Page 5 - DDME "The Disaster Forum"

- EDITOR’S MESSAGE -
Dr. Virginia Clerveaux
“Director”
My fellow Turks Islanders. The 2019 Hurricane Season started on June 1st and as usual I reflect on the status of our preparedness in an@cipa@on of the challenges that we might face this hurricane season.
con@nuity of opera@ons in the aOermath of impact.
In a previous message to you I emphasized the fact that disaster preparedness is everybody's business. That is, it is the responsibility of each and every one of us -
To our communi@es throughout our mul@-island state, you are an important part of our partnership for preparedness. Look over your community plans where they exist and get ready to undertake the ac@vi@es that have been planned to reduce your vulnerability. Rehearse your evacua@on
DDME, government agencies, communi@es, private sector, civic society and households tobereadysoasto ensure that impact on our lives, our proper@es and our livelihoods is minimized.
procedures. Make sure you have the things you need to be safe and to recover from impact.
The Department of
Disaster Management and Emergencies
PARTNERSHIP IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR THE 2019 HURRICANE SEASON
Today, I want to
reemphasize the cri@cal
importance of the
partnership between
government, private
sector, communi@es,
civil society and
individual households
in preparing for this
Hurricane Season. Let us be realis@c. The DDME by itself simply cannot undertake preparedness for everyone in the TCI. Yes, it is true that part of our mandate is to coordinate preparedness ac@vi@es at the na@onal and community level, but that can only be effec@ve if all of us recognize and perform our roles in this partnership.
In that sense, I take this opportunity to call on each and every agency of the TCI government and individuals within these agencies to prepare your organiza@on and your personal space within these organiza@ons to reduce impact from hurricanes and to facilitate
To our individual households, please understand that there isalotthatyoucando to reduce the impact on your family and your property. Simple measures like checking for weaknesses in your roof, cracks in your windows, removing overhanging trees, keeping drains on your property clean and making some sort of plan of what you will do
andhowyouwilldoitintheeventofa hurricane, will go a long way in reducing your risk and making you a true partner in the effort to build our resilience to disasters.
Finally, to all of us - government, communi@es, civic society and households, let us begin the process as partners, to explore opportuni@es by which we can transfer some of our disaster risks through tools such as micro-insurance and by so doing, enhance our engagement in taking responsibility for our own risks through strong, reliable and commiSed partnerships.
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