22 FORESTRY AND 5 VEEP OFFICERS CERTIFIED IN WILDERNESS & REMOTE FIRST AID TRAINING
Twenty-seven participants from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry Department and the Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project (VEEP) were officially certified in Wilderness and Remote First Aid last Thursday, July 17, 2025, following a rigorous training programme conducted in partnership with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society (SVGRC).
The training programme, which commenced on May 15, 2025, and concluded on June 20, 2025, engaged 30 participants in groups of three over several weeks. It was designed to equip forestry personnel and VEEP officers with the critical skills needed to respond to medical emergencies in remote and hazardous environments.
Delivered over 48 hours, the course covered emergency assessment, wound care, CPR, fracture treatment, hypothermia management, and response to environmental illnesses such as anaphylaxis. The training, led by experienced wilderness first aid instructor Mr. Bertillon Hamilton, is the first of its kind in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
At the certification ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Mr. Cuthbert Knights, emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to occupational health and safety.
“We need to work toward creating a culture of preparedness. Staff must build capacity and resilience, not just for their safety, but for the safety of others,” he stated.
Roxanne John, VEEP Project Coordinator, underscored the importance of the initiative in preparing workers for field activities, noting, “Incidents do occur in the forest…This is a valuable certification to have.” adding that the certification is just the beginning.
Acting Director of Forestry, Mr. Casmus McLeod, highlighted the department’s significant achievements under VEEP, including chainsaw certification, soil and water conservation training, and the provision of essential equipment.
“The department is now in a much better position to handle post-disaster management,” he said.
SVGRC President Mr. V. Alston Anderson expressed the Red Cross’s pride in delivering this unique training locally and thanked all partners involved. “We look forward to more collaboration to build a safer, more prepared workforce.”
This initiative forms part of the VEEP’s broader mandate to support recovery efforts and restore areas severely impacted by the 2021 La Soufrière eruptions and Hurricane Elsa. These events caused widespread environmental damage, leaving field workers exposed to heightened risks as they engage in reforestation and soil conservation activities across rugged, remote terrain.
