The Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) officially operationalised the emergency operation centre on Praslin yesterday.
The same operation will take place on La Digue today.
The Disaster Risk Management Act (2014) makes provision for the DRMD in the establishment and maintenance of the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) and supplementary Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs).
The setting up of the EOCs on both islands will allow the division in collaboration with responder agencies to effectively coordinate all incidents and emergencies in liaison with the main NEOC that is usually at the DRMD headquarters, but that can be set up at any location during a national emergency or event.
For the foreseeable future, the Praslin EOC will be housed at the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Service Agency (SFRSA) station on Ile Eve and will be manned by SFRSA officers.
On La Digue, the EOC will be at the ex-courthouse and will be manned by officers of the Police Force.
In attendance at the operationalisation on both days will be the director general of DRMD, Robert Ernesta, senior disaster management officers Cliff Alissop and Aisha Rachel and other staff of the DRMD along with concerned partners and stakeholders.
For the moment, the EOCs will be exclusively accessed by first responder agencies during emergencies and other significant events.
The public will have limited access because the purpose of the centre will be for coordination of response between responder agencies.
During emergencies, the public will still need to channel their queries, requests and reports to their respective district authorities who will in turn relay feedback when and as appropriate to the officers in the EOC.
The EOC will organise the release information to the public when this is deemed appropriate and necessary.
Source: Seychelles Nation