SAFEGUARDING CITIZENS FROM IMPENDING ELNINO HAZARDS
The County government of Nandi in its collective synergy with the National government, Ministry of Interior and Security are preparing are laying a strategy to mitigate the foreseen Elnino hazards that is expected in October, in their mandate to ensure the safety of the citizens of Nandi with focus on school going children safety and general population based on the kind of risk that is in nearness to their daily associations.
Earlier today, the County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili chaired a disaster preparedness meeting. Of critical discussions was to bring a core understanding and alignment on mitigation measures and the expected difficulties.
County Commissioner, Caroline Nzwili.
Speaking during the consultation, Chief Executive Committee Member (CECM) department of Administration, Public Service & ICT Isaiah Keter was particular on the directives of fostering synergies and collective responsibility between the intergovernmental liasion, of the National Government, composed of units involved with the vulnerability sections and the County Government.
“In the spirit of collective responsibility, representatives of all sections must work together to ensure readiness, timeliness, correctness, and well equipped-adequate support to the residents during the season.”
He further insisted on constant report feeding and feedback to responsive units.
“To maintain a responsive system, representatives must establish mechanisms for constant report feeding and feedback. This involves regular communication and data sharing among different sections and units responsible for resident support. By doing so, the system can quickly adapt to changing conditions, and emerging needs during the Elnino season.”
CECM Administration, Public Service & ICT, Mr. Isaiah Keter.
Chief officer for ICT and E-Government, Jonathan Misoi propelled the critical use of one on one interactions with residents to comprehensively assess their individual needs and cover possible loopholes that might be overlooked during hazard preparations.
With the resource use of the county call center’s toll free number, 1548, the ongoing farmer profiling, registration and mapping program, together with use of community health workers, department of health and sanitation, in their nature of work, that requires constant one on one interactions with citizens on a daily, he advocated on the affluence of these additions in mitigating potential crisis.
Action plan stipulated moving forward to be acted on and reported to the county commissioner’s office and relevant county administrative units include: securing man made shift bridges, identifying and covering all manholes, servicing drainages and exhaustive service needs, mapping schools for installation of lightning arrestors and their cost implications,school mandatory inspections for safety kits, procuring safety kits composed of tents and foodstuffs, remove obstructive reeds at Kingwaal swamp, surface vector controls in health and sanitation to prepare for accidents and induced diseases due to weather at the time, equip emergency control units and sensitize citizens on emergency response through barazas and media outlets.
Expected hazards are: extreme winds, flush floods, land slides, mud slides, lightning, and fill up of mine/quarry pits.
Also in attendance were both national and county administrative officers from roads and public works, health and sanitation, Education and Vocational Training, Kenya Red Cross, and the county disaster management unit.