Shkelqim Hajdari meets the US emergency director: “We will strengthen disaster response!” — cooperation for civil emergency management

Tirana County Prefect Shkelqim Hajdari met with Stacy Silva, Executive Director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in California.

The focus of the meeting was on American models of civil emergency management and the possibility of applying similar practices in Albania.

Hajdari’s reaction:

“Meeting with Stacy Silva, Executive Director of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), in Santa Barbara, California!

The meeting, the discussion and the tour of the Emergency Operations Center facilities were a valuable opportunity to learn about models of organization, inter-institutional coordination and emergency response, as well as to exchange experiences that serve to strengthen civil protection capacities in our country.

In my capacity as Prefect of Tirana County, I particularly appreciate building bridges of cooperation and exchanging best practices with American institutions in the field of civil emergency management.

Soon, following the US model, we will build near the Prefecture a digital office for coordinating the Civil Emergencies Committee, which I chair, implementing models, protocols and regulations for the agencies that take part in a civil emergency operation (fires, floods, earthquakes, massive landslides and road blockages, etc.). This will increase effectiveness, focus and the swift resolution of situations in the effective protection of citizens’ health, life and property, as well as state property and public safety.

During the meeting, Ms. Silva and I agreed to begin cooperation, with them making all their models, protocols and regulations available for us to work on.”