Roadtown,Tortola - Government recently enhanced the level of training for emergency responders, thereby improving the level of service provided to the citizens and visitors of the Territory.

The Department of Disaster Management conducted a five-day Medical First Responder (MFR) Course from July 20 –24, which was designed to instruct participants in the basic skills and knowledge needed to provide medical care and treatment to sick or injured persons in a pre-hospital environment.  

Through the technical guidance of instructor Mr. Leonard Ron Mobley, a retired fire-fighter and paramedic, participants were exposed to first-hand knowledge of how to apply advanced skills to save a life when a serious injury occurs.

Mr. Mobley assured participants that "after this course you will be more skilled than someone who is trained in basic first aid." Participants consisted of representatives from the BVI Airport Authority, Fire and Rescue Services, Her Majesty’s Prison, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force and the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry.

This continued effort to address the critical capacity gap within the Government of the Virgin Islands was made possible with technical support and input from the Earthquake Readiness Capacity Building Project, funded by the Austrian Government and managed by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA).

The Department of Disaster Management is the Government agency responsible for effectively and efficiently administering the components of the Territory’s Disaster Management Programme.