The first phase of the Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) and Hazardous Noxious Substances (HNS) Training, facilitated by Ambipar Response, here, has been deemed a tremendous success.
The three-day training, which began on Friday, 7 November 2025, and concluded on Sunday, 9 November 2025, brought together 27 personnel from the Montserrat Port Authority (MPA), Marine Unit of the Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPF), the Montserrat National Oil Response Team, the Royal Montserrat Defense Force (RMDF), and the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA).
Participants were introduced to key aspects of HAZMAT and HNS incident management, including risk identification, response techniques, and equipment use for both terrestrial and marine environments.
Topics covered included:
• Introduction and Background
• Labelling, Causes, Fates, and Effects
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Gas Monitoring
• Site Set-up and Equipment Use
• Tactical Response Strategies
The training focused on building capacity among local response agencies to safely and effectively deploy equipment, mitigate environmental risks, and use personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with international safety standards.
Upon successful completion of this phase, participants will be awarded an IMO-equivalent Certificate of Competency in HAZMAT/HNS Response, recognizing their enhanced capability to respond to hazardous material incidents across Montserrat’s terrestrial and marine areas.
Meantime, the second phase of the training, focusing on the management of Hazardous Noxious Substances (HNS), commenced on Monday, 10 November 2025, and will conclude on Tuesday, 11 November 2025.
This segment builds on the practical skills developed during Phase One and emphasizes incident command, response coordination, and strategic decision-making in managing HNS events.
It aims to further strengthen Montserrat’s readiness and resilience in addressing environmental and maritime emergencies.
The training, held at Port Little Bay and the DMCA Headquarters, was funded by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in collaboration with the Montserrat Maritime Administration (MMA) and the Montserrat Port Authority (MPA).