Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, July 18, 2023 [Ministry of Health] – In a significant stride
towards reinforcing the nation’s ability to manage mass casualty events, the Ministry of Health in
collaboration with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has begun the Mass Casualty
Management System Training Course on St. Kitts and Nevis.
This initiative, which spans over the course of a week, is an all-inclusive endeavor aimed at
increasing the health sector’s capacity to adequately provide services during a mass casualty
event.
The course is being facilitated by Mr. Peter Burgess. A retired army officer and medical
specialist with over 30 years of experience in mass casualty response and training. Mr. Burgess is
currently the PAHO regional trainer and Senior Instructor in Mass Casualty Management,
Incident Command and Emergency Care and Treatment.
Participants in the comprehensive training course include instructors from both the public and
private sectors. Notably, representatives from The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force,
Community Based Health Services, The Red Cross, The National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA), the St. Christopher Air and Seaport Authority, as well as their corresponding
counterparts based in Nevis.
“The Mass Casualty Management System Training Course is an important step forward in our
preparedness and resilience strategy,” said Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws during her
welcoming remarks to the participants. “On July 9, 2023, the Federation experienced an
earthquake that measured greater than 6 on the Richter scale and we have had a few more since
then. The effective and efficient management of such events requires a rehearsed preparedness
plan. The MCM training course like this can help prepare first responders and hospital staff / ER staff
for the chaotic atmosphere of Mass casualty incidents.”
By facilitating the knowledge sharing and collaboration between these key stakeholders, we aim
to build a more unified, informed and effective response team. The collective wisdom and shared
experience will underpin the systems and protocols to be developed and refined over the course
of the training week.
Through our collaboration with PAHO, The Ministry of Health is harnessing international
expertise and guidance to bolster our local capabilities. We are confident that the Mass Casualty
Management System Training Course will serve as a significant milestone in our nation’s
ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of its people.
