Safer School Combined Tsunami Drill in Suva

Safer Schools
COMBINED TSUNAMI DRILL in Suva
Six schools were involved in the Pilot tsunami drill conducted on Thursday 18th August
2011 as part of the Safer Schools against Disaster campaign.
TSUNAMI EVACUATION MAP FOR SUVA SCHOOLS
The Safer Schools against Disaster campaign is being coordinated by the Ministry of
education Director, Asset Monitoring Unit, Mr. Iosefo Volau and with the support of a
committee comprising of the Fiji Police Force, National Fire Authority, Fiji Red Cross
Society, Fiji Military Forces, Ministry of Health, St John Ambulance, Save the Children,
PCIDRR, SOPAC, and National Disaster Management Office.
The Safer Schools Campaign aims to improve the ability of schools around the Suva
Peninsula to prepare for and respond to tsunami warnings. The schools involved
included Suva Grammar, Veiuto Primary, Cathedral Secondary, Stella Marist, Draiba
Primary and Corpus Christi Teachers College. All situated along the Suva Peninsula.
Each school identified alternative evacuation routes and safe locations which were
then included in the Emergency Evacuation Plan which was then tested during the drill.
Each school was asked to test the evacuation routes, tracks and crossings that they
had in their respective Emergency Evacuation Plan (EEP) and to determine if it is the
shortest and safest route and test the response and coordination for each.
Raghwan Park was the predetermined assembly area for Suva Grammar, Veiuto
Primary and Draiba Primary while the other three schools continued to Marist
Brothers High School grounds. At these assembly points roll calls were taken before
students were released to parents and guardians or boarded school buses to go home.
The Chair advised that the next steps are an evaluation of the feedback from the
Committee, Head Teachers, and observers which will then be used to update the School
Emergency Evacuation Plans.
Suva Grammar students queuing up in their forms and making way for Veiuto
students to pass through in the centre of the road
For additional information please contact
Litea Biukoto
DUC
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Senior Advisor Risk Reduction, Disaster Reduction Programme, Applied Geoscience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Tel: +679 3381377 Fax: +679 3370040
Email: liteab@spc.int
DISASTE
Raghwan Park –Veiuto student being assessed by St John Ambulance staff
Applied Geoscience and
Technology Division (SOPAC)
SPC