1. Washington DC, Thursday March 25, 2010
CARICOM’S Experience in Comprehensive Disaster Management Part 1 – CDEMA & the Regional Response Mechanism
Presented by Lt Col Clyde Parris,
Defense Attaché, Embassy of Barbados
for and on behalf of the
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)
Washington DC, Thursday March 25, 2010

2. Presentation Overview
Caribbean Vulnerability to Hazards
The Role and Function of CDEMA
CDM – A Regional Framework for Cooperation and Resource Sharing in Disaster Management
CDEMA & the Regional Response Mechanism
The Way Forward
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3. CARIBBEAN VULNERABILITY TO HAZARDS
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4. Hazards and Caribbean Reality
2nd most hazard prone region
Increased exposure to natural hazards within the last two decades
Three times more disasters in 1990’s than in the 1970’s
Regular annual losses of US$ 3 billion
Increasing significant losses to social and productive sectors (tourism, agriculture, housing, infrastructure) > 68%
Loss to GDP
Climate variability and change likely to increase frequency and severity of hydro-meteorological events
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5. Disaster Experiences 1. Dominica Earthquake, 2004
Clarendon Jamaica Flood Event May 2002 (Acknowledgement JDF)
Palmiste, Grenada – Hurricane Lenny, 1999
Volcanic Eruption, Montserrat
(Montserrat Volcano Observatory)
Grenada - Hurricane Lenny, 1999
Dominica Earthquake, 2004
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6. Disaster Impact Quantified
TIME
PLACE
DISASTER
IMPACT
1988
Jamaica
Hurricane Gilbert
65% GDP
1989
5 countries
Hurricane Hugo
US$412 M
1999
Dominica
Hurricane Lenny
53% GDP
2004
Haiti & DR
Flooding
270 deaths
Grenada
Hurricane Ivan
US$895 M
US$592 M
2005
Guyana
60% GDP
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7. Institutionalizing Frameworks for Disaster Management
Growing decisive action at the regional level
Evolution from improvisation and largely adhoc response to systematic disaster preparedness and response (1960s-1990s)
Dedicated and more advanced disaster management institutions at the regional and national levels (CDERA ,1991/CDEMA, 2009 and NDOs)
Movement towards and adoption of Comprehensive Disaster Management (Strategy and Results Framework developed 2001, revised in 2006)
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8. THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
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9. Overview of CDEMA
CDEMA (formally CDERA) is the regional inter-governmental Agency responsible for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
CDERA established in 1991 by an Agreement of Heads of Government of CARICOM
September 1, 2009 – official date of transition from CDERA to CDEMA
18 Participating States with others as observers
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10. CARILEC 2010 SAFETY CONFERENCE,SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
CDEMA Map
Overview of CDEMA
CDEMA (formally CDERA) is a regional inter-governmental Agency responsible for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
CDERA established in 1991 by an Agreement of Heads of Government of CARICOM
September 1, 2009 – official date of transition from CDERA to CDEMA
18 Participating States with others as observers
CARILEC 2010 SAFETY CONFERENCE,SAINT VINCENT & THE GRENADINES
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11. International Agencies National Disaster Offices
CDEMA Structure
National
Governments
Council of Ministers
International Agencies
Technical Advisory
Committee
Regional Agencies
Coordinating Unit
National Disaster Offices
Executive Director
Deputy E.D.
CDEMA CU Staff
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12. Background
CDEMA is established on principles of inter-governmental cooperation
A number of small states with large vulnerabilities and limited individual capacity
Rationalizing diverse actions towards a common goal was central to operationalizing the Agreement
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13. CDEMA’s Functions
(a) mobilising and coordinating disaster relief; (b) mitigating or eliminating, as far as practicable, the immediate consequences of disasters in Participating States; (c) providing immediate and coordinated response by means of emergency disaster relief to any affected Participating State; (d) securing, coordinating and providing to interested inter-governmental and nongovernmental organisations reliable and comprehensive information on disasters affecting any Participating State;
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14. CDEMA’s Functions (cont’d)
(e) encouraging –
(i) the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies and practices at the national and regional level;
(ii) cooperative arrangements and mechanisms to facilitate the development of a culture of disaster loss reduction; and
(iii) coordinating the establishment, enhancement and maintenance of adequate emergency disaster response capabilities among the Participating States.
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15. CDM – A REGIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR COOPERATION AND RESOURCE SHARING IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT
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16. What is Comprehensive Disaster Management?
Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) is the management of all hazards
through all phases of the disaster management cycle – prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation
by all peoples public and private sectors, all segments of civil society and the general population in hazard prone areas.
CDM involves risk reduction & management and
integration of vulnerability assessment into the development planning process. (CDERA 2001, 2006)
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17. CDM – A Paradigm Shift (CGCED 2002) Reactive Anticipatory
Disaster Office Shared Responsibility
FROM: a focus on individual hazards
TO: viewing hazard exposure as an ongoing process and aims to reduce vulnerability across all sectors
(CGCED 2002)
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18. CDM in Context Global and Regional Agendas:
Hyogo Framework for Action
CARICOM Regional Programming Framework – 2015
Caribbean Single Market and Economy
St. George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States)
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19. CDM Benefits A regional framework for disaster management:
Emphasizes natural hazard risk reduction
Promotes a “culture of safety”
Recognizes that strengthening disaster preparedness for better response is critical
Encourages strategic partner alliances
Advocates for empowering of sector partners to (take responsibility) and lead dissemination and advocacy with their constituency
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20. Partnerships for Risk Reduction: A Key Pillar of CDM
Since its inception, CDEMA has pursued a policy of collaboration with national, regional and international organisations which have overlapping interests
Minimises duplication
Ensures more rational use of the limited resources available to the region
Ensures that technical assistance provided is of the highest quality as each agency is allowed to take the lead in the area where it has specific technical expertise
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21. 9/17/2018

22. Regional Partnerships
The Caribbean Development Bank
The Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility
The Caribbean Water & Waste Water Association
The Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
The Caribbean Agriculture Research & Development institute
The Inter American Development Bank
The Pan American Health Organization
The Regional Security System
The University of the West indies
The West Indies Cricket Board
Plus CARICOM Agencies (IMPACS, etc)
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23. Intra-Regional Partnerships
Information Sharing Conferences, Workshops & Exercises:
CEPREDENAC – The Central American Centre for the Coordination & Prevention of Natural Disasters:
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Salvador & Panama
CAPADRE – The South American Northern Zone Committee for Disaster Prevention and Assistance:
Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru & Venezuela
MERCOSUR (Southern Cone) – The Committee for the Prevention and Handling of Disasters:
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay & Uruguay
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24. International Partnerships
A number of international partners provide support in:
Project sponsorships
Training Workshops
Regional Exercises
Relief Supplies
Warehouses & Emergency Operations Centre Construction
Assessments
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25. CDM Strategy Summary Goal
Regional Sustainable Development enhanced through Comprehensive Disaster Management
Purpose
To strengthen regional, national and community level capacity for the mitigation, management and coordinated response to natural and anthropological hazards, and the effects of climate change
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26. CDM Strategy and Framework 2007-2012: OUTCOMES
Enhanced institutional support for CDM Program implementation at national and regional levels
An effective mechanism and programme for management and sharing of CDM knowledge is established and utilized for decision making
Comprehensive Disaster Management has been mainstreamed at national levels and incorporated into key sectors of national economies (including tourism, health, education, infrastructure, planning and agriculture)
Enhanced community resilience in CDERA states/ territories to mitigate and respond to the adverse effects of climate variability and change and disasters
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27. CDM Strategy and Framework 2007 - 2012
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28. CDM and Response Operations
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29. OUTCOMES 1 and 3: Response Coordination
Output Improved coordination at national and regional levels for disaster management
Output Preparedness, response and mitigation capacity (technical and managerial) is enhanced among public, private and civil sector entities for local level management and response
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30. CDEMA &
THE REGIONAL REPONSE
MECHANISM
(The RRM)
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31. “No State, no matter how powerful, can by its own efforts alone make itself invulnerable to today’s threats. Every State requires the cooperation of other States to make itself secure. It is in every State’s interest, accordingly, to cooperate with other States to address their most pressing threats, because doing so will maximize the chances of reciprocal cooperation to address its own threat priorities.”
(Report of United Nations High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change December 2004 – A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility.)
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32. Response Operations in CDEMA Participating States
The Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) is an arrangement for the coordination of disaster response among CDEMA Participating States, Regional and International Agencies
Seeks to deliver speedy response and effective and efficient use and management of resources
Tried and tested mechanism for emergency coordination – familiarity of actors and processes.
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33. The Regional Response Mechanism: An Overview
The RRM is:
A number of Plans, Procedures & Guidelines
A group of Response Units, agencies and organizations
A collection of Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding and Protocols
Executed by the CDEMA Coordinated Unit on behalf of CDEMA Participating States
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34. Components of the Regional Response Mechanism
The Regional Coordination Centre (RCC)
The Regional Coordination Plan (RCP)
The Regional Telecommunications Plan
Response Teams
The CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU)
The Rapid Needs Assessment Team (RNAT)
The Regional Urban Search & Rescue Light Level Team (USAR LL)
The Eastern Caribbean Donor Group (ECDG)
The North Western Caribbean Donor Group (NWCDG)
National Disaster Plans, Specialized Plans, etc.
Regional Warehouses
MOU, Acts, SOPs
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35. The Regional Response Mechanism
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36. Coordination of the RRM
CDEMA CU coordinates the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) in the Caribbean
CDEMA CU is the focal point for effecting the plan with the support of other partners (donors, specialized agencies etc.)
CDEMA CU solicits assistance on behalf of and for its 18 Participating States
Response philosophy: CDEMA's response to natural and technological disasters will be dictated by the type, magnitude and complexity of the emergency and by the Participating State(s) capacity to respond
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37. Triggering the Mechanism
The Regional Coordination Plan defines the framework for effecting the multi-lateral agreements of CDERA PS to assist each other in times of disasters
Organised in 2 Parts:
Basic Plan: triggering mechanism for activating plan (3 levels) and concept of operations
Functional Annexes: SOPs for specific response functions (SAR) or specialized groups (ECDG, CDRU); References (CDERA Agreement, MOU)
The RCP is in support of National Plans and as such the National Plans must make provisions for triggering the RRM
System based on a three tiered response mechanism
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38. CDEMA CU – monitoring and information sharing
Levels of Response
LEVEL I - Local Incident - no external assistance required
An incident at the local level in any of CDEMA Participating States for which resources are adequate and available
CDEMA CU – monitoring and information sharing
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39. Levels of Response Cont’d
LEVEL II- Specialized Equipment and Experts
Event does not overwhelm national capacity to respond but some external assistance required (e.g. Andrew - Bahamas, Debby - St Lucia, 1994, Keith - Belize, 2000, Dean – Jamaica, 2007)
State of emergency may or may not be declared
CDEMA CU provides technical assistance, specialized equipment, support personnel
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40. Levels of Response Cont’d
LEVEL III – Support Required
Event overwhelms capacity of affected State to respond.
Major external operation mounted. Possible request for additional support from other regions and international agencies anticipated (Hurricanes Gilbert – Jamaica, 1988, Hugo – Montserrat, 1989, Lenny – 7 Eastern Caribbean Countries, 1999, Ivan – Grenada, 2004)
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41. Response Teams
Regional USAR LL Team
The CDRU for 2009/2010
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42. Regional USAR LL Team Training
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43. EXERCISE FAHUM 2009
This allowed CDERA the opportunity to deploy the CDRU, the Regional SAR Team & the Rapid Needs Assessment Team to the impacted state during the Exercise
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44. The Way Forward CDEMA CU will continue to:
Act as a hub for information, consultation and coordination for the region
Provide Participating States and regional/international partners with a focal point for coordination
Conduct regional simulation/tests (FAHUM, TradeWinds, Region Rap) with key regional, intra-regional and international actors
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45. CDEMA CU Point of Contact: CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA)
Building No. 1, Manor Lodge Complex
Lodge Hill, Saint Michael, BARBADOS
Tel. No. (246)
Fax. No. (246)
URL:
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46. THE END
ANY QUESTIONS???
YOU
464646
THANK
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