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Contact:
Rose Marie Harris
Monday, August 11, 2003 - Two members of the Oil Spill Committee of the
National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) recently returned home after
attending hands on training in ‘Incident Command Systems’ (ICS) hosted by CDERA
and the US Army Southern Command.
ICS is a standardised response management system which has an “all hazard – all
risk” approach to managing crisis response operations as well as non crisis
events and is used by the Oil Spill Committee in Saint Lucia.
One of the local participants and Chairman of the Oil Spill Committee, Dermot
Saltibus explains that participants were exposed to the latest technology as it
pertains to a disaster emergency event using computer software.
“It’s really an internet-based software which allows a disaster manager in real
time to be in a position to interact with each other and also with other local
agencies where they could receive information on the disaster as it happens in
real time,” Saltibus said.
The system which was designed by emergency managers also includes enhanced
Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping so that emergency managers can
zoom in on affected areas. Another component will see real time satellite and
weather information being imported into the programme which can be used for
forecasting and modelling of storm surges as a hurricane approaches a member
state or track volcanic ash plumes based on wind direction and speed.
The two day seminar was co-hosted by CDERA with the continued support of the
United States Southern Command Humanitarian Assistance Programme (SOUTHCOM) and
in collaboration with the software company E-Team.
The other local representative was Officer Lambert Charles, On Scene Commander
of the Saint Lucia Fire Service.
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