S.Atlantic : Disaster Management Team Visits the Falklands
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 02.05.2007 (Article Archived on 16.05.2007)

A joint FCO/DFID Disaster Management Team is visiting the Falklands to assess our readiness for natural and man-made disasters.

Photo (c) J. Brock (FINN) Frank Savage (L) and Roger Bellers (R). at Government House on Tuesday.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM VISITS THE FALKLANDS

Mr. Savage and Mr. Bellers

By J. Brock (FINN)

A joint FCO/DFID team is visiting the Falklands to carry out a disaster management capability assessment.  The review team consists of Frank Savage, FCO Adviser: OTs and Disaster Management (Team Leader) and Roger Bellers, DFID Disaster Management Adviser. Larry Covington, FCO/OTD OT Law Enforcement Adviser, based in Miami, will not travel to the Falklands but will provide his input by means of teleconferencing and meetings with the review team before and after the visit.  While in the Falklands the team will look at threat assessment; hazards and vulnerability.  Their remit also includes structures and organisation, responsibilities, command structure, policy and strategies and organisations as well as  emphasis and priorities and legislation and emergency powers.

Though the Falklands have basic plans and resources the team will look at boning up the National Plan, Major incident plans, Plans by hazard scenario , Capacity and resources (equipment, staff, training) by function and for differing scenarios such as Co-ordination/EOC, Communications, Forecast and warnings, Relief supplies and distribution, Evacuation Planning, Shelter, Public information, Health, Security, Departmental disaster management plans and resources, with particular reference to police, health sector; public works, airport, fire services (inc. search and rescue)

The team will also review training needs and to make recommendations as necessary, hold a desk-top Exercise during the Review to test capabilities of the response agencies, followed by an exercise review and submit a report, with recommendations, to HE the Governor within four weeks of the conclusion of the review.

Mr. Savage was the Governor of Montserrat during the volcano crisis from 1993 to 1997.  H. E. the Governor Mr. Alan Huckle invited him to come back to the Foreign Office on contract.  Mr. Bellers is normally based in the Caribbean but moves from Island to Island with a regional remit.

“When there is a disaster we want to see what we can do about it and how we can do it,” said Mr. Bellers.

Mr Savage explained that the programme began with Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and that there was quite a large capital programme to put things back together.  “The  British Parliament was critical of the British Government’s response to the Montserrat volcano disaster and it was the genesis of our work,” said Mr. Savage.

When Hurricane Ivan hit the Cayman Islands the team was ready to help with the aftermath.  “Each of the territories were doing things to a high standard but we thought there needed to be a show of ‘best practice,” Mr. Savage continued.

Now, in each of the territories there are capability reviews.  First of all, the territories that face a wide range of natural hazards and disasters were assessed.  At the end of the programme it was decided to go the other Overseas Territories.

Neither man had any personal experience of the Falkland Islands.  Their report will be submitted to H. E. the Governor Mr. Huckle and not to the British Government and it is up to the Governor in Council what is done with the report and its recommendations.