The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) & the Department of Planning will host a three day “Damage and Needs Assessment” training at the Sands Hotel, Grace Bay, Providenciales beginning at 9am on July 6-8 2015.
Devastation caused by natural disasters in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in past years, including the most recent Tropical Storm Cristobal during August 2014, has highlighted the critical need for the Turks and Caicos Islands to be better able to rapidly and accurately assess the damage caused by a disaster as well as identify the needs for immediate assistance in relief and reconstruction.
The objectives of damage and needs assessments are to determine:
Nature and extent of a disaster
Damage and secondary threats
Needs of the population
Resource availability and local response capacity
Options for relief assistance, longer-term recovery and development
Needs for international assistance
The training is expected to draw over 25 persons from various agencies, both government and non-governmental such as Planning, Lands and Survey, Red Cross, Health, Statistical Unit, Finance, Housing division, etc. The training will be conducted by CDEMA facilitators: Ms. Joanne Persad (Programme Manager Preparedness and Response*) and General Earl Arthurs (Caribbean Disaster Management Specialist*).
As part of the government’s coordinated effort to enhance emergency planning and strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness, the DDME will continue to employ every effort to enhance the capacity of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
