Nassau, New Providence – 20th July, 2026 – Last week, the DRM Authority tested the country’s disaster readiness and response capabilities during its annual National Disaster Readiness Exercise (NDRX).
The weeklong exercise brought together stakeholders from the Royal Bahamas Police and Defence Forces, Ministries of Health and Wellness, and Transport, as well as prominent infrastructure companies Bahamas Power and Light, Cable Bahamas, Water and Sewerage Corporation, and Bahamas Telecommunications Corporation.
Prominent government agencies, including the Department of Social Services, the Department of Environmental Health Services, the Meteorological Department, as well as our international partners from the US Embassy, also participated.
The exercise simulated a category four storm impacting the island of New Providence.
The simulation provided a valuable live-action test of disaster response coordination between the groups while allowing the DRM Authority to stress test its new disaster management and communications software, WebEOC.
Managing director Aarone Sargent hailed the exercise as a success while adding that there is still work to do, saying, “NDRX was a crucial stress-test of our country’s disaster readiness and response capabilities. The DRM Authority and our partner agencies responded favourably. We will continue to work to build capacity to ensure that our country’s disaster response mechanism is ready to respond when needed”.
The DRM Authority regularly conducts disaster readiness exercises and training on the family islands to ensure that all communities in The Bahamas can respond to disasters. Training has been held on the islands of Long Island, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, and San Salvador, and eight more are planned for the year.
Comprehensive disaster preparedness and management requires engaging the whole of our society. It is only through collaboration, open communication, and shared responsibility that we can strengthen our resilience and safeguard our communities. We remain committed to continuous improvement and partnership with all stakeholders to ensure that every Bahamian is better protected in the face of disaster.
