The Urban Search and Rescue Unit of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police is now better equipped to manage natural disasters with the injection of over US$50,000 worth of equipment.{{more}}

On Thursday, August 19, Acting Director of the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) Michelle Forbes, handed over the several pieces of equipment to Commissioner of Police, Keith Miller, at NEMO’s headquarters in New Montrose.

The equipment includes: Medical kits, water pumps, generators, fire extinguishers, wheel barrows among others.

Forbes told the small gathering that this hand- over was only the first, as a search and rescue vehicle will be handed over to the unit soon.

The handing over was part of a joint venture between the Government, NEMO and the United Nations Development Program in Barbados.

Forbes implored officers to take care of the equipment and make good use of it. “I implore officers to take care of what they have and let us be better able to respond when the need arises,” she noted.

Before the tools were handed over, 18 police officers from various branches in the local constabulary underwent medical training in First Aid, CPR and other life saving methods.

“Today’s handing over is going to bring us one step closer to ensuring that we are better equipped to manage any disaster and search and rescue in St Vincent,” Forbes noted.

In receiving the equipment, Commissioner Miller thanked NEMO for partnering with the police force to develop search and rescue in St Vincent.

“We are a happy bunch today…we have to have the necessary pieces of equipment in order to carry out our mandate most efficiently,” Miller added. (KW)