Context Setting and The Event

The Impact

The Response – National

The Response – Regional through CDEMA

Lessons Emerging

Way Forward

Recommendations

CONTEXT SETTING AND

THE EVENT

Apr 19, 2023 4Orgamization of American States, Washington DC

Poorest country in the Western

Hemisphere

Less than two US$ dollars per day earned

Majority below poverty line

More than 800,000 affected in 2008

hurricanes

151,000 displaced persons

• On Tuesday January 12, 2009, a 7.3 earthquake shook Haiti at 4:53 p.m. (AST)

• The epicenter was located at 18.451°N, 72.445°W

• The earthquake struck 15 km (10 miles) South West of Port-au-Prince at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).

• 52 aftershocks have been felt ranging from 4.0 – 5.9.

THE IMPACT

Deaths 302,977 Missing 23,384 Injured 310,928 (source: health services) 1,514,885 disaster-stricken 661,521 internally displaced people (IDP) 105,369 houses destroyed, 208,164 houses damaged More than 1.3 million people living in

about 400 camps 2 million in need of food and shelter

Almost 3 million persons (1/3 population) affected

More than 50% of schools severely damaged

Key symbols of government destroyed Air and Seaports Damaged Internal and External Migration triggered Communication and trafic problems Mechanism for Governance and

Coordination overwhelmed.

13 Ministries building collapsed, including the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Collectivities

The second premises of DPC was also severely damaged

Alternative premises for the EOC were established at Rue Duncombe

The West Departmental Coordination premises also collapsed

All DPC staff affected (families or goods)

THE RESPONSE – National

The National Committee of Civil Protection (SNGRD), headed by the Prime Minister, led the operations . New Governmental Commissions created to manage the crisis

Declaration of the State of Emergency by the President (one week after)

DPC accomplished its regular actions and remained at SNGRD disposal through the Minister of the Interior and Territorial Collectivities, according to the National Intervention Plan

UN, NGOs, multilateral and bilateral donors provided humanitarian assistance for the victims

Mobilisation and Coordination Post-earthquake scientific assessment (WB) Damage assessment and information

management Search and rescue Dead bodies management Displacement of people affected Humanitarian aid (food, water and other goods

for the people affected) Shelter and shelter management Protection and security Support to the Governmental Commissions

Mobilisation of the National Committee of Civil Protection (SNGRD)

Limited establishment of the EOC as a hub for coordination (location and personnel)

Non application of the procedures developed by the SNGRD

Lack of coordination between SNGRD and international partners

Resource mobilisation

THE RESPONSE – Regional through CDEMA

100 countries in Haiti relief operations

Over 500 organizations in area

Ten thousands of troops and personnel

Crowded airport ramp

Crowded airspace

Congestion on ground and air

Plenty food and medical supplies but

little distribution

Poor coordination

No idea of what comes in and who

gets what

Haiti new CDEMA member - Sept 09

Civil protection system weak

Orientation to Regional Response Mechanism

in Barbados and Jamaica – Jun. and Dec. 2009

Assist in National Disaster Management Plan

Enhancement

Response coordination limited to CARICOM

states support to Haiti

Response Mechanism Triggered and Immediate Action Undertaken

Coordinated by CDEMA Coordinating Unit

Four (4) Sub-regional focal points (SRFP)

Jamaica (SRFP) for Haiti Countries coordinate pledges and advise

CDEMA Coordinating Unit

Arrangements made to move/lift pledges

Logistics centre established in Jamaica

CARICOM base on the ground

CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit (CDRU) deployed

Special Coordinator established

Technical experts provided for civil protection

support

Partnerships in delivering assistance

Regional Coordination Centre Activated and stood

up for six weeks.

• A team of 10 men from JFB, undertook 15 search and rescue operations – 6 lives saved

• Over 20,000 families in 10 communities initially benefitting from food distribution up to March 2000 – over 453,000 tonnes

• Estimated that another 50,000 is still benefitting from support.

• Over 125 security escort/convoy protection support provided

Assessment and repair of homes for vulnerable elderly , disabled and orphans

Technical Assistance for Strengthening Haiti Civil Protection◦ Haiti National Disaster Plan Translated to English◦ Guidelines for Relief Supplies Collection Points,

Warehouses & Distribution Centres Developed ◦ Guidelines for the Establishment and Running A Camp

Site Developed ◦ Camps established◦ Guidance for Improved Donor Coordination

Tents provided to house population of 3,000 persons.

A team of 20 health personnel (reaching as much as 26 in rotation periods)

Services provided primarily from three (3) fixed locations◦ The Centre Sante Bernard Mevs

◦ Community Hospital Freres

◦ Food for the Poor compound

Medical outreach (primary health care) in thirteen (13) locations - coupled with relief supply distribution

Personnel deployed from across the region totalling 140

Led by sub-regional focal point, Jamaica Ministry of Health

Barbados, Bahamas, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, JDF military

Over 12,000 patients treated ◦ Triaging, 220 surgical operations major and

minor including amputations, backslabs to stabilise fractures, delivering babies including premature and full-term, immunization, ICU recovery and counselling.

Limited Intelligence in Haiti◦ Membership not informed by usual capacity

assessment◦ Initial Orientation July (CDEMA), December

(Jamaica)◦ Planned membership launch and exercise

derailed

Weak Earthquake Planning◦ Capacity needs improvement◦ Initial investment through ERCB project◦ Search and rescue team establishment (USAR LL)

Resource Unpredictability◦ EAF US $50,000 ◦ High dependence on external donor support◦ Limited air and sea assets to move resources◦ Significant pressure on CDEMA CU staff for coordination

– programme delivery impact

Governance◦ Process for determining nature and scope of CARICOM

intervention in Haiti◦ Arrangements for meeting costs of SRFP interventions

LESSONS

DPC will require strengthening to drive risk and disaster management – including at departmental level

Multi hazards maps to be elaborated Building codes and procedures to be elaborated

and published Emergency communications must be

strengthened Training and establishment of more search and

rescue teams Need to build more hazard resistant shelters

throughout the country Communication to the population about multidisc

and seismic risk in particular must be improved

Finalise the framework with Haiti and OCHA to be advanced on the role of CDEMA in global response environment in Haiti

CDRU Deployment◦Capacity issues◦Embedding and equipping

Way Forward

Institutional Capacity Assessment Multi-hazard Contingency Plan

development/review and enhancement Development of community risk profile and toolkit

for community-level training Results-based management training for Haiti Civil

Protection and Government Ministries Strengthening of communications capability of

Haiti civil protections Strengthening of arrangements for relief supplies,

communications and shelter for hurricane season

Executing Agency: The University of the West Indies

Development Partner: World Bank

Beneficiaries: Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada (phase 1) Project Value: US$ 510,000

Project Duration: October 2009-2011 (phase 1)

Key activities: Risk Atlas and Assessment Platform for Earthquake, Hurricane, flood;

Training

Project Execution Unit: Disaster Risk Reduction Centre (DRRC), Institute for Sustainable Development

email: isd@uwimona.edu.jm telephone: 876 977 5530 or 876 927 1660 xt 2613

HTML: http://www.uwi.edu/drrc 37

Executing Agency: CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)

Development Partner: Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

Beneficiaries: 18 CDB Regional Members Project Value: US$ 1,914,660

Project Duration: May 2006- 2011

Key activities: Caribbean Application Document Development (incl. flood and seismic mapping), building awareness, Training seminars, training- enforcement

Project Coordinator: A. Michael Wood email: rbs_peu@crosq.org telephone: (246) 622-7677

HTML: http://www.crosq.org/

38

• It is expected that within 2 years the CADs will be completed, along with all planned training, consensus building and awareness raising.

• The Standard would be:

– Mandatory• National standards will feed into the CADs and once completed and approved

the MS can either adopt of adapt the Regional Standard

– A driver for the sustainable production of services within the CSME

– Accompanied by Incentives (private-public partnership)

– Enforced through Planning Authorities and the establishment of Building Code Authorities

– Applied in Haiti as part of rehabilitation measures

Improve capacity for Earthquake Management in CDEMA Participating States

PURPOSE OUTCOME ACTIVITIES

Benchmark earthquake readiness capacity

Status of Earthquake Preparedness Assessed in CDERA Participating States

Survey the earthquake readiness of CDEMA Participating States

Convene a regional forum on earthquakes

Report on the status of readiness of the region

Formulate a Regional Plan of Action for improving contingency planning

Review and enhance earthquake contingency plans and search and rescue capability

Capacity for earthquake contingency planning improved

Formulate regional Model Earthquake Contingency Plan

Plan adapted in four (4) Participating States

Plans exercised and evaluated in selected states

Plans strengthened through grant assistance

Promote Earthquake Awareness

Earthquake Awareness and Education developed and implemented

Develop interactive toolkit for schools children

Integrate an earthquake readiness webpage within the CDERA website

Launch earthquake awareness campaign throughout the region

Recommendations

Strengthen CDEMA CU and RRM for multi-hazard response and multi-island impact

Increase allocation of EAF to US $200,000 Promoting the architecture for the

application of the Security Assistance Treaty for hazard generated crisis.

Lobby for the initiation of a UN dialogue on Humanitarian Reform.

Ensure familiarisation with the RRM and examine clearly how the national preparedness arrangements interface with the RRM and the international systems.

Advance efforts for continuity of Government◦ Safety of leadership◦ Mechanisms for decision making◦ Integrity of facilities that house assets and data for

key decision making Revisit the initiative for safer building,

especially for critical facilities and a special consideration for safe cities programme

THE EARTHQUAKE UNMASKED THE REAL STORY:

DISASTER MANAGEMENT IS A DEVELOPMENT ISSUE –

A Call for Real Partnership

Contact Information:Contact Information:Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)

Building #1, Manor LodgeLodge Hill, St. Michael, Barbados

Tel.: (246) 425-0386Fax: (246) 425-8854

Website: www.cdera.org

Questions?