As Antigua prepares to host one of the most high-profile international gatherings in its history, emergency response teams across the island are gearing up for two critical preparedness drills over the next two weeks. The exercises are designed to test and refine response capabilities ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to kick off later this month in St. John’s.
The first drill, scheduled for Thursday, October 22, will simulate a mass casualty incident caused by a multi-vehicle crash at Scotts Hill. Organized to evaluate coordination between first responders and medical facilities, the exercise will involve several simulated injured casualties that will be transported by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, the island’s main public hospital. The drill, which will run from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time, includes participation from personnel from the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, the national police force, the fire department, independent local clinics, and the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS). Local residents and commuters are advised that temporary traffic disruptions are expected in the area surrounding the exercise site, and are encouraged to plan alternate routes where possible.
A second preparedness exercise is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, at the newly built Performing Arts Centre on High Street in St. John’s. This drill will focus on a full building evacuation, a critical safety protocol given that the venue has been selected to host CHOGM’s official opening ceremony, which will be attended by dozens of heads of state, senior diplomats, and other high-level delegates from across the Commonwealth. Event organizers have emphasized that participant safety is the top priority for the meeting, and rigorous pre-event testing is essential to ensure emergency teams can respond quickly and effectively to any unforeseen incident.
NODS has been working closely with all hotels, event venues, and stakeholder organizations across Antigua to update and strengthen emergency response plans in advance of the landmark meeting, which is expected to draw global media attention and thousands of visitors to the island.