Part of NEMA’s preparations for the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season includes training in the use and management of Shelter Toolkits. The Kits are an extremely important component in repairing homes and applying Tarpaulin or Plastic Sheeting to roofs, following an impact.
“Coming out of our Lessons Learnt exercise from the 2017 Hurricane Season,” DNDC Claricia Langley-Stevens said, “we thought it was necessary to put the capacity for immediate response in the hands of our Volunteers and Stakeholders, by providing them with the tools and the appropriate training, in order to strengthen community resilience.”
“Shelter Toolkits” form part of a package that includes Tarpaulins, when disseminated by the St. Kitts-Nevis Red Cross Society. “If a person receives a Tarpaulin without a Toolkit, the package is meaningless,” one of the officials said.
During the 2017 Season, St. Kitts and Nevis fared reasonably well in comparison to regional neighbours. However, DNDC Langley-Stevens, reminds us that impacts to household roofs represented the majority of damages experienced in the Federation.
Participants in the training exercise are being exposed to the basic skills and knowledge of the Shelter Tool Kit, and are being urged to use their newly developed skills to assist neighbours and communities, in securing their homes.
“We strongly believe that this initiative will empower our district volunteers to truly become first responders,” Langley-Stevens said “as well as to encourage communities to engage not in preparedness alone, but in actions that mitigate disasters ongoing.”
The two-day training commenced yesterday, 21st June, 2018, concluding today, 22nd June, with a practical exercise at the NEMA HQ.
