TSF extends its commitment to the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development in Latin America.

From 25th to 27th April 2012, TSF led a regional workshop on the emergency telecommunications in Ciudad Antigua (Guatemala) for the benefit of 31 COSUDE's emergency responders. COSUDE is the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development. Representatives of organisations active in Central and Latin America attended the 3-day training: Swiss embassy officials, agents of the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development, various NGOs (including Terre des Hommes and CARITAS Switzerland), and the Swiss Red Cross.

The theoretical and practical sessions enabled the participants to become familiar with emergency telecom equipment and services. TSF presented the role of new technologies and the possibilities offered in terms of collection, transmission and analysis of the information, particularly focusing on:

- Field data collection on damages and victims in emergencies, the use of EDAN;
- Information management, sharing and monitoring tools;
- GPS and mapping services (GoogleEarth,
- Satellite communications.

2011 Training

From 22nd to 25th August 2011, two TSF members led a workshop on the emergency telecommunications in Cuzco (Peru), with 23 special agents of the GIAR (Rapid Intervention and Support Group) and various Swiss embassy officials in Latin America.

Alternating between theoretical and practical exercises, this training aimed to familiarize these experts with the deployment of emergency telecoms equipment.

The GIAR is a special unit that, in case of crisis, is in charge of damage assessment, humanitarian actions and protection of Swiss citizens abroad.