WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s Crisis Response Organization (CRBo) and the Directorate for Risk Management and Disaster Control (DRR) conducted a large-scale emergency exercise on Sunday, September 20, simulating a serious accident involving multiple victims.
Several organizations that form part of Curaçao’s crisis response structure were activated during the exercise to test how quickly and effectively emergency assistance could be coordinated.
Participants included the Curaçao Fire Department, Curaçao Police Force, Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW), departments of the Ministry of General Affairs, Curaçao Red Cross and other organizations involved in emergency and disaster response.
Emergency exercises and simulations are required under Curaçao’s disaster legislation and crisis response plans, which fall under the responsibility of the Minister of General Affairs. The exercises are intended to strengthen preparedness and ensure that authorities can respond effectively and efficiently when an actual crisis or disaster occurs.
An important part of the training is learning how different agencies coordinate their activities within a multidisciplinary structure. During a major emergency, numerous organizations may have to carry out different measures and make critical decisions simultaneously.
Sunday’s exercise focused primarily on several fundamental crisis-management processes, including notification, alerting, activation, coordination and leadership.
The results of the simulation will be evaluated according to established procedures. Lessons learned during the exercise will then be shared among the participating organizations and used to further improve their emergency response procedures.
The public will also have an opportunity to learn more about Curaçao’s emergency preparedness system during the “Ami Ta Prepará Expo” and “Ami Ta Prepará Scavenger Hunt,” scheduled for Saturday, October 17.
Participants in the scavenger hunt will visit several organizations that form part of Curaçao’s crisis response structure and take an active role in exercises related to emergency preparedness. The activities are designed primarily to teach participants how to protect themselves during a crisis while also giving teams an opportunity to win prizes.
The Crisis Team thanked all organizations that participated in Sunday’s simulation for their cooperation and availability. It is also encouraging residents to form teams and demonstrate how prepared they are to respond to unexpected situations.
Registration for the “Ami Ta Prepará Scavenger Hunt” remains open through October 13.
Registration is available through the official Scavenger Hunt registration page.
