Disaster Risk Management program to strengthen partnership between stakeholders ^Featured

This program was designed for different participants to attend each day starting with members of the DEMC (OICs from different government ministries and key partners from private sectors and NGOs) to revisit the structure of emergency management in Tonga, the cluster system, how it works and how we can effectively apply in the Vava’u situation, look at District Emergency Management Plan, the roles and functions of DEMC as well as the Initial Damage Assessment (IDA).

The overall objective of this program is to prepare DEMC and all key stakeholders for the upcoming cyclone season commencing in November but also strengthened working relationships with all key players in emergency.

Lord Fakatulolo in his opening remarks emphasised, that this training is timely as cyclone season looms in and it is essential for Vava’u District Emergency Management Committee to be prepared at all times and maintain its state of readiness to respond to any disaster event including and not limiting to the global pandemic of COVID-19.

The training continued with local government on Friday to review the Village Emergency Management Plans and to validate the response arrangement of various communities and strengthened ties and working relationships between district, town officers the District Emergency Management Committee, NEMO and MEIDECC team to work together and better respond should there be an emergency situation in Vava’u.

The remaining program include conducting a tsunami drill (simulation exercise) to test the communities emergency management plans, disaster awareness program and outreach to various schools including Liviela government primary school and community visits to the outer island.

Three staff from NEMO headquarter office in Nuku’alofa join Vava’u’s MEIDECC Officer in Charge, Ms Lucy Fa’anunu and NEMO Vava’u Senior Assistant Secretary, Mr. Mafi Penisoni in facilitating this six-day DRM program for Vava’u.