Today’s simulation exercise Eagle Eye was the perfect opportunity for members of the District Emergency Organisations (DEO) to practise several skills acquired from training in first aid to damage assessments provided, overtime, by the Department of Emergency Management (DEM).
Exercise Eagle Eye, which took place across the island and at various Satellite Emergency Operations Centres (SEOC), saw DEOs responding after an All Clear was given following the passage of a Hurricane.
Consultant with DEM, Selwyn Brooks, who has responsibility for the DEOs enhancement programme, explained the rationale behind the exercise.
“Over the last two years, the department has embarked on an enhancement programme for the DEOs and we centred on the delivery of some training in a number of areas of which the DEOS were most likely to perform, [and] exercise Eagle Eye comes at an opportune time … within this year’s Hurricane season.
“So the exercise allowed the individual DEOs across the country to hone their skills and their knowledge from a number of scenarios that can likely happen with the passage of a hurricane impacting Barbados.”
Mr. Brooks noted that as part of the day’s activities, DEOs would be evaluated on how they carried out their respective activities and feedback would be provided, in an effort to enhance the skills and knowledge they already possess, making them more efficient and effective during an actual natural disaster or hazard.
As part of the exercise, the Coleridge and Parry School in Ashton Hall, St. Peter, which is a Category One Shelter and also a SEOC in Zone 4, was stood up. There, Shelter Warden, Principal, Sonja Goodridge oversaw the exercises conducted at that site, while DEO member Dave Hurley acted as Commander of the SEOC.
At the St. Peter institution, the shelter received “shelterees” comprising disabled persons and persons in need of medical attention including a diabetic who collapsed, a gentleman with a broken arm and a female who started having seizures.
In the SEOC, Mr. Hurley and his team recorded the incoming reports received from the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), located at the DEM headquarters in Warrens, and deployed DEO members into the Rose Hill community to conduct damage and vulnerability assessments as well as community profiling reports.
Another scenario played out during exercise Eagle Eye was a chain saw simulation in Highland, St. Thomas, where a fallen tree had blocked access to the road.
Across the island DEOs were deployed from other SEOCs, Zone 1 – Christ Church Foundation School, Zone 2 – Queens College, Zone 3 – Combermere School and Zone 5 – Cuthbert Moore Primary to respond to different scenarios and also conduct damage assessments, vulnerability assessments and community profiling reports.
Exercise Eagle Eye also saw other entities participating including the Barbados Citizens Band Radio Association, the Barbados Defence Force, the Barbados Police Service and the Ambulance Services.