Red Cross launches flood-warning systems

THE TT Red Cross Society, yesterday, launched its early flood warning systems at its headquarters in Port of Spain. The systems will be monitored by trainees of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programme which was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development in March.

Yesterday, senior disaster management co-ordinator Jerry David says almost 600 people have been trained over the past three months. The programme seeks to educate volunteers about disaster preparedness, and includes training in fire suppression and medical operations. David says the trainees would be considered the “custodians” of the new systems.

He said, “Our aim is to get ten per cent of TT trained. Early warning systems is not a silver bullet but what it does is give the community adequate time to move to a safer location. The symposium is geared to getting buying from all NGOs FBOs and CBOs so that they will now also take responsibility for the communities which they serve.”

Also at the launch, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government Raymond Seepaul said the flooding experienced in TT in October 2018, especially residents of Greenvale, Oropune and St Helena, would forever be forever etched in the ministry’s hearts and minds, adding that it was the worst flooding the country had experienced in years. He says the communities were unprepared.

“In retrospect, the situation could have been far different had there been an early warning system to alert the public of the rapidly rising water,” he said.

He also thanked the Red Cross for its continued assistance with the CERT programme.

President of the TT Red Cross Society Jill De Bourg says that despite measures being put in place to further assist in times of natural disasters, disaster preparedness education is crucial. She said, “Our approach is to ensure that community education is a foundation in what we do because it’s necessary.”