In the first of a new series, Niall Shepherd, Red Cross security coordinator in Colombo, Sri Lanka, shares his day.  

It is 6am and through the haze of sleep I vaguely hear a bell ringing in the distance calling local Muslims to prayer.

This is my daily signal to leap off the bed (it is too hot to sleep under even a sheet). I flick on the jug for my morning cup of tea, and soak some muesli (provided that my fridge hasn't frozen my milk, and the mites haven't breached the security of my muesli packet).

I live on the eighth floor of a six-year-old apartment block that already looks 20 years old, but is reasonably comfortable with tile floor and the obligatory dark stained hardwood furniture common in these parts.

I shower, dress, eat breakfast and check the cellphone for SMSs that arrive frequently from various media and other sources to make sure that the world hasn't ended overnight, then off to the lift and out.

"Good morning, sir," from the building caretaker and security guards at the door. 

Already at 7.30am it is in the mid-to-high 20s and humid, and traffic is building up along with the smog. The road is quite busy and there is a constant tooting of horns (the Sri Lankan equivalent of indicators and road rules). Crossing intersections can be challenging, but at this time just as school is starting most larger intersections have a policeman directing traffic. My half-hour walk takes me past several lady street sweepers who, armed with their ‘witches brooms' are busy sweeping the footpath clear of leaves, rubbish, and just like New Zealand - dog poo!

Every couple of minutes a tuktuk buzzes past and I am either tooted at or "taxi?" is yelled at me by the driver.

A little further on I pass by the house of the world's first woman prime minister, the late Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

I am usually among the first to arrive at the office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies just before 8am, but thankfully my Sri Lankan colleague Harin, has often beaten me by an hour and has turned the airconditioning.

I talk to Harin to catch up on anything that has happened overnight. Harin is the National Security Officer and will take over my role when I return to New Zealand at the end of July. We often spend time analysing current events - what does this decision by the government mean? What happens if this person becomes minister of housing? And so on.

It's our job to make sure Red Cross personnel are safe so we can carry out our programmes safely and securely. It's important. In 2009, there were 239 security incidents around the globe involving Red Cross personnel, with more than half of incidents occurring in Asia Pacific.

Issues we have to deal with globally include road crashes, crime, attacks on aid workers, sickness, disaster, problems with communications and political unrest.

The rest of the morning is spent reading and responding to the emails that have arrived since the day before, and reading media and other reports online. 

On quiet days, a brief update of the security situation is all that is required.  Probably half of meetings are with people outside Red Cross - United Nations, other aid organisations, embassy staff and a range of other people who all become part of our local security network as we become part of theirs.

Harin or I deliver security briefings to visiting delegates, warning them about what to look out for and how to avoid becoming a victim while they are here. 

Sometimes there are incidents to inquire into or analyse. All security incidents (from traffic accidents to breaches of regulations) have to be reported to the security unit, investigated, analysed, and recommendations made and records kept.

I walk home, reflecting on the day, dodging puddles, tuktuks and buses, and chatting to the caretaker at the apartment before checking the mail and taking the lift back up to the eighth floor. 

The apartment by this time has reached the high 30s so I collapse under a fan and rehydrate with a cold can as I stop sweating again.

I have a quick bite to eat - often simple fare as it is cheaper and easier to go to a hotel for a proper meal every few days than cook. Then I check emails, write a bit, maybe watch Discovery Channel and I am likely to be on my bed under the fan by 9pm - this being the coolest place in the apartment. 

Perhaps I will have vegies tomorrow, maybe my milk won't be frozen by the morning. Thus ends another day.

Niall Shepherd, QSM, is a former Dunedin police officer.

How does the International Federation manage security? Read the manual, Stay Safe.

What kind of aid workers does New Zealand Red Cross recruit? Click here.  

How can you donate to New Zealand Red Cross? Click here.