Ads by Google Ads by Google

Enhancing Disaster Resilience: American Samoa participates in Pacific Partnership Meeting 2023

STAFFERS WITH FEMA PERSONNEL
Source: Governor’s Office press release

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Pacific Partnership Meeting (PPM) 2023 brought together FEMA federal partners, the state of Hawaii and Pacific territories to meet, collaborate, discuss and receive information on programs, services, opportunities and resources available through the federal agency.  

According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, Pacific territorial leaders — including Gov. Lemanu P.S. Mauga, were able to share with FEMA Region IX Regional Administrator Robert Fenton, “unmet needs and request assistance to help them improve their readiness for future disasters.”  

About two months in advance of the PPM this year, which focused on Logistics and Supply Chain Management, virtual roundtable discussions, briefings and presentations prepared PPM participants to better equip them to effectively engage and provide quality related critical logistics information specifically applicable to their territories.

This year’s PPM focused on Logistics and Supply Chain Management. FEMA deployed a team to American Samoa in May 2023 to conduct a Critical Commodity Lifelines Baseline Assessment and met with relevant departments and semi-autonomous agencies providing information on the following systems for this meeting: Ports and Freight, Transportation, Food and Grocery, Fuel, Water and Wastewater and Electrical Power. The results of the Supply Chain Analysis Network (SCAN) were discussed by FEMA Office of Response and Recovery and SCAN Team from FEMA Logistics Management Directorate.

In addition to FEMA, territories were encouraged to build and strengthen strategic relationships to include Private Public Partnerships (P3) to enhance “life safety, economic security and resilience of jurisdictions.” (FEMA Building Private-Public Partnerships July 2921). In addition to lessons learned and best practices with initial response, federal staffers led discussions on resources and types of assistance available for successfully recovery from disasters.

Lemanu also confirmed that Administrator Fenton would be attending the Amerika Samoa 2nd Annual Disaster Resilience Summit from September 26-28, 2023 hosted by the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management in partnership with the Governor’s Resilience Office.

The Pacific Partnership Meeting 2023 took place in Honolulu, Hawaii, from August 8- 10.

The ASG delegation included local Homeland Security Director Samana Semo Veavea, Director of the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) Lisa T. Tuatoo, Assistant Director Alapasa Tuatoo of the Department of Treasury, Acquisition Division Head Susana Soliai Tau of the Office of Procurement, ODAPM Logistics Administrator Faailoa Kaisa Kose, ASDHS Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program Coordinator Sharma Sapolu, and ASDHS Grants Analyst Dutch Hopkinson of the Department of Treasury.