What is a DART?
USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) are groups of
specialists trained in a variety of relief skills who assist U.S.
Embassies and USAID Missions with the management of the United States
Government response to disasters and complex emergencies. The activities
of a DART vary depending on the type, size, and complexity of disaster
or emergency to which the DART is deployed.
During an emergency, the focus of a DART is to:
- Coordinate the assessment of the situation and report on the needs.
- Recommend U.S. Government response actions.
- Manage U.S. Government onsite relief activities (for example,
search and rescue and air operations).
- Manage the receipt, distribution, and monitoring of U.S. Government
provided relief supplies.
During long term, complex disasters, the focus of a DART is to:
- Gather information on the general disaster situation.
- Assess the effectiveness of the overall humanitarian response.
- Identify the needs not being met by current overall response efforts.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of current USG funded relief
activities.
- Review proposals of relief activities for possible future funding.
- Advise USAID/Embassy on disaster issues.
- Make recommendations to USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
on follow on strategies and actions.
- Fund relief organizations and procure contractual services when
delegated the authority.
During a disaster or complex emergency response, DARTs coordinate
their activities with the affected country, private voluntary organizations
(PVOs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations
(IOs), and UN relief agencies and other assisting countries. When
U.S. military assets are involved with the disaster response, the
DART will work closely with those assets to ensure a coordinated effort
by U.S. Government resources.
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