Pacific Resilience Disaster Relief Exercise and Exchange between PNG and U.S Army Pacific

Major Janette Kautzman, a survey team leader with U.S. Army Pacific,

 leads a planning meeting during Pacific Resilience 2013

Lae, Papua New Guinea: Although the 2015 Oceania Pacific Resilience (PR) Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE) kicks off in May, an advance team will be in Lae until February 26. The DREE advance team will become familiar with ongoing PNG disaster risk reduction efforts and meet with PNG representatives for DREE coordination efforts. This is the first civil-military disaster preparedness and response initiative between the Government of Papua New Guinea and the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC). 

Pacific Resilience 2015 will involve approximately 80 participants from PNG, the United States, the Melanesia Spearhead Group, Australia, New Zealand, international organizations (IOs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It will be co-hosted by the PNG Defense Force (PNGDF), PNG National Disaster Centre (NDC) and the Morobe Provincial Disaster Management Office (PDMO).

The Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange (DREE) will emphasize operational capabilities and joint efforts for civil-military humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) projects that will enhance collaboration and communication throughout the South Pacific region. The Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange will provide a framework for civil and military authorities to present best practices, engage in collaborative dialog, exercise plans and procedures, and enhance readiness to respond. 

Pacific Resilience DREE will run for five days. The exercise and exchange will feature presentations by subject matter experts, work group activities, a table-top exercise, a field training exercise, and an after-action review. The specific themes of the 2015 exercise scenario are still being refined, but cyclone response and its subsequent impacts (flooding, landslide, etc.), will be the primary response topics.

The overall objective of the 2015 Oceania Pacific Resilience Disaster Response Exercise and Exchange program is to provide a means of annual humanitarian assistance and disaster relief engagement between Pacific island nations and the U.S. Army Pacific. DREE will promote communication, collaboration, and interoperability between civil and military disaster responders, managers, and stakeholders to enhance regional disaster preparedness across Oceania. 

Pacific Resilience 2015 will leverage regional experience and expertise to support Pacific island nation humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions and will promote understanding of HA/DR roles and responsibilities, procedures and practices, and institutional frameworks within Papua New Guinea.