The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Multi-sectoral Committee (NDPPMC) invites you to participate in four (4) weeks of activities during the month of May, to bolster our nation’s disaster prevention and preparedness capacity.

The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPPM) is a call to action for all persons to get involved in disaster prevention and preparedness activities prior to the commencement of the Atlantic Hurricane and Wet Seasons.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season commences on June 1st, while the Wet Season begins around the same time.

The theme for this year’s NDPPM is “Be Prepared! Be Secured! Be Ready!” Activities will take a whole-of-society approach that will encourage individuals, communities, the public and private sectors, NGOs and resident international institutions to become better prepared by firstly, understanding their risks and then taking action to prevent or mitigate these risks.

This overarching theme signifies a national call to action.  It places emphasis on the role that individuals, communities and organisations must undertake to put our nation on the pathway to disaster readiness and resilience.  Over the four-week period, the programme will place emphasis on a four (4) step progress for disaster preparedness. This is summarised below: 

1. Week 1 – Know and Reduce Your Risks
2. Week 2 – Make/Review your Emergency/ Business Continuity Plans
3. Week 3 – Build a Kit
4. Week 4 – Act and Assist Others

Commencement Date

The month of activities commenced on May 1, 2022 and it was launched on the evening of Saturday, 30th April, 2022 by the Minister of National Security, the Honourable Fitzgerald Hinds, MP, via a televised broadcast.

Highlights of the Month’s Activities

The following calendar briefly highlights some of the activities that will be undertaken during the month of May: 

The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month Multi-Sectoral Committee (NDPPMC) invites you to join us as we continue to build a culture of disaster preparedness among our citizens through the NDPPM 2022 Public Education Campaign.

Look out for our Caravans on:

Friday 6th May, 2022 at the Brian Lara Promenade from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday 13th May, 2022 at the Harris Promenade from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and

Friday 27th May, 2022 at Port Mall, Scarborough, Tobago from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Be Prepared! Be Secured! Be Ready!

We look forward to seeing you there!

RULES FOR THE ART COMPETITION

1. The competition is open to all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago between the ages of 15 – 35 years old.
2. To participate in the competition, the Registration Form may be accessed from the following link on or before 20th June, 2022: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeH_pkcUVoVPgZCi0lGeIAYHX0xyJbFAaBdCgI25TjIezDiog/viewform?pli=1
3. The Art Competition will occur on two (2) categories:

• Digital Art
• Traditional Art (painting)

4. All artwork must be original and pertain to the overall theme of NDPPM 2022: “Be Prepared; Be Secured; Be Ready!”. The entry design must not be a copy or duplicate of any previously published art, including photographs. Plagiarised work will be disqualified.
5. Artwork must not contain sexual content, violence, hatred, or propaganda.
6. Participants are only allowed one (1) entry for submission. All entries must be submitted to: The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management Head office (Paintings) and  via email at ndppmcompetitions@gmail.com (Digital Art).
7. Entries that do not comply with the competition requirements will be disqualified.
8. Judging criteria:

• Accuracy and Interpretation (10 points)
• Conceptual Creativity (10 points)
• Colour Palette (10 points)
• Quality and Composition of Layout (10 points)
• Overall Impression of the art (10 points)

9. All entries must be submitted by Tuesday 31^st May, 2022 by 4:00 pm. This is the official close of the contest and entries submitted after this date will not be considered.
10. Winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges. Winners will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony at the ODPM. Persons under 18 years old will be invited and are to be accompanied by a parent.
11. The release of results and announcement of winners will be on June 30^th, 2022.
12. All pieces will be considered the property of the ODPM.
13. The judges’ decisions will be final.

RULES FOR THE SPOKEN WORD COMPETITION

1. The competition is open to all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago between the ages of 15 – 35 years old.
2. To participate in the competition, the Registration Form may be accessed from the following link on or before 31^st May, 2022: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScT6DniNain_YC_nwdv9Qn3eUEH1fmJZYHqDNPpmvZBLth_0Q/viewform
3. The overall theme of the National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPPM) 2022 is: “Be Prepared; Be Secured; Be Ready!”. This theme as well as the undermentioned weekly  sub-themes, may be represented in the spoken work pieces also:

• Week 1: Know your risks
• Week 2: Make/review emergency/ business continuity plans
• Week 3: Prepare emergency resources
• Week 4: Take action and assist others

4. The spoken word poem must treat with issues related to disaster management ESPECIALLY issues related to disaster prevention and preparedness.
5. Participants are only allowed one (1) VIDEO submission via the following email address: ndppmcompetitions@gmail.com
6. Spoken word pieces submitted for judging must be original creations.
7. A spoken word poem may be lyrical, narrative, descriptive, dramatic or a combination of all these elements.
8. All spoken word poems submitted for adjudication should not exceed four (4) minutes.
9. A total of five (5) points will be deducted should a performer go over the four (4) minute time limit.
10. Any submission that discriminates directly or indirectly against any demographic sector, ethnic group, or religious group will not be judged.
11. Entries that do not comply with the competition requirements will be disqualified.
12. Judging Criteria:

• Voice and Articulation (10 points)
• Presence (10 points)
• Dramatic Appropriateness (10 points)
• Literary Devices (10 points)
• Use of language (10 points)
• Continuity (Storyline) (10 points)
• Interpretation of Theme (10 points)

13. Winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges. Winners will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony at the ODPM. Persons under 18 years old will be invited and are to be accompanied by a parent.
14. The release of results and announcement of winners will be on June 30^th, 2022.
15. All pieces will be considered the property of the ODPM.
16. The judges’ decisions will be final.

Purpose of the National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month

The strategic purpose of declaring a National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPPM) in Trinidad and Tobago, is to holistically increase our nation’s disaster prevention and preparedness and by extension, the country’s disaster readiness and resilience. 

While disaster prevention and preparedness are year-round activities, the month of May brings to focus the need to promote a heightened sense of awareness, preparation, and readiness.   May is particularly important because it is the month prior to the commencement of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which is almost in alignment with the Wet Season.  Traditionally, this period is marred by significant loss caused by heavy rainfalls across the region, Trinidad and Tobago being no exception.  Losses from such hydro-meteorological hazards result in damages to infrastructure, loss of lives, livestock, livelihoods and reduction in the country’s revenue earning capacity.

Background

Across the global landscape, there have been increasing incidents of catastrophic disasters with wide-reaching consequences. Although Trinidad and Tobago has been fortunate to be spared from major disasters in the recent past, we must be cognisant of the potential vulnerabilities caused by worsening disasters, some of which are exacerbated by climate change.  This underscores the need for the national community to avoid complacency and develop attitudes that direct our consciousness to preventing, preparing for, and responding to disasters that emerge as a consequence of multiple hazards. 

The NDPPM is an innovation on our national disaster risk reduction and management landscape and it is aligned to national, regional and international strategic priorities.  At the national level, it supports Themes (I) and (V) respectively of the Vision 2030 National Development Strategy.  Theme (I) identifies Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset while Theme (V) is Placing the Environment at the Centre of Social and Economic Development. 

At the regional level, the proposal advances the Caribbean Community's (CARICOM) Strategic Priority 3 - Building Environmental Resilience, as well as all four (4) priorities of the United Nation’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which Cabinet agreed to adopt in December 2019.  These priorities are; 

1. Understanding disaster risk;
2. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk;
3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience; and
4. Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Management of the NDPPM:

Coordinating Agency

Given its coordinating role as the National Disaster Office (NDO), the Cabinet designated the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), a Division of the Ministry of National Security (MNS), as the national coordinating agency for the NDPPM. 

The NDPPM Committee

To ensure a whole-of-society approach is taken to these annual preparations and to ensure national focus is maintained on disaster prevention and preparedness throughout the year, a multi-sectoral committee was established.

The Mandate and Structure of the NDPPM Committee

The multi-sectoral committee is mandated to identify the multiple hazards that may affect Trinidad and Tobago and to develop and implement strategies to prepare for, respond to and recover from them.  This committee is accountable to the Cabinet, through the Minister of National Security, and is chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of the ODPM.  The committee comprises senior representatives of Ministries, Divisions and Agencies identified below as Participating Agencies and it may co-opt representatives of other organisations as necessary.  It will ensure a whole-of-society approach is taken during the NDPPM’s preparations, and maintain a national focus on disaster prevention and preparedness throughout the year.

Cross-functional sub-committees have also been established and they were responsible for planning and the execution of the weekly activities. Beyond the NDPPM, the sub-committees’ long term objectives include:

1. Increase understanding and risk knowledge of hazards such as tropical cyclones, bush fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and mud volcanoes. 
2. Strengthen awareness of defence mechanisms – Early Warning Systems, physical barriers, and disaster management strategies.
3. Encourage integrated action to reduce and manage risk
4. Encourage prevention and preparedness in a COVID-19 environment.

The objectives were designed to ensure a holistic approach is taken to strengthening our society against the multiple hazards that could affect us.

Participating Agencies