RDRT

RDRT stands for Regional Disaster Response Team, a framework within the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) designed to provide rapid, regionally organized disaster response. The RDRT is a cadre of trained volunteers drawn from National Societies within a defined geographic region who can be deployed to support the response to emergencies when local capacity is overwhelmed. Members typically bring expertise across a range of functional areas, including logistics, information management, operations management, health and care, water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter, and protection.

Regional teams are coordinated through IFRC regional offices and are deployed to assist affected National Societies in the region. Deployments are initiated by the requesting National Society in need of surge support and are approved through IFRC procedures. A deployed RDRT team may work on site for several weeks to months, depending on the scale of the emergency and the needs identified by the local authorities and the National Society. The emphasis is on strengthening local response capabilities, ensuring standards and coordination with other actors, and supporting early recovery efforts.

RDRT volunteers undergo region-specific training before deployment, covering disaster response methodologies, IFRC's code of conduct, field safety, and role-specific modules. The program aims to enhance regional surge capacity, promote mutual aid, and sustain emergency operations during the critical initial phase of disasters. In practice, RDRTs help fill gaps in logistics, information management, shelter, water and sanitation, and health services, working in close collaboration with national societies and local partners.