Chairman of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society Khaled AlMughamis affirmed on Sunday that strengthening national preparedness and instilling a culture of prevention are fundamental to protecting lives, reducing disaster risks, and building more resilient and recovering communities.
He made these remarks, during a celebration held by the Society to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, which falls on October 13 each year and carries this year’s theme “Resilience Starts at Home.”
The event was held in partnership with the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Kuwait Fire Force.
In a statement to KUNA on the sidelines of the celebration, AlMughamis said that protecting human life and preserving dignity is a fundamental priority in humanitarian work. He stressed the importance of advance planning, training, raising community awareness, and investing in human capacity building to mitigate the effects of disasters.
He added that the Society is committed to developing awareness, training, and first aid programs using modern technologies, including virtual reality (VR), in addition to enhancing the efficiency of its teams and volunteers and strengthening cooperation with relevant authorities to ensure rapid response and effective humanitarian interventions in emergencies. He explained that the Society’s Disaster Operations Center represents an integrated system for monitoring events, assessing risks, coordinating responses, and connecting field teams and volunteers with relevant authorities.
This contributes to accelerating decision-making and enhancing preparedness for dealing with various crises. For her part, the head of the mission, Anne Montavon, emphasized in a similar statement to KUNA the importance of strengthening communities’ resilience to disasters, noting that families and local communities represent the first line of defense in emergencies.
Montavon said, “Communities affected by armed conflicts face compounded challenges due to the deterioration of basic services and livelihoods, and their diminished capacity to prepare for and recover from climate and environmental shocks. This necessitates investment in risk understanding, developing early warning systems, and protecting infrastructure and vital services.” She added that enhancing resilience requires building local capacities and supporting volunteers, as they are an essential part of the communities they serve. She commended the partnership with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society and the cooperation with the General Fire Force in strengthening emergency preparedness and response.
Director General of the Kuwait Fire Force Major General Talal Al-Roumi said in a similar statement to KUNA that “the State of Kuwait, under the wise guidance of its political leadership, has given great importance to developing its disaster risk management system, considering it a cornerstone of national security and sustainable development, through enhancing proactive planning and unifying efforts to protect lives and property.”