U.S. Government Donates $10 Million to Support Disaster Preparedness, Including a Field Hospital for the Family Islands

#TheBahamas, November 23, 2022 – The United States government is committed to helping The Bahamas prepare for future disasters.  U.S. Maj. Gen. Connie Jenkins, the  Director  of  Logistics  and  Engineering from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), visited Nassau Nov. 15-18 to participate in a recognition ceremony of recently donated supplies. Donated material included a field hospital, temporary shelters, communication equipment, transportable armories, generators, and flood-water rescue boats valued at approximately $5 million.  This equipment gives The Bahamas the ability to rapidly deploy necessary supplies from New Providence to the Family Islands for humanitarian and disaster response.

“One of the things that we focus extensively on with our partner nations is working on different avenues within logistics and engineering to make everyone more resilient, especially when it comes to things like crises, storms and climate issues,” said Maj. Gen. Jenkins.

During Major General Jenkins’ visit, she discussed with Bahamian military leaders ways to address gender-related challenges and disparities in disaster response operations and humanitarian assistance.  Both USNORTHCOM and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) have made significant efforts to increase gender equity within their respective forces.  As Major General Jenkins mentioned in her meetings with the RBDF and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), empowering women benefits everyone in a society: “The rising tide lifts all boats.”

The equipment donations represent half of the $10 million USNORTHCOM has given The Bahamas in 2022 as part of theater security cooperation efforts.  During the pandemic, USNORTHCOM provided The Bahamas with diagnostic systems, ventilators, and ultra-low temperature freezers.  This assistance from the United States demonstrates its ongoing commitment to bolster The Bahamas’ disaster response and humanitarian assistance capabilities.

Photo Captions:

Header: Permanent Secretary Colin Higgs, Ministry of Health and Wellness, NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell, and senior leaders from Public Hospital Authority (PHA) thank Major General Jenkins and display the compact size and mobility of the donated 20-bed field hospital | Nassau, The Bahamas | November 17, 2022

1st insert: Major General Jenkins celebrates the achievements of senior ranking female officers and enlisted personnel in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force | Nassau, The Bahamas | November 16, 2022

2nd insert: RBDF Captain Glenn McPhee, Captain of Coral Harbour, gives a tour of Coral Harbour to Major General Jenkins following a ceremony commemorating the donation of $2.5 million in armories, communication equipment, and SAFE Boat supplies to the Defence Force | Nassau, The Bahamas | November 16, 2022

3rd insert: Major General Jenkins thanks RBDF Chief Petty Officer Romeiko Burrows for his many contributions during his time at NEMA following a roundtable discussion on gender equity in a disaster response environment | Nassau, The Bahamas | November 17, 2022