Fiji is located in one of the most vulnerable and highly at risk location to disasters in the world. About
one or two cyclones hits the country every year and floods and flash floods - because of climate
change - has become a common occurrence. Over the last decade, damage caused by tropical
cyclones alone has been estimated at more than $500 million and more than 100 lives have been
lost. Tropical Cyclone Ami, which struck the Northern and Eastern Divisions in 2003, caused social
and economic losses of more than $100 million, whilst the floods in April 2009 caused damages
estimated at more than $30 million.
Throughout history, emergencies and disasters have inflicted a heavy cost in human, material, and
physical resources, and damage to the country. Disasters’ situation is further aggravated by the
disruption, dislocation or loss of vital economic production and national infrastructure including water
supply, power and communication and transportation.
Fiji is a country vulnerable to a number of natural hazards such as cyclone, flood, earthquake, fire,
landslide and drought. Of these, cyclones, with their accompanying strong winds, flood and storm
surge, are the most frequent have one of the most damaging effects. Earthquake, with its secondary
hazards such as tsunami, fire (in urban areas) and landslide, although not frequent, nevertheless has
the potential to cause massive devastation. Drought is dictated by El Nino phenomena (3-5 year
period).
The government of Fiji has established the National Disaster Management Plan 1995, enacted a
Natural Disaster Management Act 1998, and prepared hazard specific response plans/procedures
such as the Cyclone Response Plan/Procedures. The Act, Plan and programmes are being
implemented to preventor mitigate the effects of hazards and events, to prepare for and respond to
them, and to return the country and its people to normal and productivity.
However, it is important to mention that some of the policies, plans and programmes may not be
mentioned yet in the National Disaster Management Plan – as this one still needs to be updated.
This document should be used by government departments, provincial governments, NGOs, private
industry and diplomatic missions as a guide for producing their own internal emergency procedures
and response plans.
Adequate procedures for dealing with specific emergency and disaster situations and relief measures
are still to be finalized. Regular training needs to be conducted covering all aspects of emergency and
disaster management. Careful planning measures need to be in place to co-ordinate the effective use
of resources, both human and physical, for the saving of lives and property, limiting damage to the
environment, and the return to a normal life style as soon as possible. Measures must also be in
place to co-ordinate activities with regional and international organizations and to request and receive
assistance from outside the country.
Over the years, a disaster culture was created resulting in every citizen of the country participating in
emergency and disaster prevention and preparedness to reduce the impacts of events to an
acceptable level.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has primary responsibility for coordinating
activities before, during and after emergency and disaster situations. The Chair of the National
Disaster Management Council (NDMC) and the National Disaster Controller take their appointment by
virtue of the Natural Disaster Management Act 1990.
Members of the three sub-committees of the Council are drawn from line agencies depending on their
roles. These committees are:
1. Prevention and Mitigation Committee,
2. Preparedness Committee,
3. Emergency Committee
Disaster service liaison officers (DSLO's) are appointed by all agencies to provide effective operations
and co-operation during emergencies, and to liaise on preparedness and mitigation activities.
The Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) is the umbrella body for NGO's, whilst the Red Cross
operates independently. Other social organisations are aligned to FCOSS or Red Cross. These
organisations are active in the country and have representative members in communities. There are
also active service organizations like Rotary and Lions Club who have been involved in emergency
and disaster management programmes.
The National Disaster Management Plan was established in 1995. Support plans for cyclones,
tsunamis and earthquakes have been developed. Other support plans – as an Emergency Logistics
Response plan – are still to be developed.
Fiji’s Disaster Management framework
Introduction
The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) of 1995 is a comprehensive plan centered largely
on the emergency management part of the natural hazard management cycle. The natural hazard
management cycle is essentially in two parts:
a) The emergency management component, which comprises of preparedness for the disaster,
response after the disaster has occurred, and the recovery or rehabilitation and development of the
stricken region;
b) The risk management component is the prevention and the mitigation part of the hazard
management cycle
The NDMP details agency roles and responsibilities, emergency operations, relief and rehabilitation,
mitigation and public awareness and training on disaster management in Fiji, from the national level,
to divisional level and right down to district level . It has a strong emphasis on emergency or disaster
management while reference is made within the plan of the role of other government departments in
risk management; tsunamis and earthquakes with the Mineral Resources Department, coastal riverine
flooding with the Drainage, and Irrigation Department and flood control and watershed management
programme with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries, Land and Water Resources
Management Department.
A natural progression was to enact an Act that would govern Natural Disaster Management and so in
1998, the Natural Disaster Management Act was passed by the Fiji Parliament, mandating the
government and relevant agencies to function more effectively in relation to managing natural
disasters. This saw the establishment of the National Disaster Management Office as well as the
continuation of the functions of the various government departments with a role in the natural hazard
management cycle.
Reviews of the Disaster Management framework
Reviews of the Natural Disaster Management Act 1998 and the 1995 National Disaster Management
Plan were due for completion in 2006. The reviews were prompted by a number of national and
international factors.
The principal recommendations were to include manmade hazards including technological hazards in
the Act and Plan and to institute qualitative improvements in legislation, regulations, organisation,
operating procedures, training and readiness. The reviews stressed that an effective crisis and
emergency management system under national leadership is essential. The review also aimed to put
in place a system in dealing with disaster risk reduction and planning for effective preparedness,
response and recovery. The focus on community capacity building aimed to reduce dependency and
to achieve community resilience and sustainable development.
The Draft NDRMA of 2006 succinctly outlines that it replaces the Fiji National Disaster Management
Plan of 1995.
The NDRMA sets out the arrangements for disaster risk reduction and disaster management in Fiji. It
also ushers in a new focus for the national disaster machinery in terms of assigning overall
responsibility for the management of both natural and human-caused disasters.
The NDRM acknowledges the following as natural and human caused disasters.
Natural and Human Caused Disasters.
Natural
Human Caused
Cyclone
Aircraft Accident – Air/Sea/Land
Drought
Animal Disease
Earthquake
Epidemics / Pandemics
Flood
Fire – bush /structure
Landslide
Hazardous Materials Spills – Marine / Land
Storm Tide (surge)
Invasive species
Tsunami
Mass Civil Disorder
Volcanic Eruptions
Oil Spill – Marine / Land
Shipping Accidents
Source: Adapted from Fiji Draft NDRM 2006
The present Disaster Management organisation
The National Disaster Management Structure is arranged from national to divisional and district level.
The declaration and control of emergencies is retained centrally at the national level whereas
management of preparedness, response actions to each of the warning stages, evacuation centres,
response, relief and early recovery activities are systematically devolved to divisional and district
levels. The national disaster management arrangement has sub-committees that tap the technical
and logistic resources available nationally bringing them in as team players and partners in all stages
of preparedness, warning, response and recovery.
Disaster management structure under normal circumstances
Disaster management structure during emergency operations
The Cyclone Plan
The generic National DM Plan is in place and all Divisions derive their plans from it with assigned
roles for responsible agencies to ensure they incorporate the same standards.
The predictable and seasonal nature of cyclone occurrences resulted in the establishment of the
Cyclone Support Plan in 1997, as the cyclones are the cause of most of the major flooding in Fiji.
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Each stage of the cyclone threat has matching preparedness, national readiness and
response requirements that clarify who get involved across sectors.
Where plans exist, there are usually SOPs in place, and vice versa. Most organisations
have internal SOPs but these are rarely shared beyond their organisation.
The emergency operations are coordinated from DISMACs using emergency operation
plans and procedures that outline pre-determined roles of agencies across the sector.
To date the nation has managed to cope with devastating floods and cyclones despite
some indentified shortcomings in national coordination of preparedness and response
activities.
Constraints and Challenges
A revised policy framework was endorsed by Cabinet in February 2006. The significant number of
recommendations necessitated the drafting of a new plan and legislation, Fiji National Disaster Risk
Management Arrangements: Building the resilience of Fiji's communities to natural and humancaused hazards (NDRMA).
The NDRMA were completed in October 2006 and were due to be enacted by Cabinet in early 2007.
Unfortunately, developments in the political situation of Fiji delayed the enactment of the NDRMA.
The identified need to develop specific Response Plans and Early Warning Systems for floods,
cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis, in order to provide people with time and confidence to deal with
such events and to facilitate more rapid Government intervention is slowly put in place.
The Fiji Red Cross works closely with the divisional commissioners and provincial
administrators/district officers to provide support during emergency relief operations and is now fully
included in the operations procedures. There is still a need to continue strengthening the coordination
mechanisms with Disaster Management partners, including the civil society actors, as well as the
FRANZ group, the EU, ADB, World Bank, UN agencies and SOPAC. This is particularly true for
logistics operations.
Many of the existing partnerships and organizational arrangements are programme driven.
The myriad of arrangements reflect the abundance of available financial resources via donor initiated
programmes but these national initiatives require better coordination between sectors and
government departments.
As in many other Pacific countries, during emergencies, authority is delegated to Divisional, Provincial
and District levels. Disaster Management Committees (DISMAC) exists down to district level, whilst
Budget allocation for DM is centralised with NDMO and disseminated to local levels as needed.
Nevertheless, this policy isn’t written in an official framework yet. Unclear policies in terms of
responsibility at the divisional and local levels should be addressed in the review of the NDRM
Arrangements. There may be insufficient knowledge and awareness in local governments and
communities in regard to their roles and responsibilities.
NGOs/FBOs have extensive community outreach. However in the new NDM Arrangements it is not
clear how NGOs/Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) are integrated into the national DRM
arrangements, while some actors like Red Cross or PCI-DRR are fully integrated into the national
plans.
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In most cases funding emergency preparedness plans or contingency stocks is
problematic.
As a priority, NGOs and FBOs have identified that a national coordination forum is needed
to share information and consult on how they can integrate better into the national
response arrangements, as they presently undertake a myriad of community level activities.
Sources: GOVERNMENT OF FIJI - Strategic Development Plan 2007-2011; NDMO - National
progress report on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2009-2011); REPUBLIC
OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - Country Information Package - Policy, Plans, Programmes and Projects for
Emergencies and Disasters – August 2009
The National Disaster
Responsibilities[1]
Management
Council
(NDMC)
-
Roles
and
Minister for Provincial Development and National Disaster Management
Chairman of the National Disaster Management Council and report disaster programmes and
activities to Cabinet
Permanent Secretary for Provincial Development
Deputy Chairman of the NDMC and National Disaster Controller
National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)
Day-to-day management of disaster management activities and operations
Co- ordination of response resources through the National Emergency Operation Centre
(NEOC)
The Director for the NDMO is the Manager of the NEOC and is also the National Disaster
Coordinator.
National DISMAC
An acronym encompassing the NDMC, NDMO and the NEOC
It is used mostly at the NEOC and by the National Emergency Committee for
communication to direct and coordinate emergency operations.
National Emergency Committee
A sub-committee of the NDMC
Provides decision making and guidance for the NEOC during operations
Activated when deemed necessary for emergencies and disasters
The committee is chaired by the National Disaster Controller.
Government Agency Liaisons
Activate department disaster plans.
Facilitate information flow from NEOC to departments and vice-versa.
Identify department personnel to fill needs as determined by the NEOC manager.
NGOs and Red Cross Liaisons
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Activate agency disaster plans.
Facilitate information flow from NEOC and vice-versa.
Identify agency personnel to fill needs as determined by the NEOC manager.
Division/District Emergency and Disaster Management Committee
Chaired by the divisional commissioner of the district at their respective levels
Committee members are drawn from divisional HOD’s district HOD’s Roko tuis, NGO’s and
statutory bodies
The Chairman and the committee develop and manage district plans and programmes as
described by the National Plan or determined to be necessary by the Committee.
The division/district organizations and operations will be similar to the organization and
operations at the national level.
Permanent programmes will include:

Public Education and Awareness

Relief and response

Prevention and mitigation

Preparedness and training

Emergency operation
Village/settlement Emergency and Disaster Committees
The role of the committee is similar to divisional and district, however, it is more
simplified because of the participation at the grassroots level.
National Emergency Management Sub-committee
Meet as necessary to deal with emergency and disaster situations.
Ensure that effective management response procedures are in place for on-site
multi-agency co-ordination and are supported by:

An emergency and disaster communications network for onsite command, information sharing and
relay, and logistics and technical support.

Other existing telecommunications systems to ………

Roster teams take turns at the NEOC to monitor preparation and response to a national disaster.

Report to the NDMC on all disaster management aspects before, during and after a disaster.
Membership:

Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs (Chairperson)

Permanent Secretary for Agriculture

Permanent Secretary for Health

Permanent Secretary for Fijian Affairs & Provincial

Development

Permanent Secretary for Public Works

Permanent Secretary for Finance

Controller of Government Supplies

Commissioner, Fiji Police Force

Commander, Fiji Military Forces

Director-General, Fiji Red Cross

Chief Executive, National Fire Authority
The National Disaster Management Office
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) was established as the coordinating centre of the
Fiji Government in times of national disasters. The NDMO operates under the National Disaster
Management Act and coordinates the national management of disaster activities through the Ministry
of Provincial Development organisation structures at the National level, the Divisional level, the
District or Provincial level and to the local and community levels. The NDMO manages disaster
activities at these levels through Disaster Preparedness programs, Disaster Mitigation programs,
Disaster Response programs in times of natural disasters and Disaster Rehabilitation programs to
restore normalcy after the adverse effect of a disaster hazard.
The tools that assist NDMO to enhance its disaster management programs are the National Disaster
Management Act and the National Disaster Management Plan. These two legal instruments details
the authority, establishment and structure for NDMO to work within in ensuring the tasks of building
the national disaster management capacities, capable for implementation of national management
programs and ultimately setting the framework and platform for building the disaster resilience all
levels of the national organisations.
NDMO Organizational Structure
The NDMO is structured into three Units according to the core functions and responsibilities of the
organisation.
Policy, Research & Risk Management Unit
This Unit is regarded as the long-term element of the organisation. The unit works mainly in
collaboration with specialised NDMO partners at the international, regional and national level and
harmonised global disaster management technological advancement into its work plan.
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Policy Development - the formulation and development of disaster risk reduction
and disaster management policies for Fiji.
Research and Development - disaster risk reduction and disaster management
research by specialised disaster management partners and the implementation of
programs formulated from the researched activities.
-
-
Risks Management - the identification and analysis of risk factor that affect
communities with the formulation of risk reduction programs aimed at reducing
risks to manageable level.
Information Technology (IT) Development - development of IT capabilities within
NDMO: NDMO Database, the NDMO Geographical Information System (GIS) and
the NDMO Website.
Training, Education & Awareness Unit
Training and Development - training at the national, divisional, district and
community level according to the needs and gaps in the disaster management
arrangements
Education and Awareness - education and awareness programs, incl. the National
Disaster Awareness Week, a national event in the beginning of the cyclone season
Publications
Emergency Planning & Coordination
The Unit is the implementation arm of the NDMO in terms of coordinating the national response to
disasters.
-
Planning - emergency planning at the national level, strategies and work plans.
Coordination - of organisations in accordance with the threat or impact of a hazard
Operations - the management of emergency operations.
Management of the National Emergency Centre (NEOC) - staffing, planning,
organising, leading and controlling the efforts of the NEOC and all other response
resources
PARTNERSHIP
The NDMO partners contribute mostly to supplement the gaps in national capacity.
International Partners
The United Nations agencies
The International Federation of the Red Cross
The European Union
The World Bank
Foreign Embassies and Missions, and
All the International NGOs
Regional Partners
AUSAID
NZAID
SOPAC
SPC
SPREP
All the regional NGOs
National Partners
Government Ministries and Departments
National NGOs
Municipalities
Statutory bodies
Private sector companies/organisations
PROGRAMS
The NDMO manages a number of disaster risk reduction and disaster management programs with
the support of its partners. Among the main ones:
-
IT Development Database, Website, GIS
CHARM implementation
Risk Assessment for Urban Centers
SERMP - Suva Earthquake Risk Management Project
Emergency Operation Centre Resourcing & Training Program
Pacific Catastrophe Risk Pool Initiative
National Disaster Awareness Week
Damage Assessment Manuals
EMWIN - Emergency Weather Info System
Drought Support Plan
Tsunami Early Warning System
Flood Early Warning System - Navua, Rewa, etc
HF Radio Installation
Guidelines for donated items
Emergency Management Volunteer Services
COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENTS
NDMO is part of a number of committees:
Membership Status - NDMO is a member to:
Fiji National Land-Care Steering Committee
Navua Early Warning System Committee
Integrated Water Resource Management Committee
Integrated Coastal Development Committee
Environmental Awareness Committee
Secretariat Status - NDMO acts as the secretariat of:
1.
Suva Earthquake Risk Management Project Committee
National Drought Plan Committee, and
National Tsunami Steering Committee
Avian Influenza Taskforce
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS - ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FIJIAN
AGENCIES
Police
Fire Service
Public Works
-
Provide a representative to the NDC, CCG and national working group
Assist with the initial emergency relief assessment process
Provide back-up radio communications
Law enforcement
Traffic and crowd control
Isolation of damaged areas
Damage reconnaissance and reporting
Disaster area evacuation
Fire prevention and suppression
Hazardous spills containment and clean-up
Inspect evacuation centres
Provide a leader for the mitigation and planning sub working groups
Lead the disaster assessment process and compile a full assessment report for
NDC
Provide a representative for the NDC and CCG
Tend to damages to ensure infrastructure is maintained as best possible during an
emergency
Carry out assessment of damage
Inspection of damaged area for the hazard
FCOSS (Association of NGOs)
Provide a representative to each of the national working group sub groups
Support the initial emergency relief process
Support disaster management training
Provide a representative to the NDC
Lands Survey and Natural Resources
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Participate and support disaster mitigation programme activities
Utilities Authorities - Telecom, FEA, City Councils
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Participate and support disaster mitigation project activities
Tend to damages to ensure services are maintained as best possible during an
emergency
Carry out assessment of damage
Health
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Provide a representative to the NDC, and national working group
Conduct sentinel monitoring of potential health problems following a major incident
Coordinate planning efforts of hospital and other health facilities with state
requirements
Coordinate patient loads of health facilities during emergencies
Coordinate triage and first aid activities immediately after disaster strikes
Develop emergency health and sanitation standards and procedures
Red Cross Society
Provide a representative to the NDC, CCG, and national working group
Support the initial emergency relief assistance and assessment process
Provide support to disaster management training activities
St John Ambulance
Provide a representative to the NDC, CCG, and national working group
Support the initial emergency relief assistance
Provide support to disaster management training activities
Divisional Disaster Coordinating Officer
Support the identification and design of disaster management programmes
Disseminate warning messages within areas of responsibility an ensure community
members understand their meaning together with action to take
Initiate emergency relief assessment within their areas of responsibility
Serve as the disaster management focal point for their respective division
Other activities in support of disaster management and emergency response that
may be requested by the NDC or NDMO
Education
Civil Aviation
-
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Identify schools for use as emergency shelter
Participate and support in disaster mitigation project activities
Provide a representative to the NDC, CCG and national working group
Establish procedures for the clearance of personnel during relief operations
Participate and support disaster mitigation projects
Ministry of Marine Resources and Fisheries
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Broadcasting Houses - Communications Fiji Ltd, etc
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Support the national education and awareness campaigns through broadcasting of
information
Customs and Quarantine
Develop and enforce procedures associated with the clearance of disaster relief
supplies
Provide a representative to the NDC
Ministry of Finance
Provide a representative to the NDC and CCG
Manage the financial aspects of relief operations including the recording of donor
contributions
Prepare a financial record of expenditure following major operations
Foreign Affairs
-
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Participate and support disaster mitigation project activities
Contact point for donor countries/agencies
Ministry of Agriculture
Provide a representative to the NDC and national working group
Participate and support disaster mitigation project activities
Damage assessment teams
1. A. THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTERS
At National Level – The NEOC
At Divisional Level – The DivEOC
At District Level – The District EOC
There are constraints on the District level EOC such as staffing needs and the Heads of Departments
(HODs) are required to man the EOC and assist with the Information/Media, Operations and Logistics
and the Relief and Assessment Unit tasks. There are other positions such as the Plotter and
Communications Officer that would have to be sorted out as well by the Coordinator.
Both structures are not defined in the National Disaster Plan but the roles of each Unit are explained
in the context. Similar structures exist at Divisional, Provincial and District level. The operational tools
of each level are the – National, Divisional, Provincial and District – Emergency Operations Centers.