NATIONAL OFFICE OF DISASTER SERVICES

Disaster personnel from Antigua and Barbuda and the rest of the region are hoping to implement a new system to better monitor any relief management process.

A team from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) facilitated a two-day training course on the Relief Supply Tracking System (RSTS) which ended on Wednesday.

One of the facilitators is Programme Manager for Preparedness and Response Joanne Persad. “It’s a software designed by CDEMA many years ago, recently upgraded, focused on supporting relief management operations in a country when impacted by a hazard. So the software is designed to track relief supplies from the moment of the needs list, generated by the impacted country, to pledges and then to distribution and confirmation in the fulfillment of needs”, said Persad.

Personnel from across the region were trained as instructors and some as users. Participants from Antigua and Barbuda included individuals from the National Office of Disaster Services, the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross and the Police Department.

This is the second of three training courses that will be held this year. The first session for instructors was held several weeks ago and further training will be held for other users.

Persad says the enhanced system is already operational and the goal is to have other countries utilizing the software.
The training is funded by the Africa Caribbean and Pacific /European Union project, aimed at strengthening capacity in Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM).