Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Disaster Preparedness Workshop Held on Guam

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): November 7,
1997 – A Disaster Preparedness Workshop was held on Guam from
October 7 to 10, 1997, under the auspices of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) for its field office in Guam and
representatives from Disaster Offices in the Federated States of
Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands, according to Josaiah
Waguk, Special Assistant to the President.

Over 30 participants attended the workshop which included three
each from the FSM and Palau Disaster Offices and 18 to 20 from Guam’s
Health Services, Public Safety, Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), Police and Fire Department.

The workshop’s instructors included Keith Harrison from office of
the Governor of the State of California and Jim Doman from Los
Angeles county.

The courses offered included an introduction to Standardized
Emergency Management Services (SEMS) which gives students an overview
of SEMS, including reference to the law and regulations, standard
terms and definitions, and training needs.

The basic framework of SEMS incorporates the use of Incident
Command System (ICS), multi-agency coordination during disasters. It
provides five level emergency response organization, namely Field,
Local Government, Operation Area, Region and State. SEMS facilities
enhances the flow of emergency information and response within and
between involved agencies at all SEMS organizational levels; the
process of coordination between responding agencies; and the rapid
mobilization, deployment, use, and tracking of resources, according
to workshop documents.

Special Assistant Waguk, John Mangefel and secretary Oleen Poll
all from the FSM Disaster and Coordination Office attended the
workshop on behalf of the FSM Government.