17th December 2021 The National Emergency Management Office (NEMO) conducted a series of workshops with Town and District Officers and Cluster representatives in Vava’u and ‘Eua recently.
Commencing in Vava’u on Wed 1st to Fri 3rd December, followed by sessions in ‘Eua on Mon 13th & Tues 14th December. These workshops will be held in Ha’apai in January 2022.
NEMO’s refresher workshop with Town and District Officers in both Island groups as well as Vava’u based Cluster Leads and Emergency Operations Centre staff (including First responders) attending and participating.
The workshops focused on preparedness (readiness to standby and activation) to response (immediate relief) and the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders. The refresher workshops with the Town and District officers as well as the Cluster representatives in the island groups highlighted the need for further disaster risk reduction training to further enhance the preparedness and the response capabilities of the community leads and Cluster representatives, following a disaster.
One of the key aspect of these series of training is the Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) which is a multi-sectoral assessment carried out immediately after a disaster to obtain an initial evaluation of the damage to the affected population. The Disaster Risk Management Bill 2021 (awaiting His Majesty’s assent) stipulates that following a disaster, NEMO should established and lead one or more national teams to conduct an IDA.
Town and District officers had the opportunity to clarify any concerns with NEMO and with Tonga MET who provided the Outlook for Tropical Cyclone season 2021-22 and also updated participants on weather at all the workshops. NEMO also emphasised the importance of using the usual communication channel by contacting the NEMO and the First Responders during a hazard to ensure the appropriate emergency responders have been officially advised and can respond effectively and as soon as safely possible.
NEMO also worked with the Cluster representatives in Vava’u and ‘Eua with a focus to have a dedicated team to support the assessment for relief efforts following a disaster, to also support the Town and District Officers. The discussions and feedback provided will further assist NEMO work with communities and adapting to the different Island Group’s needs. NEMO will provide follow-up training sessions on initial damage assessments for dedicated teams from the Clusters and in the outer islands.
In Vava’u, NEMO had the opportunity to conduct a workshop with the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) staff at the new facility which was commissioned in March this year. With the review of the current EOC manual underway, obtaining input from the Island EOC staff will ensure the localised needs are also incorporated.
NEMO will also conduct these sessions in Ha’apai and Tongatapu early next year.
We acknowledged the support and ongoing assistance of the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
ENDS
Issued by the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO)