Are YOU prepared for Disaster? If Not - prepare NOW!

Tsunami preparedness

Fred Wesley

Yesterday stakeholders met at the Fiji Military Forces' Force Training Group premises to discuss a critical issue.

What should happen when a warning is issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii? Most importantly, yesterday's Pacific Wave Fiji 2011 Tabletop Exercise asked the tough questions ù are we prepared for the eventuality of such a disaster?

Do we have processes or procedures in place at the workplace, and more importantly at home? Are we prepared for such an event during the day when more people are out and about, children are at school, and other family members may be at work? What if disaster strikes at night?

Have we discussed escape routes at night time, or in the day time, when family members are scattered or at weekends? Have we taken out time to discuss communication when such an event happens given that lines could be flooded by worried callers from around the country and from overseas? What about geography? Have we thought of our locations, where we live and the nearest route to higher ground?

Thankfully, stakeholders yesterday discussed important issues pertaining to general operational procedures at the national level. It is a positive start and must be acknowledged and commended.

The January edition of the National Geographic News in 2005 said the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs.

"By the end of the day more than 150,000 people were dead or missing and millions more were homeless in 11 countries, making it perhaps the most destructive tsunami in history."

Waves were as high as 15 metres in some places. But in the face of that disaster, a positive factor stood out. Some survivors read the signs correctly and took immediate action.

Among thousands who perished were curious people who had ventured out to the waterfront and those who did not know what to do.

We are fortunate here in Fiji that stakeholders are part of an initiative that is good for the country.

As FTG commanding officer Major Manoa Gadai said at the opening of the exercise, natural disasters do not respect boundaries, communities and most importantly our loved ones.

As 11,440 students from the Suva peninsula participate in a mock tsunami evacuation drill today, let us reassess our own evacuation procedures and if we do not have one, let us organise ourselves and ensure every member of the family is ready when disaster strikes. Preparation is the key.

11,000 students for evacuation drill

Serelisoni Moceica

A TOTAL of 11, 440 students from the Suva peninsula will participate in a combined schools tsunami evacuation mock drill operation today.

The operation will be facilitated by the National Disaster Management Organisation as part of their efforts to teach students evacuation drills.

"It is very important to teach students what to do and where to run and teachers alike as most are unaware of steps to take when tsunami warnings are run," said NDMO director Pajiliai Dobui.

Mr Dobui said the drill would involve moving students to their different evacuation centres through set routes after an earthquake struck neighbouring islands or even Fiji.

"We've organised some programs over the years but nothing as extensive as this for the Suva peninsula where we'll be sending out teams to various schools to follow up on the drill," Mr Dobui said.

Mr Dobui said the exercises were follow-ups to the directives from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii which is the main centre that issued earthquake warnings to Fiji and other Pacific islands.

The director was at the Pacific Wave Tabletop Exercise at the Force Training Group in Nasinu yesterday.