December disasters after-action review |20 January 2024

Mr Cetoupe addressing the gathering at yesterday’s after-action review (Photos: Laura Pillay)

Sensitisation essential to boost emergency responses

By Laura Pillay

Following an after-action review of the emergency response efforts following the December 6 and 7 disasters, it is essential that responding services and the population at large are sensitised about the National Incident Command structure, the Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) has said.

The national body mandated for disaster reduction and management grouped together responding agencies and organisations for an after-action review yesterday, at the Seychelles Coast Guard auditorium.

“It is essential that everyone, including politicians, have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved during emergency responses, to ensure effective disaster response,” chief risk management officer, Daniel Cetoupe, stated.

The review provides a platform to evaluate the effectiveness of response strategies and actions taken during the incident, and to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in emergency procedures.

Furthermore, it facilitates organisational learning and enhances preparedness for future crises.

Mr Cetoupe noted that despite improvements, one of the challenges which DRMD faces in coordinating emergency responses is the level of respect and discipline for the National Incident Command Structure, with some confusion as to who has authority, and the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

“It is a continuous challenge and we are not the first country to experience this. It happens almost everywhere, and we have observed this in Mauritius.  It takes time to improve. But, I can say that from where we come from, up until today, there have been a lot of improvements, but we need to continue working to make it work even better,” he said.

Communication remains one of the prevailing issues, primarily due to the fact that a number of organisations are not used to working in emergencies, and tend to follow their everyday structures.

“In emergency situations, the structure is streamlined, to ensure that communication flows in a way that all levels get the same information simultaneously. This is something that we need to work on,” Mr Cetoupe added.

The recommendations are agreed by all responding organisations, including Seychelles Police Force, Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA), the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS), the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency (SIA), among others.

Faced with the challenge of limited human and financial resources, it is imperative that emergency responders adapt, and find means to better manage existing resources, that is “use less to do more”.

This post-response review is an important continuous exercise in the wake of disasters and emergencies. It allows responders to scrutinise emergency preparedness and action plans, and to make improvements to be put into practice in future responses.

In opening the session, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Errol Fonseka, expressed gratitude towards all organisations present for their roles in responding to the two emergencies.