NEMO, Red Cross collecting aid for Dominica

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), in collaboration with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society is assisting in the collection of aid to be shipped to Dominica, as part of relief efforts following island-wide{{more}} damage caused by Tropical Storm Erika last Thursday.

“It is prudent for us at this particular point in time… to be in collaboration with all and sundry in St Vincent to offer this humanitarian assistance to the people of Dominica,” said Bernard Marksman, director of the Red Cross Society — who went on to appeal for “immediate things” that the Dominican public would need.

Based on information submitted by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Commonwealth of Dominica, the general public of SVG is being asked to contribute to this effort.

Desirous items include: supplies for senior citizens – adult diapers and wipes, hand sanitizers, milks and cereals, canned foods (that aren’t expired or nearing expiry dates); supplies for babies – baby milk and cereal, diapers and wipes, juices and snacks; food – canned and dried goods (for stranded communities, shelters and personnel on duty); other supplies to aid residents returning to their homes – cleaning supplies, water pumps, chain saws, power generators, lighting equipment, wheelbarrows, power washers, helmets and boots, ropes, hygiene kits, gloves, reflector vests, shovels, and pickaxes.

Persons can also donate personal products such as soaps, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lotions, sanitary napkins, deodorants and detergents.

Relief items will be collected from Wednesday, September 2 until Monday, September 7 to be shipped on Wednesday September 9.

Items can be delivered during working hours at NEMO headquarters, its warehouse in Campden Park and at the Red Cross Society building, which is located behind the Ministry of Education in Kingstown.

Additionally Greaves Supermarket (Kingstown, Pembroke and Arnos Vale), Save A lot, and Super J Supermarkets (Kingstown and Arnos Vale) have also partnered with NEMO in the collection of these items. Additional supermarkets are being approached to join in the collaborative effort and station big blue bins in which the donated items can be desposited.

Deputy director of NEMO Michelle Forbes noted: “We often breathe a sigh of relief when we hear a system is going north, but we always stress that the outer bands of the system can go out for miles — as we have seen in tropical storm Erica.”

Forbes cautioned Vincentians to be mindful that with climate change “we are going to have more intense rainfalls, more intense systems and even longer periods of dry spells, as we have been having across the northern Caribbean and even in St Vincent and the Grenadines in the last few years.”

She also reminded Vincentians that in past natural disasters that have affected SVG, countries across the region came to our assistance.

“It is time for us to show that love to the people of Dominica in returning some items that could actually assist the people of Dominica.”

NEMO is urging Vincentians to give what they can to assist the people of Dominica in their lengthy road to recovery.

“Pray for the people of Dominica that God would lift them up and take them through this difficult storm, as they rebuild their nature isle and get back on their feet.”

Currently, only helicopters and small aircraft are permitted to land at the Canefield airport, making it the only operational airport in the country. Additionally, 20 deaths have been reported, with several persons still reported missing and feared dead. Over 570 have been left homeless.

Forty-five per cent of the country remains without electricity, and there has been major destruction to the water supply. (AS)