ODPM CEO: Better communication needed for tsunamis

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) CEO, Rodney Smart, says coastal communities are in need of more effective means of communicating danger in the event of a tsunami.

He told reporters while he was satisfied that emergency workers were sufficiently prepared to alert and evacuate people, communication within the communities needed to be improved.

Smart was speaking at the end of a tsunami preparedness drill at the Carenage Community Centre on Wednesday.

The drill began with “reports” of an 8.4 magnitude earthquake and an impending tsunami from the ODPM's Tacarigua office. Sirens from police cars were turned on and a fire vehicle was driven through the streets to alert residents. Police and fire officers also went from house to house urging people to leave the area and seek higher ground.

"Today was a success, but more drills are required in the community. Some of the areas we want to improve on is the communication – making sure the residents use whatever communications they have to inform each other. It was really good to see residents come out yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon to a briefing and they got involved in the drill.

"Another aspect of improvement is managing the traffic in the streets. Today we had a bit of traffic in the area. In a real situation, finding traffic wardens in a community like this will definitely help. The community is a first response before any of the other protective services, so it's important for the community to have a management system."

Also involved in the evacuation simulation were members of the defence force, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Community Emergency Response Team.

CCC trainees played the role of students and residents in need of shelter and were taken to the recreation ground by emergency workers.

Smart said the ground was chosen as an appropriate muster point for the students based on maps predicting which areas would be least prone to flooding.