B.V.I. Monday, April 6 – “At least three major festivals will be coordinated this year throughout the Territory and safety must be a priority during the planning phase of these activities,” said the chairman of the Public Information and Education Sub-committee Mrs. Geraldine Ritter-Freeman.

The Public Information and Education (PIE) Sub-committee of the National Disaster Management Council will target the event planners and potential participants of these events when they focus on the safety aspects of event planning specifically during festive activities during the month of April.

“This campaign is timely as we have noted the upcoming annual events including the Easter festival on Virgin Gorda in April, the Music festival in Cane Garden Bay in May and the BVI festival on Tortola in August. We also hope to extend the information to the participants of the New Year celebrations on Jost Van Dyke and Trellis Bay and others who maybe interested,” the chairman added.

Last year the committee focused on crowd safety, management and evacuation as part of their overall educational awareness programme. However, this year specific attention is being paid to the location of some of the activities such as the Sir Rupert Briercliffe Hall, the Catholic Community Centre, the Cane Garden Bay Community and transportation such as the ferries travelling to and from the various islands and safari buses.

The public is advised to take note of the posters, fliers, tips on the local radio and television stations and warning signs that will be designed to heighten the awareness of safety during these activities.

Event planners will be encouraged to utilize the information when they are planning to minimize the threat of a disaster that can result form overcrowded buildings and different types of transportation; inadequate access to exits during an emergency; poor structures such as stages and mechanical equipment that can result in structure failures and or fires and access to these events by emergency responders who may need get in and out of an area in a timely manner.

“There is a lot of information to share and we will continue to put the information out there so that the public can be equipped with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions. 

We cannot take for granted that because we have these annual events with minimal incidents that all is well.  We have to be vigilant and mindful of the potential loss of life. Hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries occur annually at concerts and festivals around the world,” Mrs. Ritter-Freeman added as she stressed the importance of the safety initiative.

The National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) is chaired by His Excellency the Governor and coordinates disaster preparedness and response activities. The NDMC’s Public information and Education sub-committee promotes public awareness of hazards and disasters, among other responsibilities.