Emergency Response Department

The Fire and Emergency Division consists of two departments, and the Emergency Response Department is one of them. TFES, previously referred to as Tonga Fire, was solely responsible for handling fire incidents prior to the implementation of the new Tonga Fire and Emergency Services Act. This new Act, which came into effect in 2014, granted TFES the authority to handle various emergency situations, not just fires, as specified in Section 4 (b) of the Act.

The department is led by Fire Commander Latu and has recently established another Unit under its department back in 2022, the HazMat Unit.  The HazMat Unit is commanded by Assistant Fire Commander Vaitaki and assisted by Fire Officer Kava. Hazardous Materials (HazMat) plays a large role in the creation of illicit drugs such as Methamphetamine (street name of Ice or Crystal meth) is commonly made out of Hydrochloric Acid: extremely corrosive – can eat flesh and Lithium: found in batteries and is highly explosive to name a few. 

To address emergency incidents, TFES has formulated a comprehensive plan encompassing training, resource management, and capacity development, including basic hazardous materials training and team building. To bolster their response to hazardous materials incidents and contribute to a safer Tonga, TFES utilized IDRF funds in 2022 to establish the HazMat Unit, which consists of two new specialized positions.

Given the escalating drug activities, TFES is dedicated to safeguarding the lives and properties of the community through the reinforcement of our hazmat team and the execution of this initiative to handle potential clan labs.

Emergency Response Department: 

• Fire Commander Seliuti Latu (Officer Commanding ERD) 
• Assistant Fire Commander Winston Vaitaki (Officer in Charge ERD/HazMat Unit) 
• Fire Officer Sione Kava (Second in Charge) 
• Fire Fighter Élevisi Fakasi’i’eiki 

For Emergencies, call 999 in Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Ha’apai and Vava’u.