Recently on our podcast, we were delighted to interview Emergency Operations Manager Tom Godfrey. Tom gave us an insight into his extensive career, experience, and the nature of his work. He discussed his thoughts on the current Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the world. In this article, we will be highlighting what we learned from Tom in this informative podcast. We are thankful that Tom is a member of our UARD Contributing Faculty.
Current Role
Tom’s current role as the Emergency Operations Manager has led him to work on the “Tackling Deadly Disease in Africa” program. The program is funded by the UK’s government. Tom and his team are currently focusing on six countries in Africa. The aim of the project is to improve the countries’ overall healthcare services. Tom’s job is to train health workers from different sectors that are first in line to serve during emergency situations. This also involves collaborating with health ministers and government officials to spread awareness about Covid-19 and eradicate the risk of contagion.
Impact of the Pandemic
Tom discussed how underdeveloped countries are struggling in this situation. Covid-19 has had a tough impact on their economies and the health of their people. There is still a lot of time left before the actual recovery phase commences. In such situations, it all comes down to how quickly the healthcare organizations respond and more importantly, how do they respond. It is the job of these organizations to ensure that the needful get the most benefit out of these response programs. Early emergency response involves the distribution of resources in the most profound manner. On the other hand, the mortality rates are expected to rise because Covid-19 has led to the unavailability of other medical facilities as well. Tom believes that the most beneficial component that helps in combat with disasters is coordination. Coordination leads to unity between governments, NGOs, and other relevant sectors.
Experience
Tom’s experience has evolved into that of a professional because of his services in different disasters. He has served in training programs in multiple regions and helped countless people throughout his career. His experience includes managing disaster response projects and training organizations in Pakistan, Libya, Syria, and Bangladesh just to name a few.
Career Advice
Tom’s advice to anyone that desires to carve a career out of this field was to be passionate about serving. Passion is something that most people lack while deciding their careers. Tom believes if one has the motivation to go out there and bring the best out of themselves while serving then that is all it takes. Volunteering too can be useful in making a good start in this line of work. The beginning might be a little rough. With time, the improvement of skills and the addition of experiences will lead to a bright and rewarding career. If you want to keep up with Tom Godfrey’s projects and connect with him then feel free to check out his LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-godfrey-0016845a/
Watch the interview on our YouTube channel:
-crisis management and communications
–communication in disaster management
For more information about gaining a Bachelor of Emergency Response & Risk Management or the Masters in Emergency Response & Risk Management, visit us at www.uard.university or our exclusive delivery partners at www.wggacademy.org
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