A global review of disaster reduction initiatives - Welcome to the ...

Policy and public commitment: the foundation of disaster risk reduction3Institutional frameworksHigh-level programmes forpromoting preventionPrevention plansPrevention in developmentplans and control mechanismsCook IslandsNDMO coordinates disastermanagement.National and Island DisasterManagement Plans call for theNational Disaster ManagementCouncil to be responsiblefor policy issues.Establishment of a US$30,000 disaster reserve withinthe Ministry of Finance.The Island Disaster Managementstipulates for local governmentto be responsible forlocal disaster managementactivities.Red Cross disaster preparednessprogramme and first-aidtraining goes hand in handwith broader preparednessplans.Introduction to disaster managementtraining course implementedin every island of the Cooks reachingat least 35 per cent of the populationof each island.Principles of disaster managementintegrated in the social science curriculumof the education system, soeach child would learn of theseprinciples in their school years.World Patent Coastal ProtectionUnits protecting the airport frombeing inundated and minimizestidal energy from surging intohotels on the beaches.Radios placed in emergency centresin the northern islands to receivenational broadcasts from Rarotonga,enabling communities in theNorthern Cook Islands to monitorweather and emergency warningsfor the first time.Foreshore Protection Committee.EMWIN early warning system fortropical cyclone is in operation.Rarotonga Tourism VulnerabilityPilot ProjectCook Islands BuildingCode: a report on promotingcodes, and theirapplication was completedin April 1999.A Building Control Unithas been set up for complianceand enforcementby the introduction ofcommerciallz experiencedconstruction personnel.Disaster ManagementWork Plan:National DisasterManagement Plan forCyclone ResponseProceduresTsunami ResponseProcedures.Development is being undertakenat the national andpolitical levels through anadvocacy strategy, with comprehensivesectoral and societalinvolvement:Ministry of Transport inthe prevention andresponse to oil pollutionGovernment EnvironmentServices Unit in climatechangeNatural Heritage Unitresponsible for communityconsultation and promotionof biodiversityNDMO in prevention,mitigation and preparednessactivities.Outer Island DevelopmentProjects (forestry on MangaiaIsland, water reticulationsystems, communication systems).Cook Islands governmenthas ratified at least 25 environmentalglobal conventions.FijiThe national coordination policyis documented in theNational Disaster ManagementPlan 1995 and the NaturalDisaster Management Act1998.From 1970 to 1989, emergencymeasures were handled by thenational government.In 1990, the government designatedthe Ministry ofRegional Development andMulti-Ethnic Affairs responsiSuva Earthquake Risk ManagementScenario Pilot Project(SERMP).Taveuni Volcano Risk Project:updates eruption information foruse in preparing risk maps and indeveloping guidelines for developmentplanning and emergency riskplanning.Volcano Hazard Risk Mitigation inFiji: mapping and understandingvolcano hazards on the islands ofKadavu, Koro and Rotuma toNational GovernmentDisaster ManagementActNational Disaster ManagementPlanDisaster ManagementWork PlanA National BuildingCode formulated in1990, but yet to be legislatedand implemented.Work is underway toaccomplish.A proactive approach to disasterreduction continues tobe the cornerstone of Fiji'snational effort.A major issue is the restructuringof the NDMO withinthe Ministry of RegionalDevelopment and Multi-Ethnic Affairs.101