the application of an integrated and multifaceted approach in specific depressed communities islandwide; targeting certain vulnerable low-income populations; physical and economic infrastructure dev.

The link is achieved through the inclusion of Human Capital SHD = SD + HD

Floods Hurricanes Storm Surges Earthquakes Landslides

Hazardous Materials release Epidemics Plant and animal diseases

Economic losses caused by disasters ( ) Countries Loss (US$billions) Worldwide 4,006 Caribbean & Latin America 546 Jamaica 1 Source: International Red Cross & Planning Institute of Jamaica

Effects of Hurricane Gilbert on Jamaica (1988) US$millions Direct Damage to Island 956 Sector Contribution To Losses Agriculture, Tourism and Indus. 478 Housing 318 Infrastructure 160 Source: PIOJ

Jamaica has had three (3) broad methods for dealing with Natural Hazards: Disaster preparedness and response measures Post-disaster recovery & reconstruction measures Pre-disaster Mitigation Measures

Mitigation Measures are measures designed to reduce future damage impacts, rather than simply ‘picking up the pieces’ Structural Mitigation Non-Structural Mitigation

Catalyst for prioritising work on defining a National Hazard Management Programme for Jamaica which had a Mitigation Strategy was the Jamaican experience in the Flood Rains of June, 1979 and Hurricane Allen in August,1980

Jamaica’s Mitigation Programme is comprised of three (3) phases:- Phase I Addressed short-term problems Phase II Work primarily in hazard-related problems eg. High risk areas and building of a Hazard Management Matrix. Phase III This phase has six (6) elements and is on-going

Six (6) Elements of Phase III of the Mitigation Strategy:- I.Data Collection and Risk Analysis II.Planning and Regulations III.Private Sector Support IV.Public Construction & Investment Decisions V.Structural Mitigation VI.Preparedness and Recovery

THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT, 1993 mitigationmitigation declaration of disaster areadeclaration of disaster area

1.Close relationship between agencies and persons established; 2.Ability to Sensitize 3.Provision of map of High Risk Area to be used by specialized publics. 4.Significant work done in Flooding 5.Work done in Warning

i.Development of National Hazard Mitigation Policy; ii.DIPECHO Project ii.Other work

1.Database 2.Development Orders 3.Economic recognition of the Impact of Disasters 4.Cost/benefit Analyses 5.Wider dissemination of work at the Community level 6.Link to critical sectors

Further Strengthening Greater work between Floods, hurricanes & earthquakes Link to be recognised between SHD & Mitigation Need to speedily complete and implement Mitigation Policy Greater training and exposure to other case studies CDMP Workshop in June could be a Regional one Public Education for Mitigation needs to be developed