First in-person team training since COVID-19

Over the weekend of 22-23 May, we held our first face-to-face team training event for over a year. Forty one human members (and four dogs) attended the COVID-compliant event, which was held mostly outdoors on a member’s farm in East Sussex, UK, with people joining online from around the world.

GIF of photos of the weekend including indoor and outdoor learning activities, campfire chats and dogs

The focus was on getting back into a deployment mindset, with some practical training on GPS and satellite communications equipment, along with talks on GIS support to urban search and rescue and civilian and military coordination. There was also an opportunity to socialise and catch up with each other after a long time apart.

Tweet by MapAction volunteer Ian Coady "IT's been fifteen months but it's so good to get together with MapAction colleagues and get deployment ready."