Australia’s largest ship, the HMAS Adelaide has arrived in Fiji with specialised personnel, equipment and provisions to assist in the Fijian government TC Yasa rehabilitation efforts in the Northern Division.
The HMAS Adelaide is carrying four MRH-90 helicopters, one MRH-90 helicopter, four landing craft and additional small boats, army engineer and construction teams from the 6th Engineer Support Regiment, a primary health care team and a small boat platoon.
Tomorrow, the personnel on the HMAS Adelaide will commence work alongside the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to establish temporary school facilities on Galoa Island that were heavily damaged during Tropical Cyclone Yasa.
On specific request by the Fijian Government, the Australian Defence Force has deployed a diverse team to add to the RFMF’s ongoing support and effort already on the ground.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama welcomed the ship's captain Stuart Watters and the over 600 members on board.
All Australian Defence Force personnel are working within the strict COVID-19 requirements provided by the Fijian Government through the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services to minimise COVID-19 exposure risk for the people of Fiji as well as the deployed ADF members.
Australia’s Defence Adviser to Fiji, Col. Rob Haertsch says Australia is a long-standing partner and friend of Fiji and just like working together following TC Winston, we will work together again to come back from the destruction TC Yasa brought with it just days before Christmas.
He says they will never forget the immediate and effective response Fiji showed them through the Bula Force during the bushfires they endured early this year and they will be here to support Fiji as best they can through this difficult time.
The National Disaster Management Office says to allow the Australian Defence Force personnel to safely assist with the TC Yasa support, Fiji has reinforced its COVID-19 border quarantine protocols through carefully-supervised quarantine corridors.
The NDMO says the development of these quarantine corridors has been based on the Ministry of Health’s protocols for maritime quarantine, quarantine for tourism initiatives, and quarantine and training practises for the Fiji Airways Academy.
It says immediately before departure, all embarked forces and crew onboard the HMAS Adelaide tested negative for COVID-19.
The NDMO says the HMAS Adelaide is fully equipped with COVID-19 testing and laboratory equipment.
It says after six days at sea, the disembarking force will be tested again for COVID-19.
The NDMO says all other crew and embarked forces will remain on-board the vessel, and be tested on day 12 while in Fijian waters.
According to the NDMO, while on-site, the disembarked force will operate within a pre-defined, multi-layered “Australian Defence Force Bubble” under strict surveillance from RFMF and Ministry of Health and Medical Services personnel to prevent any community exposure.
The NDMO further says all Australia Defence Force crew and embarked forces will be restricted to this adjusted quarantine environment while their urgent work takes place.
It says the risk of transmission inside the bubble from day 6 to day 14 is extremely low as the forces will not have any public interaction and will be closely monitored inside the bubble by officials.
According to the NDMO, RFMF personnel will also operate within the Australia Defence Force Bubble, and these individuals will all undergo a full 14 days of quarantine before re-engaging with the public.
It further says Fiji has temporarily restricted the number of repatriation flights to ensure sufficient RFMF and medical personnel are available to maintain the Australian Defence Force bubble during the crew’s time in Fiji.
The NDMO says once the Australian Defence Forces’s work is complete and they depart, all facilities they have constructed will be thoroughly cleaned before public use.
The Australian Government deployed the HMAS Adelaide to support a number of tasks including the immediate repair of schools, prioritised initially for the island of Galoa, and potable water production, and to generally support Fiji’s recovery effort.
The HMAS Adelaide is scheduled to arrive in Fiji on Wednesday.
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