Fire Victims Get Assistance; NEMO Provides Much-Needed Supplies

Seleny Villanueva Pott

NEMO officials were on the island today, working with the Caye Caulker Village Council and fire officials to assist victims. Over the weekend, NEMO’s Central Region Coordinator Al Westby travelled to the island with a team to provide relief. Temporary housing was provided and much-needed supplies were transported to the island with the help of Belize Defender Aircraft and a Belize Coast Guard vessel. Chairlady, Seleny Villanueva Pott says that the Caye Caulker Community is coming together to assist those who have been left homeless.

Seleny Villanueva Pott, Chairlady of Caye Caulker

“I must comment NEMO. Through the help of the CDRT, the Community Disaster Relief Team they were immediately activated at the scene. Many of these individuals were helping, forming the bucket brigade. The next day they were already on the ground collecting information. The evening they were already out collecting donations, making meals and getting clothes. The help has been tremendous, NEMO immediately activated and relief supply was on the ground in less than twenty-four hours. Human Development is here to do their portion of finding where to house these people. So we are very grateful for the support and assistance that we have gotten from NEMO.”

Colin Gillett

Colin Gillett, Fire Chief, National Fire Service

“What we are doing is we are going to work with the Caye Caulker Village Council and they have agreed to find and identify persons to be part of the volunteer brigades so when we have fire like this they will be able to step in the action and know how to work the trucks, know what hoses to pull because a lot of the hoses that they were pulling where not for that section. It was for the other one in the back. There is a lot of training that we are going to step out and about to do. Everybody can be a fire-fighter with the right training that we can provide.”

The Belize Red Cross also mobilized to assist the fire victims.