THE PRIMARY GOAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IS PREVENTION, AND SECONDARY, TO MINIMIZE HARM THROUGH PREPAREDNESS.

Saint Lucia joins the world in celebrating International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The United Nations General Assembly has designated this day October 13th as being geared towards promoting a global culture of disaster risk reduction. The Day celebrates how people and communities are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of lessening the risks that they face.

The primary goal of disaster risk reduction is prevention and secondarily to minimize the harm to people, assets and livelihoods through preparedness. The National Emergency Organisation has been working assiduously with its agencies to prepare the nation for any hazard event. On the community level, the District Disaster Management Committees, made up of a group of volunteers have been taking the lead with training, conducting simulations and leading community projects to prevent and mitigate against hazard events.

This year’s theme of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022, focuses on Target G: “Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments to people by 2030.”

Early warning focuses on the people and preparedness which enables early action to minimize the harm to people, assets and livelihoods. NEMO has on island equipment which will aid Saint Lucia in early warning. The equipment feeds to regional monitoring agencies such as UWI-Seismic Research Centre in Trinidad and CIMH in Barbados.

A reminder that disasters do not only come in the form of hurricanes, storms or floods but that sudden onset events like landslides, fires, major accidents can occur at any time.

We also want to sympathize with Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and the USA namely the state of Florida who have in the last few weeks experience loss of lives, property and livelihoods.