Interhands III

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Interhands III Miami, June 16 20, 2003
THE Caribbean REGIONAL RESPONSE
MECHANISM addressing IR 4 of the CDM Strategy
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Outline of Presentation

• CDERA the Organisation
• CDM Strategic Framework
• Regional Response Mechanism
• Concept of Operations
• Regional Coordination Plan
• Eastern Caribbean Donor Group
• Regional Security System
• Caribbean Disaster Relief Unit

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CDERA THE ORGANISATION

• Regional Disaster Management Organisation
• Established by CARICOM Heads of Governments in
  1991
• Three Organs Council of Ministers, Board of
  Directors, Coordinating Unit
• Membership 16 English Speaking CARICOM States

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MEMBER STATES
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SUB-REGIONAL OPERATIONS

• Four (4) Sub-Regional Focal Points
• Jamaica Belize. Bahamas, TCI
• Antigua Barbuda BVI, Anguilla St.
  Kitts/Nevis, Montserrat
• Barbados Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent the
  Grenadines
• Trinidad Tobago Grenada, Guyana

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CDERA MANDATE

• Main function is to make immediate and
  coordinated response to disasters in
  Participating States (PS)
• To mobilize and coordinate disaster relief from
  governmental and non-governmental organizations
  for affected PS
• To promote the establishment, enhancement and
  maintenance of disaster response capabilities
  among PS.

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COMPREHENSIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT

• What is CDM?
• Integrated Management of all Hazards
• Management of all Phases of the Disaster Cycle
• Engagement of all Sectors
• Integrating Vulnerability Assessments and Risk
  Reduction into Planning and Development

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Caribbean cdm strategy
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Intermediate Results 4
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THE REGIONAL RESPONSE MECHANISM
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Regional response mechanism

• Arrangement for Coordination of Disaster
  Response among Participating States, Regional and
  International Agencies
• Ensures speedy response and effective and
  efficient use and management of resources.
• Coordination of RRM is done by CDERA Coordinating
  Unit

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Components of rrm

• CDERA REGIONAL COORDINATION PLAN
• CDERA Agreement, RSS Treaty
• CDRU OPERATIONS ORDERS
• ECDG OPERATIONS ORDERS
• NDO DISASTER PLANS
• OTHER RESPONSE AGENCY / PARTNER PLANS

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REGIONAL RESPONSE MECHANISM
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Concept of operations
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Regional coordination plan

• Defines the framework for
• effecting the agreement of CDERA Participating
  States to assist each other
• Organised in 2 Parts
• Basic Plan
• Functional Annexes

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THE FUNCTIONAL ANNEXES
Annex A - Managing the Emergency Operations
Annex B - Situational Analyses and Reporting
Annex C - Hazard Specific (Hurricane, Volcano)
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Levels of response

• LEVEL I - Local Incident - no external
  assistance required.
• LEVEL II- Event does not overwhelm national
  capacity to respond but some external assistance
  required .(e.g. "Andrew" - Bahamas, 1992. "Debby
  - St Lucia, 1994, Keith Belize, 2000)
• LEVEL III Event overwhelms capacity of affected
  State to respond. Major external operation
  mounted. (Hurricanes Gilbert Jamaica, 1988,
  Hugo Montserrat, 1989, Lenny 7 E. Carib.
  Countries, 1999)

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ALERT NOTIFICATION

• Received through a diversity of media.
• National Weather Services
• Seismic Research Unit
• Aircrafts/Airlines
• Ships at Sea
• News reports
• Internet

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INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

• CDERA collaborates with other agencies to ensure
  effective intervention at the International level
• Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with agencies
  and Regional air carriers
• PAHO ADRA
• OFDA IFRCS
• LIAT BWIA

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The Eastern Caribbean Donor Group (ECDG)

• Coordinating Mechanism within the Donor Community
  serving the Eastern Caribbean
• Chaired by the Resident Representative of the
  UNDP
• Functions guided by an Operations Order

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ECDG

• MISSION
• A forum to provide support for the coordination
  of external emergency assistance to the countries
  of the Eastern Caribbean in the emergency phase
  of a major natural or technological disaster

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CORE DONOR GROUP

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)
• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
• USAID/OFDA
• Department for International Development (DFID)
• European Union (EU)
• Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
• United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
• The World Bank (WB)
• OXFAM

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RAPID NEEDS ASSESSMENT TEAM (RNAT)

• Core team of subject matter experts to support /
  validate damage assessment in affected State
• Team Logistics supported by UNDP
• Deployed in the field for 2 3 days

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INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE

• CDERA
• UNDP
• OFDA
• PAHO
• RSS

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RNAT COMPOSITION

• CDERA (Disaster Manager)
• PAHO (Public Health)
• Engineer (Housing, Telecommunications)
• Transport Specialist (Ports)
• Information Specialist
• Other (depending on nature of disaster)

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RNAT PRIORITY FOCUS

• Health Facilities
• Damage Assessment (Infrastructure)
• Housing Shelter
• Water Sanitation
• Transportation Telecommunication Facilities

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THE REGIONAL SECURITY SYSTEM

• Security Mechanism within the OECS
• Provides staffing for the CDRU
• RSS/CLO mobilises CDRU on behalf of CDERA
• Collaborates with CDERA to conduct training of
  CDRU

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PURPOSE

• The purposes and functions of the System are to
  promote co-operation among Member States in the
  prevention and interdiction of traffic in illegal
  narcotic drugs, in national emergencies, search
  and rescue, immigration control, fisheries
  protection, customs and excise control, maritime
  policing duties, natural and other disasters,
  pollution control, national security, the
  prevention of smuggling, and in the protection of
  off-shore installations in the exclusive economic
  zones.

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The Caribbean Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU)

• Mechanism which provides for the despatching of
  Military/Police resources in an affected State
• Consists of Command Element and Troops as
  necessary
• Forward Command Post

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Mission and Function of CDRU

• Mission is to provide relief to any Caribbean
  country affected by a disaster.
• Functions are
• To provide an On-Scene Commander and staff for
  all CARICOM military/police units

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CDRU TASKS

• Provides controlling HQ for all incoming Forces
• Charged with the responsibility of coordinating
  disaster relief efforts
• Provides Communications support to NEOC as
  necessary
• Supports initial Damage Assessment
• Provides link between NEOC, CDERA, ECDG

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CDRU Operations

• Self sufficient
• Can be supplemented by additional manpower as
  needed
• Recent events have identified the need for more
  engineering, construction, artisan type support

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ACTIVATION

• On request of Impacted State
• CONSULTATION
• Threatened P. S..
• CDERA C. U.
• Coordinating Chief of Staff
• Coordinated on behalf of CDERA by RSS/CLO

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MOBILISATION

• Component Forces are requested to release CDRU
  member
• Members assembled in staging area for deployment
  to Impacted State
• British support provides for mobilisation costs

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SPECIAL COORDINATOR

• Senior Officer appointed by CDERA Coordinator in
  consultation with the Coordinating Chief of
  Staff
• Represents CDERA in the affected country
• Provides the link between CDERA, the military
  forces and the affected country
• Establishes priority tasks for response in
  consultation with National Disaster Authorities

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THANK YOU

• For additional information contact
• CDERA
• The Garrison
• St. Michael
• Barbados
• 1 [phone]
• 1 [phone] fax
• Email cdera_at_caribsurf.com
• url http//www.cdera.org