FIJI RED CROSS SOCIETY DISASTER READY
Suva, Tuesday 15th November 2022 – As Fiji enters the Cyclone season, trained Fiji Red Cross Society (FRCS) volunteers are on standby and ready to assist when the need arises. Volunteers from 16 Branches around the country have undergone comprehensive training which include Branch Emergency Response Training (BERT) and Community Emergency Response Training (CERT).
FRCS Director General, Ragigia Dawai says that the FRCS has been looking at recovery through scenario planning from August this year.
“We are ensuring that we are better prepared to respond as we know that the cyclones are not only intensifying but are becoming more frequent as was the case with TC Yasa and Ana. We have looked at all possible areas the next cyclone could hit in the maritime zones, south of Viti Levu and possibly Suva as well. The other priority area would be the West and Vanua Levu where TC Yasa made landfall.
A lot of our preparedness work is centred on training our volunteers who have had to have worked in a COVID-19 environment and also within the protocols that had been laid out by Government. This was the limiting and trying factor in the last cyclone season, we, however, worked around this. Our preparedness is looking at planning around different scenarios.”
She added that they also looked at Stock levels of their containers around the country.
“We have looked at our stock in our pre-positioned containers around the country to ensure that they are replenished. We are also looking at logistics around how we would be transporting inventory and supplies out to the Maritime Zones should a cyclone hit those areas. A lot of preparedness has been done at HQ level and Branch Level”
Discussions are being held with relevant stakeholders, including Government, on a concerted effort to get the communications around preparedness to reach as many people as possible.
Part of this preparedness process involves Community based surveillance where our trained volunteers visit homes and drive awareness on climate-sensitive diseases that spike after cyclones like Leptospirosis, Typhoid, Dengue and Diarrhoea.
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For more information, contact:
In Suva: Luisa Turaga, +679 9987949, luisa.turaga@redcross.com.fj
About Fiji Red Cross Society
Fiji Red Cross Society has been providing humanitarian assistance to affected communities in Fiji for more than 50 years. Our programs are delivered through a network of 16 Branches and 3 Divisional Red Cross Centres.
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