BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE TDC Group of Companies has continued its corporate social responsibility efforts with the donation of a fully equipped Scherber First Responder Backpack to the Port Health Unit at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport for instances of emergency.
The donation was made during a brief handover ceremony at the company's Basseterre headquarters.
Presenting the kit was Lester Hanley, Chief Transportation and Logistics Officer at TDC Group of Companies, who explained that the equipment would help strengthen the Port Health Unit's emergency response capabilities at the airport.
According to Hanley, the donation consists of a premium Scherber First Responder Backpack complete with EMT, EMS, trauma and oxygen response supplies. The kit includes four colour-coded removable pouches, dedicated oxygen storage and more than 250 first-aid items designed for use in emergency situations.
“Being the largest ground handling company at the airport, we have realised the need for the port handling and the port health team to have this kit. We have seen some incidents at the airport where we recognise that the response and the response time of the port health team is critical to the travelling public. And one of the things that people don’t understand is, if we were to use supplemental oxygen from an aircraft, that aircraft can’t depart,” Hanley stated.
He explained that the company sought to avoid situations where medical supplies onboard aircraft would have to be used during emergencies, noting that “we saw it as a need, and we thought that TDC Airlines would step up and present this to the port health team".
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws, who accepted the donation on behalf of the Ministry of Health, expressed gratitude to TDC, noting that the contribution would support emergency preparedness and help maintain strong public health services at the Federation's main port of entry.
The donation comes as St. Kitts and Nevis has welcomed nearly 83,000 visitors so far this year.
“In today’s interconnected world, international travel is a way of life, bringing our Eastern Caribbean islands and St. Kitts and Nevis even closer together than ever before. With this increased movement of people, goods and services comes a shared responsibility to maintain strong public health surveillance and emergency preparedness at our ports of entry,” Dr. Laws explained.
She noted that the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport is a high-traffic environment where medical emergencies can arise without warning. As a result, she reminded, the Port Health Team will be required to respond immediately, often before any external emergency services, even the ambulance arrives.
Dr. Laws added that the new equipment would significantly enhance the team's ability to respond to emergencies.
“So this Scherber Emergency Response Kit provides our health personnel with essential tools and supplies to effectively manage medical emergencies and other critical situations that may arise at the airport. It will enhance our preparedness, strengthen our response capacity, and ultimately contribute to the safety and well-being of travellers, airport staff, and the wider public."
