Samoa has a long history of responding to disasters and emergencies, both natural and human-induced. These experiences have reinforced the importance of strengthening national preparedness, resilience and the capacity to coordinate an effective response when disasters occur.
Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), through its Disaster Management Office (DMO), is supporting the implementation of Exercise Longreach, a multi-agency civilian-military disaster preparedness and response exercise conducted by the Government of Samoa in partnership with the Australian Government through the Australian High Commissionβs- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC).
The preliminary session of the National Exercise Longreach Programme held on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, at Taumeasina Island Resort, Apia, focused on the Communication Training Session. The session established essential communications competencies to support the academic and operational phases of the exercise, with a particular focus on ensuring effective communication and coordination during disaster response operations.
The training was delivered by Headquarters 1st (Australian) Division in collaboration with the DMO and ADF, the training covered disaster communications terminology, radio operations, phonetic communication procedures and foundational radio communication skills. The session also provided an opportunity for knowledge sharing and practical engagement among key national Emergency Radio Network stakeholders including the DMO, Ministry of Police, Prisons and Correction Services (MPPS), Samoa Red Cross Society (SRCS), Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority (SFESA) and all Disaster Advisory Committee (DAC) participating agencies.
A key focus of the opening day was establishing a common understanding of communications protocols across participating agencies. Effective communication is fundamental to coordinated disaster response, particularly in complex scenarios such as tsunami events, where timely and accurate information can support decision-making and the protection of communities.
The Ministry acknowledges and sincerely thanks the Australian High Commissionβs Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the Australian Civil-Military Centre (ACMC), Headquarters 1st (Australian) Division, and all participating national agencies and partners for their collaboration, commitment and continued support towards strengthening Samoaβs disaster preparedness and resilience. The preliminary session has set an important foundation for the week ahead, strengthening communication, coordination and partnerships towards a safer and more resilient Samoa
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