AMEND CONTENT

4.2 Mobilising the Country Office Emergency Response Team (ERT)/redeploying existing CO staff to the emergency

The first step in selecting emergency personnel is to consider the staff capacity and resources available in the CO (where one exists) where an emergency response is activated.

Mobilising existing CO personnel requires the CO to have undertaken a range of preparedness measures (refer to Chapter 37 Emergency preparedness planning), including:

  • conducting a HR capacity and gap analysis
  • identifying and training existing staff to form the Emergency Response Team
  • formulating a mobilisation plan for the ERT
  • obtaining agreement in advance for potential redeployment from the line manager and staff member concerned
  • considering contingency planning and backfilling strategies to cover ongoing work when staff is transferred to the emergency.

Annex 21.10      Human resources capacity and gap analysis template

Checklist

  • Confirm which staff are required for the emergency operation.
  • Request their release from the line manager and staff member concerned (preferably this will have been agreed in advance or ultimately be mandated by the Country Director).
  • Obtain authorisation from the donor if this transfer is to be paid by project. The line manager may request the authorisation of the donor where necessary.
  • Identify a strategy to backfill – ie. replace the normal work of the staff member who may be assigned to the emergency environment.
  • Organise a contract variation for the staff member as necessary.
  • Notify Country Office payroll department of any changes to salary/benefits.
  • Notify the Country Office finance department of changes made to ensure expenses and salary are correctly coded for the duration of the emergency assignment.
  • Request staff to complete an updated Record of emergency data (RED) form.
  • Issue a CARE identification card.
  • Monitor internal travel movements of emergency staff by using the Duty travel form.
  • Provide the staff member with a safety and security briefing appropriate to their assignment.
  • Provide available and relevant written materials on the emergency environment and programme activities-for example, sitreps, programme summary sheets, etc.
  • Inform the staff member of any personal supplies or team equipment that they should travel with-for example, laptop computer, radios, etc.-and make sure they are informed of any restrictions that may be applied to specific items.
  • If the staff member is travelling from one country location to another and will be crossing international borders, please refer to Annex 23.11 Pre-departure/deployment checklist, to ensure all actions in the deployment process are met.

Annex 23.12        Record of emergency data form
Annex 23.13        ID card-template
Annex 23.14        Duty travel form