SNAP 50 |Community Risk Programme Update | March 2008
From the Manager's desk
 | The month of March began with a high level advocacy visit to Samoa with the intention to gain political support to develop a DRM National Action Plan (NAP) for the country. Also, after a three year break TAF/OFDA under the Pacific Disaster Risk Management (Training) Programme has reintroduced disaster management training in Vanuatu; this follows several months of work by the Pacific DRM Partnership Network and in-country stakeholders to develop the Vanuatu NAP – the first of its kind under the Regional Framework for Action 2005 – 2015. This edition of SnapShots covers these and other activities for the month. |
Achievements
DRM National Action Plan for Samoa
At the invitation of the Government of Samoa SOPAC, together with the UNDP Pacific Centre, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), commenced the first engagement of a potential 4-month planning process to develop a Disaster Risk Management National Action Plan (NAP) for Samoa.
The first country engagement by this team of the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Partnership Network (PDRMPN) took place between February 25th and March 7th 2008. The engagement addressed two primary objectives. The first was to help confirm high level political support for the implementation of the DRM Regional Framework for Action 2005-2015 through national actions, to assess the existing country situation in terms of disaster risk reduction and disaster management, and to determine where and how a Samoa DRM NAP may strengthen existing initiatives and or gaps to promote sustainable development.
The full team representing PDRMPN were Dr. Langi Kavaliku, Mosese Sikivou, Netatua Pelesikoti from CRP/SOPAC, Seve Paenui from SPREP, Moortaza Jiwanji and Herman Timmermans from UNDP Pacific Centre, and Richard Mendani from the PIFS.
A second country engagement has tentatively been scheduled for March 26th to April 4th.
Vanuatu - National (pilot) Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) training
The Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in coordination with the Vanuatu Red Cross Society organised a very successful initial damage assessment training this month for national and provincial disaster risk management (DRM) stakeholders including ministries of health, culture, education, police and Vanuatu mobile force, Peace Corps, Red Cross, NDMO staff and provincial administrators. This IDA training was made possible through the assistance of The Asia Foundation and the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (TAF/OFDA) Pacific Disaster Risk Management Program (PDRMP) through an MOU with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Pacific Office.
The need for IDA training was highlighted during the National Operational Exercise "Vanuatu Rere" conducted in May 2006. With Vanuatu being the first Pacific country to develop a DRM National Action Plan in 2006, this training is seen as one of the tools to strengthening DRM partnerships within the country.
A total of 28 participants participated in the two-day IDA course facilitated by a regional resource team including Kathryn Hawley, Tukatara Tangi and Esrom Molisa (NDMO). The next step for NDMO will be the review and translation of the IDA standardised form (Field Reference Guide) into Bislama for training and use by assessors at the provincial and community levels. Plans are in the pipeline for another IDA training to be conducted, at the provincial level, to endorse findings from the pilot IDA course.
Solomon Islands Provincial Disaster Coordinators Graduation
The ten Provincial Disaster Coordinators of the Solomon Islands graduated on the 16th of February in style and pomp. The ceremony took place in a highly decorated National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) environment at Vavay ridge amid pan pipe music and the company of many disaster partners. The graduation of the ten PDCs culminated with the opening of the National Disaster Management Office’s newly revamped Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).
Minister of Home Affairs James Tora officiated the graduation ceremony while Australian High Commission to Solomon Islands HE Peter Hooton opened the NDMO’s newly completed EOC.
Mr Tora highly praised the achievements of the PDCs, saying they had braved a strenuous six months of various training courses starting with two weeks of understanding Public Service Procedures, basic computing skills and then several disaster management courses as well as two research projects in the Provinces.
Mr Tora said the new approach was taken by the government because of the continuing threats natural and human induced disasters pose for Solomon Islands. “The government’s hope is that these young people will help our communities to understand their role in disaster management and prepare well before, during and after disasters,�? he said.
The Minister also urged the community to support the PDCs when they are posted to the nine Provinces of the country including Honiara, the capital.
“Being very new, these young people need strong support from everyone in the community so that they can confidently go forward in their new role.�?
Mr Tora also thanked the Australian Government for its support to the six months training, the US government and The Asia Foundation for their support in providing for Fiji based trainers to travel to and conduct five crucial Disaster Management courses for the ten PDCs.
“The courses these professionals conducted included Introduction to Disaster Management, Initial Damage Assessment, managing an Emergency Operations Centre, Training for Instructors and Exercise Management. I would like to say tanggio tumas for your invaluable support to our training program,�? said Minister Tora.
He also thanked UNIFEM and UNICEF as well as other local organizations that had supported the training program.
The Chairman of the National Disaster Council and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Fred Fakarii who also spoke praised the ten PDCs as well.
“You have set a new trend not only for the Solomon Islands but the region as a whole. As I understand it, this is the very first time that a country in our region has undertaken such an initiative,�? he said.
Fakarii said the new approach sprang from an old system where appointed direct employees of Provinces could not perform their roles as provincial disaster coordinators because they were always busy with their normal duties.
“This new path is better because our PDCs will do nothing but concentrate on disaster awareness, training and work closely with communities on a day to day basis,�? he said.
Hundreds of disaster partners including donors and diplomatic missions were present to witness the historic moment for the ten PDCs.
Opening the new EOC during the same occasion, Australian High Commissioner Hooton said his government supported the new initiative because it saw a need for it.
“Solomon Islands is prone to so many disasters and I am so happy to see the results of our support today. I urge communities to support the work of the NDMO in advancing disaster management issues in the country,�? said Mr Hooton.
The High Commissioner also praised the support of other agencies rendered to the NDMO.
“I am very pleased with what I see today and are proud that Australia has helped in some way to making today what it is. I would like to thank the Solomon Islands government and other organizations who had supported this new initiative,�? said Mr Hooton.
Home Affairs Minister Tora and Australian High Commissioner Hooton jointly cut a ribbon to officially launch the new EOC and then led other dignitaries and invited guests to take a tour of the new premises to see the set up. After the tour, Mr Hooton described the EOC as highly organized and urged the NDMO to use it wisely for the benefit of all Solomon Islanders.
The 1.2 million Solomon dollar six months training of the ten PDCs was funded by the Solomon Islands Government and Ausaid’s Institutional Strengthening of the Solomon Islands National Disaster Risk Management Project ISDRMP.
Tsunami National Capacity Workshop
A four day tsunami national capacity workshop was held between 11th – 14th March, in Suva, Fiji. The workshop was coordinated by the Bureau of Meteorology Australia (BOM), CRP/SOPAC, Emergency Management Australia (EMA) and the Fiji Government.
In the absence of an endorsed national tsunami response plan the workshop was an opportunity for key stakeholders such as the Fiji Meteorological Service (chair of the National Tsunami Working Group) to stress the importance for all stakeholders to work closely together toward establishing formal national arrangements for tsunami response.
Representatives from various government organisations participated in the workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to identify the capacity and needs of these organisations as stakeholders which have a role in tsunami warning, response and mitigation.
The frequency of destructive and non-destructive tsunamis impacting countries in the Pacific over recent years has risen to such a point where all countries now have a heightened awareness of what many consider a ‘real threat’, but unfortunately very little has been done at the national level to manifest this concern.
The workshop was funded by AusAID under the Australian Government’s commitment to facilitate tsunami warnings in the Pacific Islands.
Pacific Disaster Net Update
Ms Sereima Kalouniviti is the newest member of the CRP/SOPAC team working on the Pacific Disaster Net (PDN). Kalouniviti joins the team on a six month attachment which primarily involves research and set-up of a disaster risk management database and portal for PDN. This involves gathering, enhancing, classifying and direct input of data.
Before joining SOPAC Kalouniviti was a student at Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) and Auckland University of Technology (AUT), completing a Certificate in Industrial Laboratory Technology and Diploma in Environmental Science, and Bachelors in Applied Science studies majoring in Environment respectively.
Recent & Upcoming Events
In the Next Edition of SnapShots:
• National Action Plan development in Solomon Islands;
• National Action Plan development in Cook Islands;
• Disaster Risk Reduction training in the Caribbean;
• Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment in Navua;
• And other highlights.
Did You Know
Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) is part of the Office for US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) suite of training courses. Completing IDA, Introduction to Disaster Management (IDM), Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) and Exercise Management (ExMan), makes you eligible to apply for a PEMTAG Scholarship for a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management at Swinburne University of Technology (Australia).
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