The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has trained a core group of individuals to better manage relief supplies following a disaster.
The training through computer software Logistics Support System (LSS), was sponsored and facilitated in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. The sessions were held at NEMA’s headquarters on NEMA’s Way and Gladstone Road, August 17-19, 2015.
The nature of the training was to teach a core group of individuals the LSS software, which was developed by PAHO, the world’s oldest international public health agency and part of the United Nations.
The software is used in the event of an emergency, where external resources are entered into the country and must have increased supply accountability. It is also used to manage the distribution of relief supplies, ensures transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain.
The software has been in existence for about 14 years and has undergone some changes since it replaced the Supplies Management or SUMA. The LSS software is also used by the UN-member countries following catastrophes like earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes.
During the NEMA/PAHO workshop, participants were very keen on learning how and when to use the software by inputting data into their laptops. The participants represented a cross-section of public and private sector agencies and departments.
“You cannot choose who to deploy in the case of an emergency,” said workshop facilitator Alex Jeffrey of PAHO. “The purpose is to have such a mixture of people who will be able to assess the need of the territory impacted.”
The LSS training is in a series of workshops sponsored by PAHO. The first – Psychological First Aid — was held August 13 and the third workshop – Incident Command System (ICS) will be held September 1 – 3, 2015.
Workshop Coordinator was Chrystal Glinton, First Assistant Secretary, NEMA; also present during the sessions were Captain Stephen Russell, Director, NEMA; Dr. Gerry Eijkemans, Country Representative, Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization; Sherlin Brown, Administrator, Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization. Participants were presented with certificates endorsed by NEMA and PAHO/WHO, following completion of the seminar. (Bahamas GIS)
