JCA Hosts Radiation Incident Simulation Exercise
By: , July 1, 2022
Photo: Dave Reid
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Border Protection at the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Alwyn Nicely, addresses the closing ceremony for a three-day radiation incident tabletop simulation exercise from June 28 to 30, at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, in Kingston. It was held in collaboration with the Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence Programme.
Photo: Dave Reid
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Border Protection at the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Alwyn Nicely (left), presents a certificate of attendance to participant, Kirk-Patrick Williams (right) at the closing ceremony for a three-day radiation incident tabletop simulation exercise from June 28-30, at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, in Kingston. It was held in collaboration with the Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence Programme. Others (from second left) are Sustainability Manager, Sandia National Laboratories, Jeff Petty; Subject Area Expert, Homeland Security Associates Inc, Kevin Fannin and Subject Area Expert, Homeland Security Associates Inc, Casey Cole.
Photo: Dave Reid
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Border Protection at the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Alwyn Nicely (left), presents a certificate of attendance to participant, Tauna-Shay Murray (right), at the closing ceremony for a three-day radiation incident tabletop simulation exercise from June 28 to 30, at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, in Kingston. It was held in collaboration with the Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence Programme. Others (from second left) are Sustainability Manager, Sandia National Laboratories, Jeff Petty; Subject Area Expert, Homeland Security, Kevin Fannin and Subject Area Expert, Homeland Security, Casey Cole.The Full Story
The Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), in collaboration with the Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence Programme, jointly hosted a three-day radiation incident tabletop simulation exercise from June 28 to 30, at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, in Kingston.
The objective of the exercise was to ensure that all players involved in matters of this nature are aware of their roles and responsibilities and that of other organisations, and to ensure a well-coordinated response in such an event.
This activity forms part of the JCA’s Border Protection and Security Programme, Radiation Protection and Safety Programme, and Emergency Preparedness and Response Programme.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Border Protection at the JCA, Alwyn Nicely, said the participants would have benefited from the shared experiences.
“That can only redound to the benefit of the entire nation, through each representative of a group here or entity,” Mr. Nicely said.
He noted that the event was conceptualised two and a half years ago, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was delayed.
“It gave us an opportunity to perfect it, and the experience over these last three days, in my mind, was an act of perfection as it relates to execution. We would have discussed a number of relevant issues… [and] in order for us to further enhance and to protect our nation, we need to focus our energies on those areas that the report our facilitators will write [and] highlight where we need improvement,” Mr. Nicely noted.
The exercise involved participants from a number of organisations, including the JCA, Jamaica Fire Brigade, Port Authority of Jamaica, Kingston Freeport Terminal Ltd. (KFTL), Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL), Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA), Jamaica Constabulary Force, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS), Ministry of Health’s Emergency Response Unit and the Jamaica Defence Force.