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Typhoon level 3 hits NMI in tabletop drill
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Posted on Apr 25 2006
The given scenario: A level 3 typhoon has hit the Northern Mariana Islands. Hundreds of community members are dislocated from their homes and are temporarily housed inside classrooms at the Kagman Elementary School. The question: how the American Red Cross-NMI Chapter will respond to such a disaster.
This and a host of other scenarios played out during a tabletop drill on Chapter Disaster Readiness Evaluation Exercises that was held the whole day yesterday as part of the Red Cross’ efforts to better serve the community during a natural disaster or calamity.
At least 10 Red Cross leaders in the CNMI attended the training held at the Red Cross office on Airport Road. ARC-NMI Chapter director John Hirsh led the training, with the help of ARC National Chapter representatives Scott Underwood from ARC-Sacramento and Rock Ahulau from ARC-Hawaii.
The two flew into the island for the training and to review the NMI chapter’s operations. Hirsh said both Underwood and Ahulau would review and evaluate the local chapter on its capability to handle disasters when they strike.
“They [Underwood and Ahulau] would be able to identify our strengths and weaknesses, thereby making us a stronger chapter,” said Hirsh.
Underwood said the exercises would help the ARC-NMI team evaluate which areas they are strong in and which areas they need to work on for better emergency response. He said the training is a continuing development for Red Cross team across the globe and is held once every three years.
When asked how the NMI team is doing in the exercises, Underwood said, “They’re doing very well.”
This was the first time for both Underwood and Ahulau to conduct such a training for the NMI Chapter.
Hirsh said the tabletop drill was similar to the plane crash drill that was recently conducted by the Commonwealth Ports Authority and its partner agencies at the Saipan International Airport two weeks ago. The Federal Aviation Administration gave an A+ rating for the CPA and partners on their “disaster” response to a staged plane crash.
The ARC-NMI Chapter director said their drill, though held inside a room, would also enhance and improve their response time during a disaster in the CNMI.
