliance, build on existing community structures and ideally make themselves redundant.

NSW RFS will incorporate international principles into its community engagement approach, considering concepts such as Do No Harm, harm minimisation, Ottawa Charter, learned helplessness, social marketing, international charters and standards. Community development will also be briefly outlined.

Sunara will provide examples of operations in Haiti where communities were engaged and operational outcomes achieved by a combination of functional area coordination, community development, policy-making and staff, institutional and structural capacity building.