The St Michael Parish Independence Committee (PIC) is continuing its efforts in sensitising its residents of the importance of adequately preparing for potentially dangerous natural occurrences such as hurricanes, severe flooding, earthquakes and tsunamis, and the appropriate responses in the aftermath of such disasters.
The objectives of the committee’s parish project entitled Project S.O.S – Saving Our Selves include supporting the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) in disseminating information regarding disaster preparedness and response within St Michael, creating a Disaster Preparedness Badge with and for the Barbados Boy Scouts Association (BBSA) and partnering with a District Emergency Organisation (DEO) in executing a number of traditional disaster risk reduction activities within a particular constituency.
In an effort to achieve these objectives, the St Michael PIC along with some members of Barbados Boy Scouts Association and the St Michael South Central District Emergency Organisation (DEO) conducted a disaster preparedness community walk-through in the Brittons Hill district on Saturday, August 11.
During the exercise, residents were asked to indicate any possible challenges that they may face in the event of a natural disaster and to point out those elderly and differently abled persons living in the area. This information gathered was noted and will be handed over to the relevant authorities. Relevant paraphernalia from the DEM was disseminated.
The residents were also informed of their nearest hurricane/emergency shelters and asked to follow all disaster awareness updates from the Government Information Service and the Department of Emergency Management. They were also encouraged to be volunteers with their DEO.
The St Michael Parish Independence Committee in partnership with the Barbados Boy Scouts Association, the National Scout and Venture Scout Committees have developed Disaster Preparedness Badges for the Scouts and Venture Scouts. The development of this badge forms part of the St Michael Parish Independence Committee’s parish project and it is hoped that boys will qualify for this badge by October, 2018.
Barton Green, Chairman of the St Michael South Central DEO endorses the project and has agreed to work alongside the Barbados Boy Scouts in assisting them with earning these Disaster Preparedness Badges. This disaster awareness community initiative is part of the preparations for such. (PR)
