US Naval Ship holds exercise to better prepare emergency workers

Representatives from the US Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort held an exercise with local emergency management personnel, on Friday (Oct. 11th), which culminated with a water rescue.

The USNS Comfort was in the Federation for one week to provide training and health care, to those in need. The training undertaken by personnel is part of an ongoing exercise by the agencies, to be better prepared for any event.

Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency, the Defence Force, Fire and Rescue undertook the exercise, with officials from the Navy. The USNS Comfort arrived in St. Kitts on Thursday Oct. 3rd.

It is a Mercy-class hospital ship or a floating medical treatment facility. From Oct. 5th2019 to Oct. 10th 2019, a health mission was conducted as part of the U.S. Southern Command’s “Enduring Promise Initiative”, with two components: (1) a land- based medical mission; and (2) a ship -based surgical mission.

The Medical Mission included the provision of healthcare at the two (2) following land-based medical sites, namely: the Antioch Baptist Church grounds in Lime Kiln (beside the NEMA Headquarters) and St. Paul’s Community Centre, both of which are in St. Kitts.