The geo-climatic context of Bangladesh leaves the country vulnerable to numerous hazards including cyclones, floods, droughts, and earthquakes. Fire accidents are a growing concern in terms of lives lost at the economic impact.

On the afternoon of February 14, 2019, a massive fire broke out at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital (ShSMCH) in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, a government medical collect situated in the center of the city.

ADPC interviewed graduates of its Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies (HOPE) course to learn how they helped respond to this fire incident and determine how the training assisted them.

The Strengthening Earthquake Resilience in Bangladesh (SERB) is a program funded by USAID Bangladesh Mission implemented by ADPC since 2013.

Around 1,640 Urban Community Volunteers have been trained in 11 Districts to date. The SERB Program continues to support the Fire Service & Civil Defence (FSCD) and contributes to the development of 62,000 community urban volunteers nationwide as mandated by the Government of Bangladesh.