Red Cross Shelter Training

Tom from NZ and Rob Dobb based in Fiji

We were invited to attend the Shelter Coordination Workshop put on by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Two men from the IFRC facilitated the workshop, Rob Dobb based in Fiji and Tom from New Zealand. They had many pictures of shelters being used in recent responses throughout the Pacific including the volcano eruption in Vanuatu with evacuation from the island and floods in Fiji.
     

Vanuatu shelters for persons evacuated from island of Ambae to island of Santo because Mt Manaro volcano eruption

We rubbed shoulders with the various participants in the shelter aspect of emergency response in Tonga. We will work with them in the event of another cyclone or other emergency here in the Kingdom. These are important contacts .. people we should have worked closely with after Cyclone Gita, but had not made these contacts before the cyclone. Now we feel we have met them and will continue to be involved with meetings so we will be able to work together with the next event.



A shelter kit contains a saw, hoe, machete, shovel, measuring tape, hammer, pliers, tie wire, rope, shears, different kinds of nails, plus of course the tarp. From these materials. the shelters are constructed.

At the workshop, participants were divided into groups and each group made a shelter, No construction was wrong, although some were "better." One group used 2 tarps and were able to construct a shelter with 2 rooms. They felt this would allow for privacy when needed.

Basic Shelter

2-room shelter

Preparing for emergencies has been a big concern for us here in Tonga. We learned some things from Cyclone Gita about being better prepared. We have been restocking our emergency container at Liahona and setting up containers in Vava'u and Ha'apai. This workshop opened our eyes to shelter needs.

Rob Dodd let us know how to purchase these tarps from Red Cross and we are in the process of getting some to have in our container at Liahona. This is at a HUGE cost savings. We have searched for good quality tarps and they are very expensive. By purchasing through Red Cross they are much more affordable. Our Pacific Area supervisor approved us to purchase them for Tonga as a trial. If we feel they are good, the purchase may be extended to the other Pacific Islands.

It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark