Hit the Ground Running

As an intern for the Emergency and Humanitarian Action Department at the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, my secret hope was that a very small, low-impact disaster might occur during my two-month stint.  Nothing involving casualties or extensive infrastructural damage. Just some small amount of flooding or a fire that could demonstrate how organizations like the WHO go about handling such an event.  To get real experience on the job. It didn’t seem too unrealistic, given our proximity to the Ring of Fire. Such a thought sounds silly and naïve in retrospect, only two weeks later. As any mother would tell you, “Be careful what you wish for.” 

Day 1: Arrive in the office at 7AM and begin monitoring for events, essentially a broad web search to see what is going on in the world. Earthquake in Vanuatu, no reported injuries or damages. Cyclone in the middle of the ocean. Typhoon heading toward Palau at alarming strength. Category 5. Oh… that might be something worth reporting to my bosses at the morning meeting. The typhoon managed to brush Palau, but gathered strength as it moved on toward southern Philippines.

Day 2: Typhoon Bopha hit the eastern coast of Mindanao at 4AM. Spent the day furiously searching for any kind of information about the event. No news is good news?

Days 3-4: Several deaths reported. Meeting with the WHO Country Office to determine course of action. Meeting with the Dept of Health cluster to coordinate among NGO partners. Still little news.

Days 5-14: News starts pouring in. 1000+ casualties. 200+ damaged health facilities. 200,000+ damaged homes. Entire villages washed away. Hundreds of thousands of evacuees. No power, water, or communication in the hardest hit areas. Missing fishermen. Reports of disease outbreak. $450M in damages.

A week ago, I sat at my desk around 4:30PM on a Friday, excited to get out early after a week of 12-hour days, even though I knew I’d still be working over the weekend. From the depths of the office I heard “Earthquake in Japan!” A quick Google search brought up the headline “Tsunami Warning Issued after Earthquake in Japan,” posted 20 minutes prior. It happened just off the coast hit by the March 2011 quake. “No no no no. Not now.  This is NOT happening,” I insisted, to no one in particular. My workmates hovered around to hear the details. Further inquiries found that the tsunami warning was for 50cm-2m. I began to laugh uncontrollably, both at my relief that it would likely have no impact and at the ridiculousness of the whole thing. I’ve found this is one field that if you don’t laugh and make light of the situation, you may just end up crying.

I am thankful for the strong leadership on the part of the WHO and my bosses, for their willingness to throw me into the situation, trusting me to report the most up-to-date information on which they can base their decisions.  My classmates in Boston are studying away, with finals beginning on Monday. I cannot fathom a more dissimilar scenario. The experience I am coming away with will serve me more than any course could. Learning not only how to react to disasters but also understanding teamwork, coordination, hierarchy, formalities, bureaucracy and government as it plays a role in health and emergencies is invaluable.

I rarely say that I am proud of something I have done, but my decision to come out here and to secure this internship is one time that I feel it is truly justified. While my boss had no intention of throwing me in the deep end quite so forcefully, the sink-or-swim scenario pushed me to work my hardest, make mistakes, ask questions, and trust my instincts. 

And I’ve still got another six weeks to go…