The Anguilla Red Cross (ARC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development and Education (MSDE), and the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), recently held a brief ceremony under the umbrella of the Anguilla Red Cross Community Resiliency Programme, to recognise 68 newly-trained community members and first responders, and to celebrate achievements of the South Hill community and the West End community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
As part of the ceremony, Mr. Rawlins Richardson accepted the final Enhanced Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (eVCA) report on the South Hill community. Mr. Richardson gave praises to the community’s team for sticking to task and coming up with plans to reduce the risk of hazards impact on South Hill. Mr. Trevor Queeley, speaking on behalf of the Anguilla Red Cross, noted, that the South Hill community was the first community on Anguilla, and one of the first communities globally, to complete an eVCA using the newest standards for the collection of data as regards Community Resiliency.
The West End CERT members received five metallic decals as part of their CERT identification needs. These decals will be placed on CERTs personal vehicles, as a form of identification, when they are responding to a crisis, or carrying out emergency preparedness activities in the community and/or nationally.
The final part of the ceremony was dedicated to celebrating with 68 community leaders, and first responders, who were presented with certificates to recognise their successful completion of training in Community-Based Psycho-Social Support (CBPSS). The 68 trainees included Red Cross volunteers, Fire Officers – who also serve as Disaster Shelter Managers; Police and Prison Officers, CERTs, Probation Officers and Social Workers, as well as Community and church leaders and members of service organisations. The trainings, conducted over a 3-months’ period, were coordinated by the MSDE’s Community Services Planner and Red Cross Volunteer, Mrs. Hyacinth Bradley.
Present at the recognition ceremony were, the Chairman and members of the Anguilla Red Cross, Representatives of the Department of Disaster Management, and the Min. of Social Development and Education, Community representatives, as well as the CBPSS trainers.
– Press Release
