A team from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Institute for Medical Operations (DIMO) recently conducted two training courses in Liberia, reaching more than 35 participants from ten different government agencies. The initiative included advanced disaster planning and focused sessions on emergency response strategies for senior leaders.
U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Lanaghan, who serves as Assistant Adjutant General for Air with the Missouri National Guard, led the instruction. He commented on Liberia’s experience handling crises: “The resiliency shown by Liberian institutions through challenges such as Ebola and COVID-19 can translate into best practices to help reduce risk of future emergencies and crisis.”
The training was supported through the State Partnership Program between Michigan and Liberia. Among the instructors were U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Anthony Woodruff, a military command and control specialist from Battle Creek Air National Guard Base in Michigan, and Tony Averbuch, Fire Chief at Franklin Bingham Fire Department in Oakland County, Michigan. The DIMO facilitation team also included U.S. Air Force Capt. Victoria Adewusi and retired U.S. Navy medical planner Shannon Jackson.
According to organizers, those who completed the program are now better equipped to plan for disasters, coordinate across agencies during emergencies, and implement national emergency management policies.