Prepared, aware and ready
─VERTs trained in weather pattern monitoring, early warning system
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, September 5, 2019
Participants of the Volunteer Emergency Response Team (VERT) were on Thursday exposed to key aspects of weather pattern monitoring. The training exercise was aimed at building the VERT’s disaster response capacity
The one-day session, which was hosted at the National Weather Watch Centre in Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara, saw participants being instructed in several areas of weather monitoring and early warning systems.
In an invited comment, Meteorologist at the centre, Linden Alves said the session encompassed training in climatology, identification of probable hazards and the usage of a weather forecast.
“As a disaster risk manager or someone who is working in disaster risk areas, you should know what the weather pattern is for the different areas because it’s important to understand what are the triggers for some of these hazards,” he explained.
Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Officer of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Mariea Harrinandan described the training as a key component of the VERTs’ disaster response capacity.
She noted that this programme assists members of VERT “to be aware and be knowledgeable of what techniques and what technical implementations are in place locally to cater for early warning, weather predictions especially as it relates to tsunamis.”
The VERT programme, which was launched in March, will be executed over one year and will see volunteers being trained in several areas. Some of these include Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis; Community Based Disaster Risk Management; First Aid Emergency Medical Response; Oil Spill Response, Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Management among others.
Harinandan noted that the compulsory aspects of the programme are almost completed after which participants will choose from several electives to conclude their training.