Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Disaster Preparedness Programme launched
News
March 19, 2010

Disaster Preparedness Programme launched

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society, in keeping with its vision of safer, more resilient communities, launched its Community-based Disaster Preparedness Programmes, funded by the European Union Humanitarian Office (ECHO), on March 11, 2010.{{more}}

The project, which is being held in partnership with Finland and Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Societies, was launched under the theme “Strengthening Community based preparedness”.

Bernard Marksman, President of SVG Red Cross Society, in delivering his address at the launch stated: “The project is a disaster risk reduction one”.

“Its aim is to provide training to the relevant communities personnel in disaster risk reduction by equipping these persons with skills in First Aid, radio communication, shelter management and initial damage assessment,” he said

In 2005, a similar project targeted the communities of Sandy Bay, Evesham, Clare Valley, Canouan and Spring Village.

This time around, owing to their vulnerabilities to natural disasters, Fancy, Rose Hall and Mayreau were identified to be the beneficiaries the project.

Marksman pointed out that “Not only is Fancy and Rose Hall within close range to the Volcano but they are only accessible by one road”. He went on: “Mayreau on the other hand is only accessible by sea and is often inaccessible in high seas”.

Out of the training, it is hoped that the communities will be able to develop their own Community Disaster Plan. This in turn will enable the development of a Community Disaster Response Team (CDRT), whose purpose will be to co-ordinate and disseminate information so the community will stay viable during disaster period. It is also hoped that a container of relief supplies would be put in all the communities involved.

Johan Lunabba, the representative from the Finland Red Cross gave a brief presentation on the Director General of European Commission on Humanity Aid (DG- ECHO) – the main sponsor of the project.

Lunabba stated that “ECHO is responsible for financing relief and disaster preparedness in any part of the world, including the Caribbean”. He further said: “It is the biggest single donor in the world in regards to disaster preparedness and relief”.

“Via partners like the Red Cross Movement, UN agencies and other NGOs, ECHO task is to ensure that goods and services get to crises situation fast”.

Using Haiti to illustrate his point, he concluded that “ECHO was the single largest donor in the area of disaster relief in Haiti”.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society representative, Rishi Siew, in delivering his address, made note of the fact that the project will provide training which will make the country safer and better prepared.

“The persons living in the communities will be the first respondent in time of disaster,” he said. “These persons will be given the necessary skills needed to enable them to better help their communities.”

Also present at the Launch of the project were Minister René Baptiste, Honorary Vice President of Red Cross, and Yvonne Patterson, former Director General of SVG Red Cross.

It is expected that some 19,000 persons will benefit from the project in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Red Cross Society is the world largest Humanitarian Organisation and major first aid provider. There are approximately 180 Red Cross national societies around the world and over 100 million Red Cross volunteers world wide.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok