[UPDATED] National Security Ministry sends relief supplies to St Vincent

ODPM and TT Defence Force personnel load sleeping cots onto the C26 Regional Security System (RSS) aircraft, at the TT Air Guard’s Ulric Cross Air Station (UCAS), Piarco, to support relief efforts in St Vincent and the Grenadines. PHOTO COURTESY ODPM -
ODPM and TT Defence Force personnel load sleeping cots onto the C26 Regional Security System (RSS) aircraft, at the TT Air Guard’s Ulric Cross Air Station (UCAS), Piarco, to support relief efforts in St Vincent and the Grenadines. PHOTO COURTESY ODPM -

The Ministry of National Security said it was co-ordinating its efforts to help the people of St Vincent, in light of the La Soufriere volcano eruption.

The ministry said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), along with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Defence Force, combined their efforts to help with relief supplies to St Vincent.

“This morning, a C26 aircraft from the Regional Security System (RSS) took on board 75 sleeping cots at the TT Air Guard’s Ulric Cross Air Station (UCAS), Piarco. This afternoon another flight is scheduled to return to collect 225 additional sleeping cots, all of which will be delivered to St Vincent and the Grenadines,” the ministry said in a release to the media.

As relief is being given to the people of SVG, the ODPM remains on high alert to support CDEMA, the release said.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in a statement on Friday, said it had mobilised to help the Government of St Vincent and Grenadines (SVG) to respond to eruption activity.

"PAHO/WHO, through its Eastern Caribbean office based in Barbados, is co-ordinating with St Vincent national authorities to identify critical needs and is supporting the Ministry of Health with technical advice on enforcement of public health measures, and with shipments of 150,000 medical masks, other personal protective equipment, medical supplies and test kits.

"PAHO/WHO has already provided 60,000 medical masks, 7,000 respirators and 6,000 gowns to Barbados Defence Force emergency medical team to support a possible deployment of their military to perform emergency response activities."

The country´s National Emergency Management Operations (NEMO) has alerted of heavy ash-fall in areas surrounding the volcano, as well as gases and volcanic emissions, which signal stronger seismic activity.

Several commercial cruise ships were evacuating St Vincent residents to the neighbouring islands of St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, and Antigua, although this has been difficult as visibility is very poor due to ash emissions, reports indicate, said the statement. Some people were also being evacuated to shelters in safe areas within SVG.

"Evacuation and shelter operations elevate the risk for SARS-CoV-2 virus spread. Officials are administering covid19 vaccines and rapid antigen tests to determine active infection before entering facilities. SVG has reported 1,766 covid19 cases since the start of the pandemic among its approximately 110,000 inhabitants.

PAHO/WHO currently has two staff members in SVG and additional PAHO/WHO public health experts are on standby for rapid deployment.

"The organization is also coordinating health emergency response actions with United Nations agencies in the Eastern Caribbean, CDEMA and other international partners."

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The Ministry of National Security announced that it is co-ordinating its efforts to help the people of St Vincent, in light of the La Soufriere volcano eruption.

The ministry said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), along with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (SDEMA)and the Defence Force, combined their efforts to help with relief supplies to St Vincent.

“This morning, a C26 aircraft from the Regional Security System (RSS) took on board 75 sleeping cots at the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard’s Ulric Cross Air Station (UCAS), Piarco. This afternoon another flight is scheduled to return to collect 225 additional sleeping cots, all of which will be delivered to St Vincent and the Grenadines,” the ministry said in a release to the media.

As relief is being given to the people of SVG, the ODPM remains on high alert to support CDEMA, the release said.

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"[UPDATED] National Security Ministry sends relief supplies to St Vincent"

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