Disaster Preparedness
1.1.- Disaster Preparedness.
Disaster Preparedness means preparing the response organisations and the community to
react promptly to save lives and protect property if it is threatened or hit by a hazard or
major emergency of any kind. In order to do this, planning must be done before there is
even the threat of an emergency. This involves the assignment of responsibilities,
classification and cataloguing of resources, training, practice drills and evaluation of
experiences.
The role of the National Disaster Organisation must not be seen simply as that of rendering
"help after the storm or eruption". Instead, its role is one of activating the response
organisations and the community on a country wide basis to deal with any type of disaster.
The function of the National Disaster Organisation with respect to emergencies can
conveniently, be divided into five categories :
- Informing - the development and dissemination of information which will enhance
the capability of the individual or the private organisation to cope with emergencies,
to get help when needed. - Warning - the analysis and forecasting of the nature of potential emergencies and
the development and operation of systems designed to maximize warning time and
precision for the benefit of both victims and helpers - Co-ordination - the development of systems to enable resources to be effectively
applied to emergencies and disasters. - Providing - the provision and maintenance, when necessary, of extra-ordinary
resources as well as the diversion of normal resources to meet emergency or disaster
needs. - Evaluating - the review of the performance of the Organisation with a view to its
improvement.
Disaster Preparedness is a continuing exercise - it is a year round pre-occupation not only
for members of the National Disaster Organisation, but also for every citizen. Government
agencies and private organisation alike are required to prepare their own internal disaster
plans and these must be reviewed every year in order that they are kept up-to-date.
It is, therefore the responsibility of every responder at the national and local level to
become familiar with this National Disaster Plan and to be so versed in the roles, which
he/she is expected to play in the event of a disaster that, should action be necessary, the
response would be instinctively orderly rather than merely a panic-stricken reaction.
Everyone must see himself as a disaster worker.
1.2.-Types of Hazards.
This document not only concentrates on procedures to be followed in the event of a
hurricane, but also identifies measures to be taken in the event of other hazards that are
likely to threaten Grenada. Disasters can be divided into two categories :
Natural
hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, landslides, floods, droughts, tidal waves, tsunami, storm surges, volcanic eruptions
Man-made
pollution, power failure, civil strife, epidemic, invasion, shipwreck, strikes, air crash, oil spills, explosion, nuclear accidents or spills, construction failures, major road accidents, hazardous material spills, mass poisoning, toxic chemical spills, terrorism, massive displacement of population and mass immigration.
1.3.- Hurricanes
The official hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean runs from 1st June to 30th November. However, the record shows that
hurricanes have occurred outside of this period. It is important that the public be well
advised of precautions to be taken before the actual hurricane season as well as those to be
taken during the occurrence of a hurricane and in the aftermath of any such disaster.
1.4.- Consequences of Disaster
loss of life, personal injury, hopelessness, physical damage to property, impact on social
and economic development, impact on social and political organisations