VZCZCXRO5839
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #0411 0431222
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121222Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5695
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS BAGHDAD 000411
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER EAID SOCI ECON IZ
SUBJECT: NINEWA: PRT EMERGENCY PLANNING EFFORTS BEAR FRUIT
WITH PROVINCIAL INITIATIVE
This is a Ninewa Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) message.
Civic Leaders Working Together
for Emergency Preparedness
------------------------------
1. (U) After months of hard work to raise the profile of
emergency preparedness among government officials in Ninewa,
the PRT's efforts paid off January 23 when a large group of
provincial and local officials, led by Provincial Governor
Duraid Kashmoula, convened to outline the initial steps for
an improved emergency action plan for Ninewa province.
Thanks to USAID, the PRT has twice brought in a senior
consultant on emergency preparedness to assess the situation
in the province and to work with the Iraqi civil servants
responsible in the event of a serious incident, such as a
flood, a large-scale fire or a city-wide terrorist attack,
and we have linked this with a requested ongoing program of
support for the province in this critical area.
Governor Gives Full Support
---------------------------
2. (U) Governor Kashmoula publicly empowered the provincial
fire chief, BG Mohammad Suleiman, to lead the effort to
create a comprehensive emergency action plan. Over 50
officials, including all the Mayors in the Tigris river
valley, district police chiefs, relevant Provincial Directors
General, and the Ninewa Civil Defense Director, attended the
January 23 meeting and took an active participatory role in
forward planning. At the meeting, the Governor also pledged
his strong support for emergency planning in the province.
Table-Top Exercise in February
------------------------------
3. (U) The meeting concluded with an agreement to conduct a
formal "table-top exercise" in February with all important
stakeholders. The committee also agreed to meet on a monthly
basis to address emergency planning and civil defense needs
for Ninewa.
Comment
-------
4. (U) It is promising that provincial officials across
agency lines have taken this first vital step in meeting the
key provincial goal of a strong emergency management plan.
The PRT will continue to work closely with the committee to
improve on its plan, and will provide the technical expertise
needed to move the plan forward, including by improving the
early-warning system of an imminent threat to the population.
The PRT will continue to help the committee put in a place a
sound, workable plan that will really make a difference in
the event of a major emergency.
CROCKER