CDC holds workshop to prepare disabled persons for disasters

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday held a workshop for 27 persons on the introduction to disaster risk reduction and persons living with disability.

A release from CDC said Colonel Francis Abraham, Deputy Director General of the CDC, in his opening address highlighted the importance of planning for and including persons living with disabilities (PWD) and disability issues into the national disaster risk reduction framework. He declared that the CDC welcomed the opportunity to work with the National Commission on Disabilities towards training PWD in disaster risk reduction and to become more prepared for the consequences of potential hazard impact of disasters.

Presentations were done by Major Kester Craig, Operations and Training Officer of CDC, Captain Sean Welcome, Assistant Operations and Training Officer of CDC, and Lloyden Layne of the CDC VC.

The workshop was held as part of the activities to commemorate International Day for Disaster Reduction 2013 whose theme is ‘Living with Disability and Disasters.’

Other planned activities include the launching of the inter-school art and essay competition on October 11 at 10 am at the Cara Lodge and a community registration drive on October 13 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council Office at Klien Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara to register persons living with disabilities in West Demerara.