Seminar on application of engineering in emergency humanitarian context

Date, time & venue 
2010-11-24;6:30pm - 7:30pm;Seminar Room B1 & B2, HKIE Headquarters

Programme Highlights

When a disaster strikes, there will be injuries and loss of lives, damage to property and infrastructure, and the survivors are probably left without adequate shelter, food, water and other necessities to sustain life. The International Red Cross has been dedicated to responding to disasters. Personnel in various professions have played inevitably important role in disaster response. The seminar highlights the humanitarian work of the International Red Cross, and how engineering professionals could be involved in the emergency humanitarian context.

Speaker

Ms. Eva Lam is a pharmacist by profession and holds a Master Degree in Public Health, specialized in Global Health sector. She joined Hong Kong Red Cross as Senior Health Coordinator since mid 2007. Eva oversees Hong Kong Red Cross’s international medical relief services and development of professional volunteers for international disaster relief. As the service manager, she is responsible for disaster equipment planning and development, training of professional volunteers, mobilization of relief resources, as well as providing technical advice to disaster health programs.

Ir Dr. Albert Ko (BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD, MHKIE) is a professional mechanical engineer and an honorary assistant professor at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Hong Kong. Dr. Ko has also been serving as a volunteer in the international humanitarian sector since 2000. His belief in humanity and volunteerism has been widely disseminated among the younger generation in his capacity as a Senior Student Advisor at the Centre of Development and Resources for Students, University of Hong Kong. Dr. Ko has been serving as volunteer engineer in long term relief projects such as the Southern Sudan civil war and Uzbekistan during 9/11. He has also been involved in emergency response missions in South-Asia Tsunami, Pakistan Earthquake, and Sichuan earthquake.

Lanuage

The seminar will be conducted in Cantonese. Slides will contain English description.

Registration and Enquiries

The seminar is free of charge. Prior registration is required. Please send registration note and enquiry to Ir S. S. Kong(T)3556-3001 (E)shuisun.kong@gammonconstruction.com

Report

Mr. Martin TAM

How can an engineer contribute in a disaster aftermath? – This was the main topic discussed with experience sharing in the seminar held on 24^th November 2010 at HKIE headquarters.

When a disaster takes place, injuries, loss of lives, damage to properties and infrastructure would happen; and those who luckily survive would often lose their shelter and are left without adequate food and water. The International Red Cross has been dedicated to responding to disasters. The speakers, two active volunteers in the international humanitarian sector, Ms. Eva Lam and Dr. Albert Ko, had kindly introduced the work of the International Red Cross and shared with us their frontline experience.

Eva explained the organization and work of the International Red Cross in emergency relief work. From the brief introduction, we understand that engineers could take part in many aspects of emergency relief assistance. This may include providing expertise in water sourcing and sanitation, designing temporary shelters for victims, installing temporary telecommunication devices, and many other aspects that one may think of.

Eva further explained the way to join the Red Cross; the commitment one had to make when became a volunteer. “Once you are enrolled as a volunteer, you will have to always be prepared to leave home for rescue missions”, Eva told us. “But certainly you will find this very meaningful.”

Albert then shared with us a lot of his experience and feelings in many of his past emergency relief missions. Albert had been participating in many missions since 2000, such as relief works in the Southern Sudan civil war, South-Asia Tsunami, Pakistan Earthquake and Sichuan earthquake. “People would have very high expectation of engineers. As long as it is not a duty of doctors and nurses, people would expect you to help, sometimes even fixing a radio or cooking a meal!” From his kind sharing, we could feel his passion in being a professional volunteer.

Our audience had shown great response to the speakers. In the end of the sharing, the organizing committee gave a vote of thanks to the speakers for their wonderful sharing.

Photographs of the event