Disaster prevention
and response
Disasters, such as floods,
storms, earth quakes and other natural or man-made
disasters frequently call for our response. The
Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society works closely
with the national authorities, other humanitarian
organizations, and communities to provide relief: food,
clothing, emergency relief supplies, First Aid
and ambulance services to the affected. We also
assist in shelter management.
A plan for disaster
preparedness operates in tandem with the National
Disaster Preparedness Plan, and we are an integral
part of the National Emergency Task Force at the
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management,
(ODPM).
Communities prone to disasters
are trained in a Community Based Disaster Programme,
in which community members in different areas of
our country are trained to asses their own community’s
vulnerabilities and capacities for disasters and
other hazards. When trained they become part of
their Community Emergency Response Teams.
The Disaster
Preparedness project has been developed in the
International Red Cross Network and receives funding
from the European Community Humanitarian Office,
ECHO.
See
RESOURCES >
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Health and Care in the Community
Courses in home health
care and pediatric care are run several times a
year at two of our Red Cross- Northern Branch and
Southern Branch. As of 2006/2007 the First Aid
and Health Programmes have been extended to include
sale of First Aid kits and rental and loan of Home
Health Care equipment from the Red Cross. This
includes wheelchairs, commodes, bathing and walking
aids, back rests, bed pans and urinals.
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First Aid
First
Aid Teams, First Responders and ambulance services
form our teams of Emergency Medical Assistants
offer a wide range of Emergency- and First Aid
to the public. The EMA-teams
operate out of the three branches of Trinidad
and Tobago Red Cross. The First Aid and EMA services
complement the national Emergency Medical Service
and services offered by other stakeholders.
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First Aid Courses
Trinidad and
Tobago Red Cross provides ongoing training in First
Aid and various levels of certification to the
public and corporate organizations. These courses
include: Basic First Aid, First Responder – First
Aid in the work place as well as Basic Life Support
and AED training.
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HIV and AIDS prevention
Information
about HIV and AIDS, its prevention as well as how
to deal with people who have contracted HIV, are
key activities in the Red Cross’ HIV
and AIDS programme.
The three key projects are the HIV/STI Peer Education
Project, ‘Together We Can” which has
been developed and implemented with great success
in the Caribbean since 2003. Together We Can, Social
Awareness Campaigns, and “Project Life".
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Social Welfare
The Society distributes
parcels of food, clothing and small household items
like mattresses, cooking utensils and sometimes
cash, most of which come from donations from the
public, or through fundraising. This activity is
also conducted through the Branches on a weekly
basis in the Southern Branch and once a month in
the Northern Branch.
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Youth Activities
The Youth Division
operates mainly within the primary school system
with 5,000 members and as Cadettes for the age
group between the ages of 12-25. Every year the
Youth rededicate themselves to the service of the
Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and its principles
and values, they take part in tree planting, environmental
exercises, fire drills and participate in safety
lectures.
Other activities include an
annual competition among the youth members who
compete in First Aid skills, History of the Red
Cross and Community Health. The Youth members also
raise funds to assist physically challenged and
financially deprived children.
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“Restoring Family Links” and
dissemination
As part of our Red Cross mandate, we disseminate
information about the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement,
our Principles and Values and the work of the Red
Cross. We assist in the dissemination of
the International Humanitarian Law through workshops
with different arms of the national Defence Force.
The Tracing Service helps
reunite families who have lost contact with their
relatives after disaster or conflict. The tracing
service forms a world wide network through Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world
and acts as the world’s
largest postal service in the aim to restore family
links. |
