Saba holds table top evacuation exercise

The Public Entity Saba organized a crisis management training on Thursday, September 12, with local authorities and members of the European Union Civil Protection Team EUCPT.

During the so-called table top training, titled the Caribbean Coast Evacuation Saba, participants discussed the many logistic aspects that are involved in the event of an evacuation of Saba. Island Governor Jonathan Johnson gave a brief explanation of the local disaster management system.

Crisis Management Advisor of the Public Entity Saba Pauline Kauffmann explained what an evacuation entailed and that there are different types of evacuations, namely spontaneous evacuation where people decide to leave by their own choice, advisory evacuation, and mandatory evacuation ordered by the governor.

Kauffmann said she was satisfied with the outcome of Thursday’s table top exercise. “We agreed to work on drafting an emergency protocol with local authorities in order to be prepared for an evacuation in case of a big emergency or disaster. It is important to be well-prepared,” she said.

Present at the table top exercise were members of the Saba disaster management team, including the Island Governor, Acting Island Governor Shamara “Amelia” Nicholson, various department heads, representatives of the Saba Health Care Foundation, the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department, the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN), the Red Cross, the airport and the harbor.

The EUCPT had 15 persons present from different European countries. Also present were two members of the Dutch Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR.NL) as part of the EUCPT team. In the morning hours, the EUCPT members performed damage assessments during an exercise at various locations on the island.

GIS Saba.