La Soufrière volcano began exhibiting increased activity in December of 2020. At this time, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines began reviewing evacuation plans with residents in the area. Volcanic activity continued to increase through January and February, producing sulfur dioxide emissions at the end of March. On April 8th, 2021, the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines issued an evacuation order. The following morning, the eruption began with plumes of ash being propelled into the air and falling over the island and surrounding nations.
At the time of the eruption of La Soufrière, approximately 16,000 individuals had evacuated from the regions surrounding the volcano. Eruptions continued over the following weeks, with the final explosion occurring on April 22nd. The Pan American Health Organization estimated over 20,000 individuals to be directly affected by the eruption. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) activated their network of 76 emergency shelters across the country, housing 3,200 people. Cruise ships were prepositioned to shelter affected individuals and neighbouring countries offered to accommodate displaced families.
The majority of the population of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was impacted by the eruption of La Soufrière. Heavy layers of ash coated the island, destroying agriculture. Infrastructure damages led to water restrictions. Tropical storms and rain delayed clean-up efforts for the island nation. The aftermath of the volcanic eruption limited livelihood activities, which were already hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, families struggled to afford necessities.
GlobalMedic immediately began responding to provide assistance to people impacted by the eruption.
3,200 PEOPLE IN SHELTERS
ONGOING ERUPTIONS
16,000+ PEOPLE EVACUATED
Immediate Response
GlobalMedic’s response began in April of 2021 with a shipment of Family Emergency Kits and Emergency Food Kits. The damage done to local infrastructure affected families’ ability to access clean drinking water and increased the risk of food insecurity. Family Emergency Kits (FEKs) are simple to use water purification units, designed to provide families with clean drinking water.
With additional space left in FEKs, solar lights and oral rehydration salts may be added. Solar lights provide families with comfort and additional security when electricity is unreliable. Oral rehydration salts help to combat dehydration, often faced when clean drinking water is inaccessible. We distributed 3,688 FEKs throughout this response.
Emergency Food Kits are hampers of culturally appropriate pantry staples assembled in Canada by volunteers. With loss of income and agriculture, many families were facing food insecurity. Emergency Food Kits are adaptable aid hampers, easily customized to match the needs of a given country. For Saint Vincent, these kits contained pantry staples such as corn meal, pigeon peas and pasta. Our first shipment of Emergency Food Kits left Canada in April of 2021, and we continued with regular deliveries until we shifted to producing food hampers locally. 14,901 Emergency Food Kits were distributed during this time.
With the initial wave of aid we also provided 254,004 diapers and 42,750 face masks to the island to support those that have been displaced. After a disaster, basic hygiene items are difficult to source, and often expensive. The provision of items such as diapers and face masks contribute to the overall health of the country.
Mapping La Soufrière
In August 2021, the GlobalMedic RescUAV team deployed to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Our RescUAV team was in the country for approximately three weeks, working with local government and partner organizations to collect drone images to translate into maps. RescUAV coordinated with the government and researchers from the University of the West Indies Seismic Research. Through consultation with these partners, the RescUAV team gained an understanding of what mapping was necessary and helpful for recovery efforts. The RescUAV team collected drone footage daily while on the islands.
Over the course of three weeks, they were able to capture 17,500 images and map 2,300 hectares including the decommissioned airport E.T Joshua, Orange Hill, Campden Park Container Port, Power Generation Station and, Argyle International Airport. At the end of the deployment, the team met with the local government to present findings. All panoramic images and maps created were plotted on Google Maps and shared with the government and partners. It supported NEMO’s Impact Based Scenario Planning, and the governments Critical Infrastructure program along with research done from the University of the West Indies Seismic Research.
Local Food Production
In January 2022, GlobalMedic began our food packing program in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The program was built to mimic our McAntony’s Menu packing that occurs in Toronto. Bulk food, along with the necessary supplies, were shipped to the island and our Rapid Response Team (RRT) arrived at the beginning of January to set up the program.
We designed the food packing program to target food insecurity in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, while involving the local community. Once the supplies arrived on the island, GlobalMedic RRT members worked to train local workers on the program. Bulk pantry staples were purchased in 23- to 40-kilogram bags. Each ingredient was then repackaged into individual 500-gram bags and sealed to ensure a stable shelf life. Repackaged pantry staples were then used to create local food hampers. These hampers contained a variety of pantry staples including rice, kidney beans, green peas, chickpeas, corn meal, and pasta.
The food hamper packing program began in January of 2022, producing 15,047 hampers, the last of which were distributed in early October 2022. With this program, GlobalMedic was not only able to support food insecure families on the islands but provide income generating activities to locals. Local Vincentians were hired by the government to participate and pack for this program, creating new jobs.
Produce Purchasing
In July 2022, GlobalMedic began purchasing fresh produce from local farmers to distribute. For this project, we were a part of a larger initiative run by the government encouraging the purchase of local goods.
The produce program aimed to tackle the same issues as the food hamper program: food insecurity and income generation. We purchased all produce from local farmers, providing a source of income and supporting the local agricultural industry. The agriculture sector was hard hit after the eruption of La Soufrière, with many crops being damaged or destroyed. As one of the largest economic pillars for the country, it was critical to strengthen the industry post-disaster. Not only was this program able to provide income from the purchase of produce, but residents received payments from the government for their assistance in the program.
Beginning in the third week of July, we made weekly purchases and distributed the produce among food insecure communities. We wrapped up our produce program in February 2023, after supporting 308 local farmers and purchasing over 332,102 pounds of food.
