THE VALLEY, ANGUILLA – A sum of thirty (30) persons within The Valley community were trained in basic disaster response skills. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training held is to assist with the broadening of community self sufficiency in preparing for and responding to local events.
CERT is a voluntary programme about doing the greatest good for the greatest number through preparedness and people helping people. This is a positive approach and members can assist others in their community or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help.
The training was conducted by the Community Emergency Response Team Instructors in conjunction with the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA’s) Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) harmonization implementation programme (HIP) and the Anguilla Red Cross (ARC).
This cadre of persons were:
• Oriented to community emergency response and disaster management theories.
• Provided with an overview in Community First Aid and Psychological first aid (signs and symptoms that might be experienced by a disaster victim and worker).
• Exposed to light search and rescue, fire safety and fire suppression techniques and demonstrations
The training held at The Ebeneezer Methodist Church Hall was very interactive and designed to help the participants to protect themselves, family and neighbours, should the need arise. It was facilitated by the CERT instructors and the Anguilla Fire and Rescue Services. Of the thirty (30) participants, Mr Hulia Carty and Ms. Catherine Brooks received the Most Outstanding awards.
CERT is about encouraging persons to take an active role in mitigating the effects of an emergency by having preparedness projects in their communities. The Director of Disaster Management remarked “Empowering of communities through safer practices, encourages a culture of safety within Anguilla as the communities will be better prepared in an emergency to do the greatest good for the greatest number”.
For questions or further information please call the Department of Disaster Management at 264-497-2926.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
