Trincity, Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago, August 6, 2014 - ODPM - The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) remains committed to increasing Trinidad and Tobago’s level of resilience and preparedness for any eventuality. In keeping with this, two significant exercises were conducted last month. In the first activity, the ODPM donated three hundred (300) First Aid Kits to the Association of Trinidad and Tobago Hauliers (ATTH) on Tuesday 22nd July, 2014.
The ATTH was founded in 1993 and seeks to advance the interests of hauliers involved in port haulage in Trinidad and Tobago. At the ATTH headquarters in Eagles Drive, Chaguanas, Chief Executive Officer of the ODPM, Dr. Stephen Ramroop was on hand to address the Board of Directors before presenting them with the tokens.
In his address, Dr. Ramroop noted the integral part that hauliers have to play in the event of a disaster. He indicated that a key component of recovery operations is the movement of goods from ports to affected persons, which is not possible without hauliers. He encouraged ATTH to build its own level of preparedness. He then presented the Board of Directors with the First Aid Kits as a “symbol of the ODPM’s willingness to assist the ATTH and forge a working relationship”. In the second exercise, taking place on Thursday 24th July, 2014, the ODPM in collaboration with the Office of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago conducted a parliamentary evacuation drill at Tower D, Waterfront Complex in Port of Spain in a bid to assess the level of preparedness in the event of an emergency. At 11:08 a.m. members of staff at the parliament building were led outside to the nearest muster point located at Dock Road Car Park conducting a simulation of an evacuation drill in the event of a fire.
Officials and volunteers from the ODPM were on hand to observe and evaluate the situation. Scenarios including the evacuation of the differently abled and persons experiencing seizures and asthma attacks were also drilled. Officers from the fire and police services were also in attendance. The exercise will be used as a benchmark for improvement in future drills and to address any gaps identified. The ODPM continues to work towards creating a culture of safety and resilience in the Trinidad and Tobago population by fostering a pro-active approach to disaster management and leading campaigns throughout the country on disaster risk reduction.