Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Exercise Management (ExMan) Training

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): February 17, 2012 - The Office of Environment and Emergency Management (OEEM), Palikir is coordinating training for Pohnpei State Police and other agencies with roles and responsibilities under the national disaster plan and arrangements. The "Exercise Management" (ExMan) course is the last of three trainings conducted over the past few months for participants from police, health, education, TC&I, R&D, meteorology and the disaster offices of Chuuk and Marshall Islands. The training has been held at Yvonne's Hotel Conference Room, sponsored by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and implemented by The Asia Foundation (TAF). The ExMan training is one of six courses developed under the regional Pacific Disaster Risk Management Program (PDRMP), which has been long supported by the USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and the SPC Applied Geoscience and Technology Division (SOPAC) Disaster Reduction Program (DRP).

The ExMan training will assist OEEM and State Disaster Coordinating Offices to better implement disaster management arrangements by developing the capacity to design, develop and conduct drills and exercises to test plans and procedures for more effective coordination during disaster operations in FSM. The ExMan course provides emergency and disaster management organizations with tools and a process to evaluate the status and validity of their plans, organizational relationships, capabilities and strategies. Through such training participants will develop a greater appreciation for all aspects of conducting national, state, organizational exercises to test plans, and personnel's roles and responsibilities for better management and coordination of response efforts.

With the Federated States of Micronesia continuing to experience natural disasters such as typhoons, high surf, flooding, landslides and drought, there is a heavy costs on both human and physical resources, not to mention damage to the nation's fragile environment. Disasters will continue to impact the islands and atolls and as such everyone needs to be better prepared. Training of this nature will ensure all who have a role, from government levels to local organisations, will be practiced thus better prepared.

As the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia embarks on the development of a strategic Disaster Risk Management National Action Plan (NAP), they will look to integrate disaster risk reduction measures throughout the whole of government. Legislation and comprehensive emergency and disaster management plans will provide greater guidance for the country to more effectively deal with events including arrangements for immediate response and relief efforts, but like anything of this nature, it will be important for the multiple agencies involved to practice the procedures as laid out in such plans.

The Director of the FSM Office of Environment and Emergency Management (OEEM) opened the course and will present certificates to successful participants on Friday.

With a need for regular, on-going, training in different aspects of disaster management will ensure personnel in all relevant positions are current in the knowledge of FSM's national and state disaster plans and arrangements. Such training also provides opportunity to develop partnerships and networks among response personnel, ensuring a more coordinated and integrated approach to the building of national capacity.

The resource team consisted of: Kathryn Hawley (TAF Director, PDRMP, Fiji); Paul Hunniford (AFP - Canberra); Anthony Blake (Fiji); Vuli Gauna (SPC-SOPAC, Fiji); Tipaula Laupu'e (Samoa); Oleen Peter (OEEM); and Aminisitai Koroi (SPC-SOPAC, Pohnpei).