Ministry hosts Incident Management System training

THE Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government earlier this week hosted an Incident Management System (IMS) training for its employees from Head Office, within the Municipal Corporations, members of Council and the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Local Government Authorities (TTALGA).

The training was facilitated by PODs Emergency Management Consultancy and Solutions. The course is based on the Incident Command System 100 manual from the United States’ Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Disaster Management is a key function of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government and its 14 Municipal Corporations. Minister Kazim Hosein stated, “We are the first and closest responders on the ground for many natural and manmade disasters. And it is not just the DMUs that respond to a disaster when it occurs, it’s the entire municipality that responds to a disaster.

“So, this type of training is also vital for persons who are not from the DMUs as it gives a basic understanding of how to manage the activities that must be undertaken in emergency situations. As we continue to put the people first, we at the Ministry will be encouraging the corporations to undertake this IMS training especially those in the rural communities where natural disasters such as flooding and landslips are more prominent. And this will allow corporation personnel to become more knowledgeable and equipped on how to deal with such disasters.”

The purpose of IMS is to enhance a coordinated response to emergencies across all agencies and stakeholders, establish common processes for planning and execution of a response, and allow for the integration of facilities and efficient deployment of equipment. IMS helps to ensure the achievement of response objectives and ensures responder safety.

This was the third such training session offered to personnel, the first being held in the Diego Martin Regional Corporation and the second at the Port of Spain City Corporation. Additional training sessions have been planned in each Municipal Corporation to reach the widest audience of personnel for this optional training. Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Sangre Grande and Penal/Debe Regional Corporations are next in line for IMS training sessions.