The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), a division of the Ministry of National Security, applauds you for visiting our website and taking an interest in disaster risk awareness and management.

The information shared on this platform is crucial to the ODPM’s public awareness initiatives and our efforts to promote “a culture of prevention and education on disaster risk by advocating for all-of-society approach to transferring information (UNDP, “Sendai” 20).

Since transforming from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to the ODPM in 2005, we have shifted from a response-centric operation to a comprehensive and multi-hazard approach which considers all elements of the Disaster Management Cycle: Preparedness, Mitigation, Response, Recovery and Rehabilitation phases.

The website is filled with multiple informational sources that assist “the translation of scientific research and hazard information to strengthen programmes concerned with public education, as well as traditional and local knowledge use to promote risk reduction and disaster risk practices (CDEMA, “CDM Policy” 11). The ODPM strives to provide you with up to date public advisories, speeches, resources, such as information on hazards to which our region is prone, policies, plans, shelter listing, maps and relevant links and tools.

Over the past year, we have seen an increase in the number of hazard impacts, which have disrupted several countries and regions. In our own region, we continue to see and feel the effects of strong hurricanes, tropical storms and unusually heavy rainfall with subsequent flooding. Here in our own twin island Republic, we have experienced severe flooding and serious landslides from short but intense periods of rainfall. All these hazard impacts have caused immense human suffering and substantial damage to sustainable development and livelihoods. Climatic conditions and a variety of disasters continue to change our world, hence we have to adapt to these changes. One way that we can surely adapt is by building our resilience. Resilience can be built and sustained in many ways; however, one of the easiest ways is through education and empowerment.

Further, we at the ODPM hope that the informational links presented on this website will enable regional access to climate change information to reduce vulnerability and encourage citizen participation in reducing the effects of climate change (CDEMA, “CDM Policy” 12).

As we urge you to explore and begin your journey toward resiliency, do accept the 72 hour protocol challenge and Let’s Get Ready!