Also present at the launch were officers from the RFMF, Fiji Police Force, government stakeholders, and representatives from the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces.He stated that the exercise would test command, control, communication, and decision-making under pressure while strengthening inter-agency preparedness and national resilience.Lewaqai further adds that months of planning, including the initial planning conference, tabletop exercise, and main planning conference had already identified gaps in coordination, communication flow, mobility, and response timing.
He says that readiness is built long before the first emergency call is made.The RFMF says this will improve and strengthen command and control capabilities, improve coordination and decision-making processes, enhance staff planning, and test logistics and support systems for the Command Post Exercise.He encouraged participants to actively engage, challenge assumptions, and use the exercise as an opportunity to identify weaknesses before real emergencies arise.
Lewaqai says he would rather they discover weaknesses at Blackrock than during a real crisis when lives depend on their response.
He says the exercise will continue over the coming days, with participating agencies testing operational systems, strengthening coordination, and reinforcing partnerships essential to Fiji’s national preparedness.
