Planning To Manage Disasters

A Major Disaster Tabletop Exercise took place at Police Headquarters in Anguilla on Wednesday, March 31st. The first of its kind on the island, the event involved the participation of personnel from the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Police Force, Customs, Immigration, Wallblake Airport, Fire and Security Departments.

The facilitators were Law Enforcement Adviser for the Overseas Territories, Larry Carrington, who is based in Miami and Disaster Emergency Coordinator with PAHO, Ivan Alert. The team also included Marlon Bordon, an observer.

Among the objectives were to: develop and practice a plan for port emergency including mass casualties; enhance the understanding and ability of local agencies to deal with a major disaster, identify areas of response that may need strengthening; ensure that there is clear and accurate information regarding casualties, hazards, access, location, emergency services required and type of incident; evaluate the training needs of personnel involved in the command and control of emergency or crisis situations; and assess the response capability, coordination and medical care provided by the agencies participating in the plan.

Governor Peter Johnstone, Chairman of the island’s Disaster Preparedness Committee, stressed the importance of the event to Anguilla and called on all the participants to ensure the implementation and effectiveness of a crisis management plan for the island.

Kenn Banks, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Communications, pointed out that over the past three years safety of the passenger ferries had been a government priority. He disclosed that the International Maritime Organisation had adopted new security measures for the maritime and port sectors. The code will take effect on July 1st this year, when all the measures must be in place. He stressed that ships travelling to ports where the security measures were not in place would be subject to strict sanctions and possibly refusal of entry on arrival.
Permanent Secretary, Rodney Rey, speaking on behalf of Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, said the tabletop exercise was a test of Anguilla’s capacity to respond to an emergency at sea. He noted that small island developing states, like Anguilla, could experience severe economic shocks and social dislocation following natural and man-made disasters. He added that it was therefore imperative for a comprehensive disaster management strategy to be in place.

Other presentations were made by visiting Detective Derek Haines; Acting Comptroller of Customs in Anguilla, Glen Hodge, Acting Director of Nursing Services, Serene Carter-Davis; Director of Radio Anguilla, Kenneth Hodge; Civil Aviation representative here Lyndon Hodge, Larry Carrington and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Illidge Richardson.