In support of the Pacific Partnership 2011 mission, the workshop enabled participants to review and discuss their plans for weather warnings, disaster response and emergency declaration.
The exercise brought together U.S. and FSM disaster response entities to identify areas for improvement within FSM national and Pohnpei state disaster management plans, and the U.S. government operational blueprint design.
Event participants included USAID, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Embassy, the International Organization for Migration, FSM Office of Emergency and Environment Management and Pohnpei Department of Public Safety.
The U.S. delegation included Pacific Partnership 2011 Commodore Navy Capt. Jesse Wilson and PP’11 staff, Ambassador Peter A. Prahar, Deputy Chief of Mission Lori Dando and embassy staff, and USAID-Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Disaster Assistance Coordinator Bart Deemer.
The FSM delegation included Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jane Chigiyal, Office of Emergency and Environment Management Director Andrew Yatilman, Pohnpei Public Safety Director Lucas Carlos, Chief of Police Joe Roby, and Emergency Services Unit Administrator Rick Herman.
Representing the diplomatic corps were Japan Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Genichi Terasawa and Australia Embassy Second Secretary Sam Upritchard.
Also participating were FSM Weather Service Pohnpei Station Officer in Charge Eden Skilling, Micronesia Red Cross and FSM Telecommunications.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Prahar spoke on the Japan earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown in March.
“This experience allowed us to see in real time and under the pressure of the real possibility of disaster how we respond to protect the citizens and residents of the FSM,” he said. “While many pulled together an impressive effort of notification in the few hours of lead time that was available, there were failures too. There were miscommunications and misunderstandings that could have led to the unnecessary loss of life. We are here today to continue a process, which will never be complete, of preparing for the next disaster.”
Thanking the U.S. Navy for its participation, Yatilman stressed the importance of “key players [understanding] their roles in a time of disaster” and described the workshop as a learning opportunity.
Wilson reiterated Prahar’s comments, explaining that “regardless of experience, no one can predict the time, place or magnitude of the next natural disaster…disaster response needs to be established in a time of calm to succeed in a time of crisis.”
During the morning session, Deemer spoke on the operational blueprint for disaster mitigation, relief, and reconstruction, as well as the minimum criteria needed to request U.S. disaster assistance.
The U.S. Navy presented on its disaster planning and response capabilities, highlighting Pacific Partnership’s goal to strengthen regional relationships in preparation for future natural disasters.
In the afternoon, presentations were also conducted by Pohnpei, FSM National, and the International Organization for Migration.
In her closing remarks, Dando described disaster management as a “continuous process of improvement,” and encouraged workshop participants to view the exercise as the beginning, not the end, of their disaster management efforts.
