The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) will host a number of activities next month to mark the start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season on Friday, June 1.
Under the theme: Helping Ourselves and Our Neighbours, the activities will kick off with the annual press conference on Friday, June 1, in the DEM’s Conference Room at its No. 30 Warrens Industrial Park, Warrens, St. Michael headquarters, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Speakers will include DEM Director, Kerry Hinds; Deputy Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services, Clairmont Williams, who will outline the 2018 prognosis; and Senior Telecommunications Office at the Telecommunications Unit, Renee Evelyn, who will speak to how the Common Alerting Protocol can be used during the hurricane season.
This will be followed by a church service on Saturday, June 2, at the Mile-and-a-Quarter Seventh-day Adventist Church, Mile-and-a-Quarter, St. Peter, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
On Thursday, June 7, Ms. Hinds will deliver remarks during the opening ceremony of a Comprehensive Disaster Management Audit Verification workshop in the Warrens Suite, Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
On Tuesday, June 12, there will be a two-day workshop to pilot a Community-based Disaster Resilience Graduate course at Divi Southwinds Hotel, Dover, Christ Church, beginning at 9:00 a.m. daily. This course is geared towards persons with an interest in community disaster risk management and development.
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DEM staff will then participate in a disaster preparedness display on Tuesday, June 19, at Queen’s College, Husbands, St. James, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The display will be geared to students between the ages of 11 and 18, and will also see presentations from members of the Roving Response Team, the Barbados Fire Service and the Royal Barbados Police Force.
Members of the deaf community will not be left out, as the DEM will be making a presentation to them on Saturday, June 23, in the DEM’s conference room at its No. 30 Warrens Industrial Park, Warrens, St. Michael office, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
This session will take the form of a visual presentation on disaster management to members of the New Life Deaf Club, with interpretation services being provided by interpreter, Bonnie Leonce.
Later that day, the DEM, in conjunction with the University of the West Indies’ staff, will host a Community Talk session on Hurricane Preparedness at the Church of God at Belleplaine, St. Andrew, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
The month of activities will conclude with the third annual T20 Cricket Match featuring the Talius DEOs versus the DEM Hurricanes on Saturday, June 30, at the Weymouth Police Sports Complex, Roebuck Street, St. Michael, beginning at 6:00 p.m.