 Workshop on Emergency Operations Centers underway in PalikirPalikir, POHNPEI (National Disaster Coordination Office): August 16, 2005 - The training funded by AUSAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), is implemented by The Asia Foundation (TAF) in collaboration with the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission's (SOPAC) Community Risk Programme based in Suva, Fiji. The EOC course was developed through the TAF/OFDA Pacific Disaster Training Program, which has been providing disaster management capacity building assistance to the Pacific region since 1995. The purpose of the EOC course is to provide knowledge and skills necessary for the establishment, operation, management and administration of Emergency Operations Centres (EOC). Participants from all four states will attend the week-long training at the national central facility in Palikir. Given that the Pacific is a very hazard-prone region, this training will help to up-skill responsible persons to better manage, respond and report at all phases of a disaster (before, during and after) The training also provides opportunity to develop partnerships and networks among disaster and emergency management organizations and agencies in FSM to ensure an integrated approach to the building of national capacity in disaster management and response. The training is being held at the National Government Central Facility, Palikir from Monday 15th August to Friday 19th August. The resource team for the course consists of: Mr. Joe Barr (Pacific Emergency Management Associates, Australia); Ms. Kathryn Hawley (Program Director-TAF/OFDA Pacific Disaster Risk Management Training Programme, Fiji); Mr. Anthony Blake (St. John, Fiji); and Mr. Dais Lorrin from Pohnpei, FSM. The Director of the National Disaster Coordination Office (NDCO), Mr. Matthias Kuor, on behalf of the President of FSM thanks The Asia Foundation, OFDA and SOPAC for the assistance and coordinated support to enable such training courses to be delivered nationally. |