Vocational Training Team to Tonga
NSW and ACT RESCA provide funding and support for a Vocational Team. They will provide Emergency and Disaster Preparedness training, by a competitively selected Vocational Training Team (VTT), within a developing country in the Asia/Pacific Region (Vanuatu in 2016-17 and Tonga in 2025/2026), to provide Disaster Preparedness Training.
In August and September 2026, a Rotary led Vocational Training Team (VTT) comprising nine members travelled to the Kingdom of Tonga for a four-week deployment aimed at strengthening local emergency response capabilities and disaster preparedness.
Supported through Rotary's Emergency Services initiatives, the project brought together experienced personnel from emergency service organisations across New South Wales to work alongside Tonga Fire & Emergency Services (TFES), Tonga Police, the Ports Authority, and the Tonga Ministry of Health. The program focused on sharing expertise, building practical skills and strengthening relationships between agencies responsible for protecting communities during emergencies.
Tonga is recognised as one of the Pacific's most disaster-prone nations, facing ongoing risks from cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, and volcanic activity. The VTT was designed to support sustainable local capability, particularly during the critical first 24 to 72 hours following a major disaster when local resources are often required to manage events before external assistance can arrive.
Throughout the deployment, the team delivered thirteen formal training programs involving 75 TFES personnel, together with numerous practical workshops and mentoring opportunities. Training covered first aid, road crash rescue, urban search and rescue, flood and surf rescue, incident management, mass casualty response, and peer support. A strong emphasis was placed on developing local instructors and strengthening cooperation between emergency service agencies.
The program culminated in a multi-agency exercise simulating a major earthquake followed by a tsunami. The exercise provided participants with an opportunity to apply newly acquired skills in a realistic operational environment while testing coordination, communication, and decision-making across multiple agencies.
Beyond the formal training outcomes, the project fostered enduring friendships, professional networks, and cultural exchange. The people of Tonga warmly welcomed the team, and the enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment displayed by TFES and partner agencies contributed significantly to the success of the deployment.
The project demonstrated the true value of Rotary's Vocational Training Team program: bringing skilled professionals together to share knowledge, strengthen communities and create sustainable outcomes that endure long after the deployment concludes. While the team returned to Australia with a tremendous sense of achievement, the lasting relationships, mutual respect, and ongoing partnerships developed throughout the project will remain among its most important legacies.
Our VTT Team Members to Kingdom of Tonga 2026
