The National Disaster Management Committee, through the Mitigation Working Group of its Strategic Sub-committee, conducted a Fire Safety and Prevention Workshop for Government employees on Friday, March 1. The venue was Viceroy Hotel.
A wide cross-section of Risk Managers and Safety Officers from public service agencies gained much knowledge in such areas as the Physics & Chemistry of Fire; Workplace Safety; Evacuation Planning Models; and Importance of Drills.
The facilitators were Messrs Shondell Hodge, Carlisle Lake and Omari Bourne from the Anguilla Fire & Rescue Services; and Mr. Patrick Prowell from Safety Equipment & Sales in St.Maarten.
Minister of Home Affairs, Jerome Roberts, advised the workshop participants to educate persons on how to protect themselves and the environment from danger. He hoped that the training would not only be used in the workplace but in the community as well.
Chairman of the Working Group, Vincent Proctor, urged the participants to act safely and sensibly in the event of a fire; to be effectively raise the alarm and calmly evacuate persons to a place of safety.
The Mitigation Working Group is committed to: creating a disaster resilient island; protecting life and reducing injuries from hazards; minimising damage to public and private property;minimising disruption of essential services and infrastructure; and assessing the impact of natural disasters, while protecting and restoring the environment.
The sponsors of the workshop were Viceroy Hotel, the Anguilla Social Security Board and National Community Data Services.
It is anticipated that the training will continue for other Government employees, and extended to various educational institutions.
