MORE than 40 members of the Voluntary Emergency Response Team (VERT), attached to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), benefitted from an Oil Spill Response Training facilitated by ExxonMobil Guyana, over the last three days.

The volunteers were trained to respond to an oil spill and provide emergency response in any situation. According to a press release from ExxonMobil, over the three days, the workshop covered Incident Command System (ICS) training among others, and the volunteers were given the opportunity to test their techniques in the field on the final day.

ICS is a standardised, on-scene, all-hazards incident management approach that allows for integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organisational structure.

ExxonMobil’s Oil Spill Response Advisor, Thomas Tomblin led the workshop, and was supported by representatives of the Response Group, which is an industry leader in Crisis Management and Emergency Response.

“This is was the best class we’ve had, they really were interactive, even better than some of the classes we do in the United States,” Tomblin said in the release. He explained that the idea is to ensure that the Civil Defence Commission and other authorised agencies have the capacity to respond to an oil spill.

One participant, Renata Robertson said she is pleased to possess the knowledge to support response professionals.

“We can also go into the fields and help or assist in deploying basic equipment like booms and skimmers. We are still undergoing training and some additional technical training will be required for us to provide additional support in the event that this should happen,” Robertson expressed.

The release from the oil company also noted: “ExxonMobil Guyana is eager to support this programme since it is aligned with our approach to oil spill risk management, which is to ‘plan, prepare and practice.’”

VERT is an initiative of Civil Defence Commission to train volunteers in the area of Disaster Risk Management.

“It is not just for oil spills but also incident command systems…so it is gearing the volunteers to provide emergency response in any situation,” Recovery Manager (Ag) of the CDC, Allana Walters had explained to this newspaper.

Upon completion of the training, the CDC’s cadre of volunteers will be able to support the work of the commission not just across Guyana, but also in the Caribbean.