Emergency Teams Prepare For CHOGM With Simulated Crash And Evacuation Drills
A mass casualty exercise at Scotts Hill and an evacuation drill at the Performing Arts Centre will test emergency readiness ahead of the summit.
By Cory Wayland
Antigua and Barbuda’s ability to respond to a mass casualty incident will be tested on Thursday when a simulated vehicle crash at Scotts Hill sends mock casualties to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The October 22 exercise, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., will assess the hospital’s response procedures and coordination among the agencies responsible for handling a major emergency.
Emergency Medical Services will transport participants portraying injured victims to the hospital. Hospital personnel, police, firefighters, staff from various clinics and the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) will take part.
Motorists should expect some disruption to traffic near the exercise site during the three-hour operation.
Emergency preparations will continue on Tuesday, October 27, with an evacuation drill at the newly constructed Performing Arts Centre on High Street in St. John’s.
The venue has been designated for CHOGM’s opening ceremony, which will bring high-level delegates together for the start of the meeting. The drill is intended to help emergency personnel prepare to evacuate participants safely should an incident occur.
NODS has also been working with hotels and event venues to strengthen their emergency plans as the country prepares to host the international gathering.
This story was first published by Antigua News on : antigua.news/2026/10/20/emergency-teams-prepare-for-chogm-with-simulated-crash-and-evacuation-drills. © 2026 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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Cory Wayland is the Social Media Co-ordinator at Antigua.News, where he manages digital content strategy, audience engagement, and real-time news publications across social platforms. With a keen eye for trending topics and a commitment to factual storytelling, Cory plays a key role in shaping the online voice of Antigua.News.
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Comments (1)
Juju Bee October 20, 2026, 6:00 PM
Thanks for the heads up. Cause I know its going to be madness
Reply