The Board of the local Seventh-day Adventist churches has launched an intense training program to prepare select officers of the church for responding to crises in the event of impending disasters.
Reflecting on the experiences of last year’s devastating Hurricane Irma, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), in collaboration with the local Department of Disaster Management, embarked on a four-day workshop of training at the church office in the Mason’s Complex. The sessions began on Sunday, June 10th and ended on Thursday, June 4th.
ADRA’s local Director, Mrs. Maria Webster, remarked: “We are being trained in order to be of service to our communities if our assistance is requested by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM).
“This training indicates that we have a good working relationship with the DDM, and we stand ready to assist the community in the event that our help is ever needed. We cannot wait until something happens to prepare. We are equipping ourselves with the knowledge and skills now, in preparation.
Deputy Director of ADRA, Ms. Jennyville Smith, arranged the training sessions, which included: First Aid/CPR and Disaster Management, facilitated by Ms. Jiva Niles and Ms. Melissa Mead; Search and Rescue, by Mr. Omari Bourne, Mr. Alwyn Richardson and Mr. Kasseem Forde; Psychological Support, by Rev. Lindsay Richardson; and Occupational Health and Safety, facilitated by Ms. Shenique Clare.
Other upcoming training sessions are to include: Shelter Management to be facilitated by DDM’s Susan Hodge, and Climate Change Adaptation by Jennyville Smith.
ADRA is a world-wide relief arm of the Seventh-day Adventist church. The organization delivers relief and development assistance to individuals in more than 130 countries — regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation, or religious association. Locally, ADRA’s representation in Anguilla is motivated to serve wherever the need arises in the event of any national disaster.
