BENGALURU: DHL Group has conducted its second GoHelp Disaster Response Team (DRT) training in Bangalore, India, strengthening resilience and preparedness against disasters in the South Asia region.

This is the second DRT training in India, with the first training conducted back in 2013. The 2-day training was held from April 5-6, 2025, at a DHL facility in Bangalore. More than 30 employees from Blue Dart, DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, and DHL Supply Chain attended the training. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a specialized force in India formed to respond to natural and man-made disasters, attended the training as an observer.

The 2-day training consisted of two sessions: a theoretical session on safety and stakeholder management, and a practical session. During the theoretical session, participants learned how to work with NGOs, the military, government organizations, and the media. The practical session included a disaster simulation, where participants were coached on relief cargo management during a crisis, warehousing, and forklift driving.

“DHL has always provided support when needed in India, such as our deployment in 2018 for the flood in Kerala, and again in 2022 for the flood in Assam. Therefore, it is timely for us to return to India and train a new batch of volunteers. Our employees have existing logistics expertise, but the situation during deployment can be different from what they do day-to-day. The DRT training is crucial in providing them with the necessary knowledge to prepare for such situations.

Since our last training in 2013, the focus has shifted from reactive disaster response to proactive preparedness. We now train them beyond airport logistics to include warehousing so that they manage relief cargo effectively and provide critical aid across multiple touchpoints during emergencies,” said Carl Schelfhaut, Head of the GoHelp program, Asia Pacific, DHL Group.

According to UNICEF, India is one of the most disaster-prone countries with 27 of its 29 states and seven union territories exposed to recurrent natural hazards such as cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, floods, and droughts. With climate change, the Indian subcontinent is likely to experience an increasing number of extreme weather events in the future.

The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the deadliest tsunami in recorded history, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean in December 2004, killing an estimated 228,000 people in 14 countries, including Sri Lanka.

“At DHL, our purpose is Connecting People and Improving Lives, and the GoHelp program is very close to our heart. Our employees go through these trainings to ensure that they can make active change in the communities they are in. More than 30 employees who went through the DRT training will enhance our preparedness should a disaster strike, and we need to lend a helping hand.” – R.S. Subramanian, Senior Vice President, South Asia, DHL Express.

“Our employee’s commitment to the GoHelp program is truly inspiring, and they play a vital role in disaster preparedness and response efforts. These training initiatives ensure that DHL is always ready to act whenever the communities need us most. Our GoHelp program and the humanitarian efforts under this initiative have a significant impact, and their importance will only continue to grow.” – Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart.

“Our employee’s participation in such training is crucial, as we prepare ourselves to respond effectively in emergencies and disasters. The GoHelp program is vital in our commitment to providing exceptional support during crises. Their skills in managing relief cargo across multiple touchpoints will be much needed as natural disasters occur more often these days.” – Edwin Pinto, Managing Director, India, DHL Global Forwarding.

“Natural disasters & shocks are getting more frequent and severe but logistics bottlenecks for relief aid don’t have to be. It’s been over 20 years now since our Disaster Response Team (DRT) was set up and has been collaboratively working with the United Nations to support affected countries globally. Our employees undergo this training so that they can reduce the negative impact of a natural disaster and help communities recover faster.” – Vikas Anand, Managing Director, India, DHL Supply Chain.

Since 2005, DHL Group has volunteered its logistics expertise and global network in partnership with the United Nations to help provide global relief efforts in disaster areas via their GoHelp program. In times of disaster, the DRTs are deployed to landside or airside facilities in need of assistance when called upon by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to better manage incoming relief goods.

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National Preparedness Month outlines specific steps for communities to take to prepare for a disaster and possibly avoid potential economic and physical damage to individuals, small businesses, and their communities.  

“Natural disasters caused by climate change are increasing in frequency and economic impact, and the Biden-Harris Administration is investing in sustainability and committed to helping small businesses and individuals prepare to recover quickly when disaster strikes,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman. “SBA is helping businesses across the country create emergency response plans so they can limit damage and disruption – building resiliency for our neighborhoods and our economy.”

The SBA recommends three critical steps to build upon the tools of resilience:

Step 1: Assess Risk
Every business has unique vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Knowing what type of disasters will most likely affect your business can help you return to operations faster. A back-to-business self-assessment can help assess risks for common hazards such as hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, or even cyberattacks.

 Step 2: Create a Plan
The response plan is the roadmap to recovery and should be tailored to the business’s specific needs and operations.  It should address immediate priorities and be easy to access.

Every disaster is different. Review the resources to lessen the physical and financial impact of a disaster:

Step 3: Practice and Test Your Plan with Employees

“There are no geographical boundaries for a potential disaster. Climate change only adds to the uncertainty, amplifying the frequency and catastrophe,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., Associate Administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “The most important thing small businesses can do to mitigate a disaster’s impact is to have a plan and be prepared. As National Preparedness Month, September is an important reminder that we should always stand ready to protect our homes, businesses, and communities from the challenges that disasters bring.” 

In the past year, the SBA approved more than $2 billion to help residents, renters, private nonprofits, and small businesses across all 50 states and territories recover from the tremendous physical and financial impacts of natural and non-pandemic physical disasters, including multiple hurricanes, floods, and wildfires, all of which have been rising in frequency and severity at significant physical, human, and economic costs.

The SBA’s disaster loan program is the only federal assistance program for businesses of all sizes and can be used to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Additionally, businesses of all sizes are eligible for up to 20 percent of the total physical loss of real estate damages, as verified by SBA, to add protective measures to mitigate future damages against the next event.

If a small business cannot meet its obligations and operating expenses after a disaster, Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to provide working capital until the small business can resume normal operations. This assistance is available regardless of any property damage.

Questions about disaster loans can be emailed to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or directed to SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (7-1-1 for the deaf and hard of hearing). Information on SBA’s core lending programs, revenue growth opportunities, and technical assistance can be found at SBA.gov.

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