Caribbean Area focus group discusses training needs

FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) this week is hosting a focus group to gain feedback about their training needs from first responder, emergency management, healthcare and public health professionals in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The group involves individuals from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, FEMA’s Region 2, and the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, including CDP federal and contract staff.

The CDP’s Caribbean Area Initiative expands on in-person training the CDP conducted for more than 1,000 Puerto Rican public health and healthcare workers in 2018 and 2019, following hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Since the beginning of 2021, the CDP has also recorded more than 1,700 Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) course completions by responders in the region.

These VILTs span a wide variety of topics, but primarily focus on healthcare. They have included VILTs titled Hospital Incident Command System, Health Sector Emergency Preparedness II, Patient Management: Management of a Highly Infectious Disease Patient in a Healthcare Facility, Special Needs Population Considerations During Emergency Response, Pathogens of Special Concern, and Emergency Medical Response Awareness for CBRNE Incidents.