Bridgetown, June 8, 2006 (CDERA) - The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) of Trinidad and Tobago in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) will host a two-day workshop in Warehouse Management for emergency relief personnel at the ODPM Office in Trincity, Tacarigua.

Management of the receipt, storage and dissemination of relief supplies has often been highlighted as a challenge for emergency management systems. CDERA has been supporting training in this area throughout its 16 Participating States to develop national as well as regional capability in the management of relief supplies. 

This training course begins on Tuesday June 13, 2006 and targets emergency relief warehouse managers, relief committee personnel, members of the disciplined forces with special responsibility for inventory management, community leaders and volunteers.

Participants will be exposed to the principles of warehouse management including storage procedures, stock management, preservation and packaging, material handling equipment requirements and truck loading to be used throughout the Caribbean regions.

The workshop will also consider warehouse management in the context of the Model Integrated Relief Programme developed by CDERA, which addresses a holistic approach to the development of policies, plans and procedures for managing relief operations.

Trinidad and Tobago is one of four sub-regional focal points of CDERA with responsibility for Guyana and Grenada, and manages and maintains the sub-regional emergency relief supplies.

Funding for the workshop is facilitated under the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) Strengthening of the Urban Search and Rescue Capability of CDERA Project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Andria Grosvenor, Manager, Projects
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency
Telephone: (246) 425-0386
E-mail: cdera@caribsurf.com