Former National Disaster Coordinator Expresses Confidence in Montserrat's Emergency Response Abilities
A former national disaster coordinator is expressing confidence in Montserrat’s ability to respond to emergencies.
Facilities Manager at the Department of Community, Youth and Sports Services (DCYSS), Billy Darroux, expressed this sentiment following his participation in a tabletop preparedness workshop led by the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) last week.
While his current role does not directly intersect with emergency response, Darroux noted that emergencies often require the seamless cooperation between each agency to handle medical aid, logistics, transportation, and even diplomatic communication.
Meantime... Captain Glenroy Foster of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force explained that while the timing of the workshop coincides with hurricane preparedness, the aim was much broader.
Captain Foster noted that there are plans for a follow-up national exercise, one that would take the training from tabletop to practical simulations.
He added that while the workshop had been in the pipeline prior to recent flooding events on the island, those incidents highlight the importance of regular and realistic training.
Last week, the DMCA’s tabletop workshop brought together multiple stakeholders across government, healthcare, law enforcement, and auxiliary services as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen Montserrat’s disaster readiness.