On March 10^th 2010, the Earth Sciences and Seismic Engineering Center (ESSEC) at An-Najah National University in cooperation with Palestine Development and Investment Company (PADICO) and the National Authority for Disasters Risk Management (NADRM) organized the first course of a series of training courses titled "Better Prepared, Less Risk" in Ramallah, West Bank.

The participants discussed several issues related to strategic planning for disaster hazards reduction, prevention measures and public safety.

The course targeted workers at a number of PADICO companies in Palestine. Mr. Sameer Halileh, Executive Director of PADICO, spoke about the importance of preparing the Palestinian society to face the risks that different disasters might bring out. It is equally important to consider disaster hazards as a national priority and integrate it into the sustainable development policy of our society.

Wasef Eriqat, Director of the National Authority for Disasters Risk Management, said that NADRM plans to form a national team of experts that would support and assist official institutions through promoting scientific knowledge and experience regarding disasters. He also added that organizing such courses will make the society more able to face disasters and minimize their impacts.

Dr. Jalal Dabeek, Director of the ESSEC at An-Najah and the Vice President of NADRM, said that international experiments in the field of disasters risk reduction, especially earthquakes, have revealed that disaster management and risk reduction require comprehensive policies and strategies to be implemented. This also requires the whole society to participate in promoting awareness about disaster risk management. Different local institutions must take part in helping the society and the people to become more able to face and deal with disasters and their impacts. A substantial amount of effort and cooperation should be established between governmental and non-governmental organizations in Palestine so as to create programs that focus on this issue and aim to enhance the country\'s preparedness level against different types of disasters.

Dr. Dabeek also added that the ESSEC has been working on promoting awareness with respect to disaster risk reduction and management in cooperation with An-Najah\'s different scientific centers.

The courses will be lectured by Dr. Jalal Dabeek, Muhammad Hisham Al-Qaddumi, Member of the Administrative Body at NADRM, and a number of specialized emergency officers including Noor Al-Husaini and Ibrahim Ghuleh.

The courses have been organized by Rasha Khalil Head of the Human Resources Department at PADICO, as well as the NADRM.