National Disaster Managers Collaborate with the RBDF and US NORTHCOM to train Family Island Officials in Disaster Preparedness Procedures
Governor’s Harbour Eleuthera. 23rd February 2026. The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority took its mandate to keep communities safe to the family islands.
Continuing with the successful readiness exercises conducted in 2025, the DRM Authority once again collaborated with the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and United States Northern Command (US NORTHCOM) to host the first in a series of Regional Disaster Readiness Exercises (RDRX) scheduled for 2026.The exercise, which took place from 8th to 11th February in Governor’s Harbour, is a key step in strengthening response mechanisms in the family islands.
The event provided the DRM team with a valuable opportunity to interface with government leaders in the Harbour Island community and to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of local residents while providing local officials with comprehensive, intensive training on the latest disaster planning, preparedness, response, and recovery procedures. During the sessions, local responders also had the chance to learn about the structure and function of the DRM and receive training on the procedures outlined in the National Disaster Emergency Plan and the Family Island Disaster Emergency Plan, both formulated by the DRM Authority.
Family Island Administrators representing South, Central, and North Eleuthera were in attendance alongside senior representatives from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Bahamas Immigration Department, Bahamas Customs Department, Ministry of Health, Department of Environmental Health Services, and the Ministry of Public Works.
The exercise engaged local officials in a simulated Category 4 hurricane tracking through the Bahamian archipelago and challenged participants’ response capabilities by introducing components to test search-and-rescue operational readiness.
DRM Managing Director, Aarone Sargent expressed his pleasure with the outcome of the exercise saying, “The DRM Authority is mandated to take a whole-of-community’ approach to disaster preparedness and disaster management and RDRX enables us to build capacity at all levels of the family island response, from administrators to law enforcement and health officials, allowing us to have a meaningful and lasting impact in each community we serve.”
The DRM is making big strides to ensure the safety and security of all Bahamians. Workshops were successfully held on several islands in 2025, including Inagua, South Andros, Cat Island, Exuma, and Abaco. But the Authority is far from done. It will host another exercise in San Salvador that started Monday 23rd February and will conclude on Thursday the 26th. Logistics are also being finalized for future RDRX workshops in Grand Bahama, Long Island, Acklins, and potentially Crooked Island in March and April.
The DRM is committed to partnering with international, local, governmental, and private-sector partners to ensure the safety of citizens on every island in The Bahamas. Workshops like RDRX showcase the DRM’s commitment to serving all Bahamians.
If you would like to learn more about the DRM Authority Regional exercises or how you can partner with the Authority, contact us at (242) 322-6081, email connect@drm.gov.bs of to go www.getready.gov.bs.
