The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) is enhancing the capabilities of its volunteers through a series of training sessions focused on community emergency response.
Presently, 25 individuals from various districts are involved in a four-day Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) training at NODS which began on Monday.
CERT provides some basic skills to individuals who will be able to assist in their communities until professional help arrives. It focuses on disaster management, fire safety, search and rescue, telecommunications which covers the use of VHF radios among other topics.
Prior to this week’s training, another group was involved in similar sessions in November which ran for three consecutive weekends while a one-week session was held in Barbuda with 20 participants just last week.
While in Barbuda, NODS Director Sherrod James took the opportunity to meet with some members of the Barbuda Council to further strengthen the relationship with the Council provide capacity building for council members to address disaster management matters in Barbuda.
In that meeting were Barbuda Council Chairman John Mussington, Chairman for Health responsible for disaster Wayde Burton and Council Secretary Shari Cannegieter.
NODS staff also assisted with equipping the newly constructed Barbuda Disaster Office with some well-needed equipment and supplies.
