The Ministry of Health and Human Services through its National Health Emergency Management Unit remains committed to providing a comprehensive approach to health emergency management in response to public health threats including natural and man-made disasters affecting the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Health Emergency Management Unit (HEMU) conducted a Mass Casualty Management Training on the island of South Caicos from 30th October to 4th November 2023. This was the second training of this nature carried out on the island of South Caicos. The training was conducted by the Director of Health Disaster, Education and Training, Miss Charlene Higgs, a Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) certified Mass Casualty Instructor.
Eighteen persons participated in this training. Participants were drawn from the various response agencies. These included first responders such as Police, fire, emergency medical technicians, healthcare workers from Primary Healthcare and Environmental Health Department. Other agencies represented included the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, Immigration, Airports Authority (Security and Apron Control Officers) and Customs and Border Force.
The Mass Casualty Management Course is a didactic multisectoral training course consisting of five days of lectures, field exercises, role-playing, and a final written, desktop, and field exercise designed to sharpen the response skills of mass casualty responders to effectively manage events. It is vitally important for response agencies to train together to build their island-specific response.
The Health Emergency Management Unit will continue these trainings throughout the islands to ensure that the Turks and Caicos are in a state of readiness for adequate responses to natural, man-made, chemical or radioactive events.
For more information regarding Mass Casualty Training, please contact Ms. Charlene Higgs, Director of Health Disaster, Education and Training on 338-3064.
