AIT will conduct the first International Tsunami Training Institute (ITTI) program in Asia on tsunami science and community preparedness. The certificate program, which will be carried out in partnership with the University of Washington at Seattle, and NOAA, USA, will entail a two-week intensive program for professionals working in the fields of disaster preparedness, warning and mitigation, with the aim of creating resilient coastal communities.
The primary focus will be on the five countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, and Maldives. The first training was carried out at the University of Washington, Seattle campus in July 2007. Approximately thirty participants attended that training, which was attended by AIT faculty members as observers. The ITTI program to be conducted at AIT is planned for some time in early March 2008. It will be part of the new master’s program in disaster preparedness, mitigation and management, which is to be launched by AIT in January 2008.
The commitment to conduct the first ITTI program was made at the meeting on 30 August, between AIT President Said Irandoust with Mr. Peter Collier, Chief of Party, Program Integrator, US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System Program; and Mr. David McKinnie, NOAA Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System Program; along with AIT faculty members Dr. Pennung Warnitchai, Dr. Amrit Bart and Dr. Sutat Weesakul.