The annual “Caribe Wave Tsunami Exercise” will be held in Antigua and Barbuda on Thursday 19th March facilitated by the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS). This exercise will test tsunami preparedness plans throughout the island.

It is conducted by the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and coordinated through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

Please be advised that a “dummy tsunami warning message” will be sent via the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) App which NODS has been encouraging residents to download on their smart phones and radio interrupters which has been installed in a few stations on island. The message will begin with the words EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!! EXERCISE!! and end with the same. Sirens are also expected to sound off in various communities.

As a result, schools and workplaces etc will be conducting evacuation drills throughout the island. Emergency responders such as the Police, EMS, Red Cross will also be quite visible – giving support to the exercise. Note that this will only be an exercise and not a real scenario.

Kindly ensure that this information is communicated to all staff to avoid any confusion or panic on the day of the exercise.