Barbados, Oct 13 (CDERA) – Search and Rescue experts are meeting in Barbados this week. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) is convening its third meeting of its Search and Rescue Advisory Group (SARAG-C) on Wednesday October 15, 2003 at the Amaryllis Beach Resort. During the two day meeting CDERA will receive expert advise on issues related to search and rescue in the Caribbean.

CDERA, pursuing its Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy, is engaged in building capacity for Urban (land) Search & Rescue in the Caribbean. This initiative is being implemented by CDERA with funding support from the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and the Government of Japan through the UN Security Human Trust Fund. As a first step in developing capacity in this specialized area, an advisory group of experts and professionals was recently commissioned. This group, referred to as SARAG-C, is affiliated with the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).

Various organizations and association will be present for the meeting, namely Saint Croix Search and Rescue Academy, Royal British Virgin Islands Police Force, Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission, Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, Caribbean Association of Chief, Deputy and Fire Chief Officers, Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Antigua and Barbuda Fire Department, CDERA, Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Regional Security System (RSS) and Barbados’ Central Relief Organization(CERO).

The meeting will review the Caribbean Search & Rescue Programme, outputs from earlier stages of the SOUTHCOM project and be updated on the work programme and plans of the CDERA CU in the area of SAR and the Japanese UNSF Project. The SARAG-C is expected to provide guidance and make significant input into the enhancement of a regional SAR Skills inventory which will be used as the basis for convening a regional Search and Rescue Team. The group will also address other issues such as training, equipment, and operational procedures.