REGIS CHAPMAN
In 2020, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) launched National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPPM), with the objective of developing a national culture of disaster preparedness and prevention. The annual NDPPM, which takes place each May, is a strategic time for TT to focus its attention on disaster awareness in the month leading up to the start of the hurricane season.
At an individual and household level, preparedness begins with awareness. Knowledge is our weapon against the unforeseen, helping to save lives, speed up recovery, and soften the financial and psychological blow when disaster strikes.
This year, 41 national activities are planned, under the theme - Being Disaster Prepared Is My Responsibility. Included in the agenda are evacuation drills, workshops, business continuity training, a community symposium, a public education fair, and climate change education.
Locally, each of the four weeks of NDPPM will be devoted to taking proactive measures in the lead up to hurricane season. The first week will focus on identifying and reducing household risks, the second week will focus on developing and strengthening disaster response plans, the third week will be devoted to gathering emergency supplies, and the final week will consist of information sharing to reduce risks and promote resilience.
On a regional level, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is working with governments and partner organisations to set up more forward-looking approaches to managing flood, cyclone and drought risks and increase resilience and adaptive capacity for inclusive, gender-responsive climate and disaster risk management. Under an approach known as anticipatory action, scientific forecasts, risk analysis, and forecast-based financing (funding secured in advance) are used to trigger government response in the window between a forecast and a potential shock.
Where awareness-building enhances individual and collective knowledge about hazards, and actions that can be taken to limit exposure and vulnerability, anticipatory action mitigates the burden of disaster response at an individual and household level. When operating synergistically, awareness and anticipatory action have the power to make countries better prepared and 'soften the blow' in the event of a disaster.
In the Caribbean, the period between June 1 and November 30 represents the most disaster-related losses historically. Initiatives that enhance both resilience and response are critical in the context of small economies that have limited capacity to withstand shocks for which they are not prepared.
At a national level, the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office aims to support governments and stakeholders in the region to be better prepared and have access to reliable pre-agreed funding to mitigate the impact of hazards and respond to disasters.
While this year's Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be less active than average, with 11-15 named storms, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate
