NMI agencies attend typhoon preparedness workshop

Federal Emergency Management Agency regional administrator Robert Fenton and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres speak to reporters during a FEMA workshop on disaster recovery plans at the Fiesta Resort & Spa last week. (Dennis B. Chan)

CNMI agencies involved in responding to disasters attended a two-day Typhoon Readiness and Planning Workshop last week. The workshop is part of the CNMI Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 9’s program aimed at preparing people for natural disasters.

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., and multi-group Commonwealth Advocates fore Recovery Efforts were some of the agencies that attended the workshop, which was held at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan.

FEMA Region 9 administrator Bob Fenton, Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Esther Kia’ina, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, and American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director and CARE treasurer John Hirsch were the speakers.

In an interview after CARE’s meeting last Tuesday at the conference room at the Governor’s Office in Capital Hill, Hegland said the workshop is the first step of a yearlong catastrophic planning process.

“The goal is to bring together agencies that are involved in responding to natural disasters in developing a solid plan for typhoon preparedness,” said Hegland.

“It also helped us learn more about the capacity to respond by the [U.S. Department of Defense] and the whole community approach in times of disasters. The private sector has a lot of resources that the government and the people could turn to,” she added.

Administering mass care to the community, public assistance, serving the survivors, and learning how to collaborate with other agencies are some of the highlights of the workshop.

CARE continues to receive monetary donations from various groups that would be used to fund the rebuild and repair projects of the remaining homes that were damaged or destroyed by Typhoon Soudelor.

The Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, through local caretaker the Ayuda Network, donated $15,000 as contribution for the long-term recovery of Saipan. CARE is also expecting $70,000 from the Governor’s Office.

CARE has received some $277,950 in cash and in-kind donations where $181,838 was already spent in providing assistance to typhoon victims, while $80,000 of the remaining $96,112 is already obligated. Joeten Ace Hardware and Bridge Capital, LLC had a combined in-kind donation of $50,000.