R.S.I.P.F CONDUCTS MOCK DISASTER EXERCISE

The Royal Solomon Islands Police this morning conducted an exercise as part of a disaster management program.

The training was conducted together with the RSIPF and the National Referral hospital to test their capabilities to respond to disasters.

The training ended eleven am this morning.

Deputy Police Commissioner Juanita Matanga says the training will continue tomorrow with other stakeholders and urges communities to be calm.

The training was part of the US Partnership Program 2015.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Juanita Matanga says there were no pre-warnings about the exercise, unlike past drills.

Reports received this morning during the exercise said people panicked when they heard the Police sirens and questioned why there were no pre-warnings.

But speaking at a press conference this morning, Ms Matanga says they wanted to see how communities would respond.
She reinforced, some disasters strike without warning.

“One is that we must always prepare. Whilst we can give out some information in time, there will be times when we cannot get the information quickly to our communities. So communities when they hear this situation they must ask, find out what will happen. So whilst we do these mood training, it’s a good exercise to go for our communities, they must be well prepared for disasters. Because disasters, it is sometimes difficult to predict disasters and a little difficult to quickly disseminate information.”