Hon. Benn: All CJIA staff to be trained as first responders

7th November, 2013

TIMEHRI - All personnel attached to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) will be required to undergo first responder training.

The recommendation was raised during an assessment and review session following a two hour full scale simulation exercise at the Timehri facility yesterday, November 6 - which tested fire, security and medical personnel’s abilities to respond to a disaster.

Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn was among a team of observers who critiqued the simulation in the CJIA’s Boardroom. A programme of this nature will be developed shortly by the Ministry of Health.

Further, Minister Benn encouraged the emergency response teams to explore the possibility of having their international counterparts present at similar activities to provide an unprejudiced assessment of their reaction to emergencies.

The simulation exercise is part of the airport’s guaranteed process to training international certification.  The Guyana Fire Service (GFS), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Customs and Immigration, Ministry of Health, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the Guyana Red Cross and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), were among some of the stakeholders involved in the mock exercise.

The exercise is executed every two years.