​The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) in the Office of the Prime Minister held a two-day emergency communications workshop this week, to better prepare community disaster response committees to stay in touch during and after a major incident.

Sixteen community disaster response officials were taught the maintenance and use of two-way radio.

NEMO Director Velda Joseph, said the training activity is crucial to maintaining open lines of communication at times of greatest need. The activity is also part of an ongoing process at NEMO to fortify its communications infrastructure.

In 2014, the organization undertook a significant exercise to ensure that all systems would be up and running in the event of a natural disaster or other hazard.

NEMO will be staging further training exercises in the months to come. Ms. Joseph said a greater the level of participation and community engagement will lessen the level of vulnerability of communities.

The emergency communications workshop was sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which will donate radios to each of the community committees.

The workshop was held at the NEMO headquarters in Bisee.