BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Federation’s National Disaster Coordinator Carl Herbert has informed that the agency which he leads, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), is seeking to broaden individuals’ scope of understanding about and response to disasters.
Herbert was at the time speaking on WINNFM’s Inside the News programme on Saturday (Jul. 30) where the panelists expressed their view that education about hazards and disasters needs to be more extensive and inclusive.
He informed that one of the projects that the NEMA is working on to this end, is the introduction of a school safety programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
“Both disaster management offices on St. Kitts and Nevis are working closely with the Ministry of Education in the roll out of a school safety programme. (It) is looking at various hazards including the tsunami which is our most complexed hazard to address. (We would) also (be) addressing first aid, the ongoing hurricane (season), we are looking at fires, we are looking at bomb threats etc., those hazards that can impact the various schools.”
Herbert said the Ministry of Education has specifically mandated that each school develops its own safety programme.
“…One of the things the Ministry has already mandated is that schools are to develop their disaster plan and so NEMA, the Police, Fire and Rescue, Defence Force, Health are working closely with the Ministry of assist in their development and testing of these plans.”
He said occupational safety is one of the areas which the NEMA would also be partnering with other organisations across the Federation to address.
“We are also going to be engaged in occupational health safety training of certain persons within the public because this is an ongoing challenge and I believe persons can appreciate that sometimes…persons are not very aware as to what is happening where they work… The boss has the keys for the exit door and nobody can get out. Some persons do not even have fire extinguishers…(or) a first aid kit… and those kinds of considerations…where they work.
“So we are going to have some training to expose some persons and it’s going to be done over a period of time.”
