Nine additional persons from Antigua and Barbuda are now certified to conduct training in Shelter and Shelter Management and Initial Damage Assessment after a five-day course funded by the US government’s Regional Disaster Assistance Programme.
The “Hand Off Course”, held last week at the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), is a series of sessions that focused on Content and Training for Instructors.
Disaster Management Training Facilitator Velda Joseph led the sessions and was supported by Disaster Risk Management Specialist responsible for Antigua and Barbuda Terry Morris.
Joseph said the training went exceedingly well. “I’m happy to say that all nine persons passed and so Antigua and Barbuda now has a new crop of nine persons who are able to help in spreading the good news, spreading the word on how persons can build resilience, how persons can better prepare themselves”.
Joseph says this should help the country see a reduction in the effects of a disaster resulting in less pressure being placed on the national system. “We’re hoping that they go through the different communities and teach persons, instruct persons, get a new set of instructors”, said Joseph.
Workshop participant Mellissa Chandler said she benefited greatly from the sessions. “The information was great and the facilitators were on point and gave us crucial information to help us be better trainers. The participants as well were very interactive and we worked together as a team to ensure that everything went smoothly. It was a very taxing five days but we thoroughly enjoyed it and the camaraderie”, said Chandler.
Tijahma Burns was another participant in the five-day workshop. “I thought the different levels that we would have gone through were very insightful. It basically gave us new insight and a lot of information and knowledge on how to operate during disaster situations”, said Burns. The workshop participants can travel to other countries to help build their own team of instructors and also to work in the aftermath of a disaster.