Source:http://www.nationnews.com/story/25202485778261.php

From left: Jeremy Collymore, regional coordinator, CDERA; Mary Ourisman, United States ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and Judy Thomas, director of the Department of Emergency Management looking at some of the equipment. (Picture by Sandy Pitt.)

Bridgetown, Barbados, February 5, 2008, (Daily Nation) - The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) is strengthening its partnership with the United States Agency For International Development (USAID)/Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in disaster management.

Jeremy Collymore, CDERA's regional co-ordinator made this observation while accepting safety and rescue equipment
from the United States agency at the Department of Emergency Management, Warrens, St Michael, last Friday.

Valued at US$8 386, the equipment included helmets, flash lights, gloves, elbow and knee pads, safety glasses
and foam ear plugs.

Collymore said the event represented the "tangible demonstration of the growing and deepening cooperation between CDERA and USAID/OFDA in capacity building for disaster
risk reduction".

In many ways it also reflected the spirit and nature of CARICOM and United States development partnership which was the focus of a meeting in Washington last June, he added.

Collymore also said that the November 29, 2007 earthquake in the region had "reaffirmed the need for developing our search and rescue capability".

"It is evident that much work still needs to be done on public education and information for the earthquake hazard. Additionally, there is need to advance national level search and rescue team development and training, which began in 2005,"
he added.

United States ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Mary Ourisman, who was at the presentation,
said tragedies in Barbados last year reminded people of how much they depended on the skill and courage, equipment and training
of the Urban Search and Rescue Force.

She said her country fully supported the "Collapsed Structure Rescue Course", while highlighting OFDA's regional training programme to bring
new skills and experience to search and rescue squads in several Caribbean countries. (KB)