DisasterresponseteamsarenowinabetterpositiontoprovideemergencyhumanitariansupportimmediatelyafteranaturaldisasterthankstoaMemorandumofUnderstanding(MOU)signedthisafternoonbetweentheFijiRedCrossSociety(FRCS)andtheAustralianGovernment’sFijiCommunityDevelopmentProgram (FCDP). The MOUwas signed at theFCDP officein Suva.
ThroughFCDP,theAustralianGovernmenthascommittedtoatotalofAUD50,000foremergencydisasterreliefthattheFRCScanactivateuponrequestfromtheNationalDisasterManagementOffice (NDMO).
FollowingtheMOUsigning,theAustralianHighCommission’sRegionalDevelopmentActingCounsellorJohnMorleysaidthatthisisareflectionoftheAustralianGovernment’scommitmenttothe peopleof Fiji.
The first48hours after adisaster strikesareoften the most difficult, roads andcommunicationscanbecut,fieldstaffthatareneededtorespondcanthemselvesbeimpactedbythedisaster.Verysoonaftera disasterrespondersneedinformation on what happenedandwheretobe abletobeginreliefoperations,” Mr Morleysaid.
“ThesefundswillallowFijiRedCrossandNDMOtotakethoseimportantfirststepstohelpaffectedcommunitiesand Australiais very pleased tobe abletosupport themboth,” headded.
TheMOUisa12-monthpilotagreementenablingtheAustralianGovernment,throughFCDP,tolaunchhumanitarianactionswiftlyintheeventofamajorweatherevent,channellingthefundsthrough the FRCS to meet immediatehumanitarian needs identified by the NDMO.
“Apartfromprovidingemergencyreliefassistanceintheaftermathofanaturaldisaster,theMOUwillalsoprovidesupporttoFijiRedCrossandtheNDMOforsearchandrescuemissions,administeringurgentmedicalattentionlikemedivacandallowpromptassessmentsandaerialsurveysof theaffected areas,”statedFCDPTeamLeader Michael Brownjohn.
FRCSDirectorGeneralMrFilipeNainocaaddedthatFRCSispleasedtosignthisMOUwiththeAustralianGovernmentand is looking forward toworkingwithNDMOtoassistthevulnerablepeople intimesof disasters.
InadditiontotheMOU,FCDPwillalsocollaboratewithpartnerCSOs,disasterresponseteamsandthe Australian Governmenttoprovideongoing relief to victims ineventof a naturaldisaster.
ForfurtherinformationpleasecontactFCDP’sCommunications OfficerSunayna Nandni: Sunayna_Nandni@fcdpfiji.orgor9306750.
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