Tuvalu to introduce new disaster early warning system

Transcript

A new early warning system to be introduced in Tuvalu next month aims to help outlying communities better prepare for natural disasters.

The US made Chatty Beetle technology is able to send and receive short data messages to the Internet over the Iridium satellite network anywhere in the world.

The co-ordinator of Tuvalu's National Adaptation Programme of Action, NAPA, says the idea is to use the device to send early warnings from the region's met services directly to communities around the country.

Soseala Tinilau says the first consignment of Chatty Beetles will arrive next month and the aim is to have a device set up in a central public location major villages around the country.

Mr Tinilau spoke with Koroi Hawkins about ongoing work to improve disaster preparedness.

SOSEALA TINILAU: What we do is the provision of an early warning system and equipment. For example HF radio, solar-powered radios for all the outer islands and also we are going to set up this new SMS-based communication system which they call the Chatty Beetles. We will provide each island with these types of equipment and then we also work together the disaster management officer in trying to do more drills once we install these instruments we are trying to procure, this early warning system.

KOROI HAWKINS: How far off are you from achieving that? Do you still need funds or the type of equipment?

ST: No.  It's just the bidding process that UNDP has laid out so that we can now follow so we have already got the tender.  It is a company from Fiji, Compact, so we have already ordered our equipment. We are waiting for July to receive all our equipment in Tuvalu and then we will install.

KH: You said it's SMS-based. Does this mean everyone who has a mobile phone gets one or will there be one device in each village?  How does it work?

ST:  One device in each village and with the hope that a mobile also can hook up to that system but at the moment it is just one device.  It's made from the US.  It is a sole-provider. Equipment on each island will have this SMS-based communication on it so when there is a tsunami warning that comes from New Zealand or Hawai'i that equipment will beep. It only stops when you press it so when you press stop and there's a screen on it, that's where you receive the message whether it is a tsunami or a storm warning or any other meteorological warning.

KH: I'm assuming it will be solar-powered or something like that?

ST: Yes.  It will be solar-powered, yes.

KH: It will be with the local chief or the church or community head or how and where will the equipment be based?

ST: That's one of the things that I went around lately to consult with the community, where they could locate this equipment.  Some they said they want to put at (the) pastor's house because it has to be an open house or anybody can access 24/7 to that equipment, provided it's a bit up so that children can't reach and play with the equipment.