Region 9 gets disaster management boost

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

Civil defence volunteers from Region Nine have received training in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which also handed over the keys to a risk reduction centre.

The one week training was undertaken with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a release from the CDC stated.

During the period January 13-15, representatives from the CDC Operations/Training Department, conducted Community Based-Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) training with 16 members of its volunteer corps in Lethem.

The CBDRM workshop was geared towards building DRM capacity at the community level, by equipping participants with the knowledge on how to conduct the CBDRM process. Sections of the region are prone to floods during the rainy seasons.

“Participants were taught how to conduct community profiling; disaster risk assessment; disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning, Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM); CBDRM Project Implementation; and project monitoring and evaluation among other topics,” the release said.

And on January 16 and 17 another 16 volunteers were trained to conduct Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA). They were taught how to effectively conduct DANA during the three stages of a disaster (before, during, post impact). Emphasis was placed on the DANA Process and Mechanism; Data Gathering and Teamwork, among other topics.

The CDC also handed over the Cuban Model Risk Reduction Management Centre (RRMC) to the Regional Democratic Council. The Centre is equipped with the necessary resources such as computers, GIS software, Access Database, communication equipment, office furnishing and supplies, maps and charts.

It is expected that the RRMC will enhance the region’s capacities, allowing for the early detection of hazard impact and proactive management of systems to reduce risk.  

The volunteers are now required to return to their communities and conduct both CBDRM and DANA related activities. Data gathered through these activities will be filtered to the RRMC for processing and implementation into the risk reduction mechanisms.

The volunteers were drawn from Lethem, St. Ignatius, Tabatinga (Central Rupununi); Sand Creek (South Central Rupununi); and Massara Village (North Rupununi). Lethem, Sand Creek, Massara and Mickey’s Landing (South Pakaraimas) are the early warning points for the RRMC.