Comment on "Essential emergency response" (China Daily, March 15)

I think Zhang Monan has hit the nail on the head. A lot of charity organizations are trying to do the same job without the experience or knowledge of how to go about their work. That's why it is rare to see any cohesion among them.

After almost every disaster, charities appeal for money. But how much of the donations are actually used to help the survivors or used for rehabilitation and reconstruction work?

The solution to this problem could be the creation of a central reserve fund to which money donated by all countries can be directed.

The money from the central fund can then be used for rescue and relief work in any country that is hit by a disaster.

The contribution from countries can be drawn by a well-planned and co-coordinated team of well-trained personnel, who are ready to go to a disaster area anywhere in the world. These personnel should be drawn from specialized services such as firefighters, rescue and relief workers, and food and medical specialists.

This will help streamline the work of charities that are eager to help disaster victims but do not have the experience or knowledge of operating in emergency situations.

Cuger Brant, on China Daily website

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