The Takwa Community in North Malaita is now better equipped to withstand natural disasters, following a two-day simulation training exercises conducted by the Church Action Agency Network Disaster Operation (CANDO) and its partners recently.
CANDO is The Church Agencies Network – Disaster Operations (CAN DO) was formed in 2015 to better coordinate and strengthen our global humanitarian, disaster risk reduction and management (DRR/DRM) and resilience building work.
An operational Simulation Exercise (SimEx) simulates an emergency to which a described or simulated response is made.
The purpose of a simulation exercise is to validate and enhance preparedness and response plans, procedures and systems for all hazards and capabilities.
Aimed of the simulation exercise is to provide an avenue for the Takwa Disaster Committee to put into practice their disaster response plan and see how the community will response to their early warning system as planned.
The exercise was design to ensure villagers will practice how to go evacuate to their evacuation centre by following safe routes especially for children and most vulnerable people in the village during disaster situation and how they could organize themselves according to those respective impact-based colour codes through Met Services advice.
Also, would provide an avenue to socialize their plans in the community and review accordingly to where it necessary.
The simulation training exercise was funded by Australia Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) through the continues support from Disaster Ready Phase 3 under AHP support to CANDO as partner.
Communities of Takwa Catholic station and its cluster plus St Theresa Primary School and Takwa Community High School (TCHS) participated during the simulation exercise.
The simulation preparedness exercise was held at Takwa Catholic station for two days Wednesday 9th of April & Thursday 10th of April that involved Takwa disaster committee and 1 day simulation exercise (1 hour Sim-ex).
About 14 members of Takwa Disaster Committee, 2 Parish Priest who are an ex-officio, entire Takwa community including its clusters, both primary and high school sectors involved in the exercise, which was observed by CANDO personals, People with Disability Solomon Islands (PWDSIS) and officer from Meteorological Service.
CANDO partners including PWDSI and MET Services provided the service to the community to enable the Takwa disaster committee to try out their disaster response plan, their early warning system and see how the community response to them.
Chairman of Takwa Disaster Committee Mr Patrick Sikwa’ae says that this kind of exercise really bring ideas and real scene to people living in the village as well those disaster committee members to act accordingly whenever a disaster situation arises in the community.
Mr Sikwa’ae highlighted that highlight the need of working together during disaster situation, we cannot leave someone behind or unattended to.
Takwa Disaster Committee Chairman appreciated the knowledge shares by a personal from Met Service Mrs Linda Tonawane on how to read the cyclone tracking map in a very simple way, and impact-based colour codes which will enable them to read and disseminate the message accordingly on a timely manner.
Also Takwa community acknowledged the ADRA Solomon Islands and CANDO partner for implementing the simulation training exercises in their community.
– ADRA
