The General Secretariat of the OAS (GS/OAS) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) implemented an agreement by which the OAS executed the Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project (CDMP). The objective of the CDMP was to establish sustainable public/private sector mechanisms for disaster mitigation which measurably lessen the loss of life, reduce physical and economic damage, and shorten the disaster recovery period. The project addressed some of the major issues in the disaster-development linkage in the Caribbean such as: the need to reduce natural hazard vulnerability in existing and planned development; mapping of hazard-prone and environmentally fragile areas; the use of mapping information in public awareness and development decision-making; and, the capacity of the insurance industry to better manage risk and maintain adequate catastrophe protection for the region. Detailed information on each of the project activities listed below is available on the project web site at http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp

Caribbean

Workshop on hazard mapping and vulnerability assessment for physical planners and disaster coordinators. (1999)

Three week training course for building inspectors from five countries in the region. Held in Barbados, September-October 1999.

Workshop on Vulnerability Reduction of Schools and Shelters to Natural Hazards, which culminated a school/shelter vulnerability audit conducted in the Eastern Caribbean. Participants included representatives of the education, public works and engineering sectors. (October 1998)

Study of the Probable Maximum Loss for public infrastructure from a hurricane event in the islands of Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. (1998-1999)

Workshop on hurricane preparedness, tropical storm forecasting and storm modeling at the US National Hurricane Center for national disaster coordinators and national meteorological officials.

This workshop was organized in conjunction with NOAA and FEMA. (1997)

Workshop on hazard mitigation planning for national development officials and national disaster coordinators, organized in collaboration with CDERA. (1997)

Workshops on lessons learned from the CDMP Hurricane-Resistant Home Improvement Program. (1996-1999)

CDMP and the Organization of Insurance Companies of Belize (ORINCO) sponsored a workshop on the role of the insurance industry in mitigating storm-surge risk. (1996)

At the invitation of the CARICOM Working Party in Insurance Reinsurance, CDMP prepared an issue paper on catastrophe protection in the Caribbean, and assisted the Working Party in the preparation of its report to the CARICOM Heads of State.(1995-1996)

Design and construction standards for the electrical energy sector working with the UN Center for Human Settlements (UNCHS), CDMP is helping Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia and Grenada to introduce a building code based on a model code developed by UNCHS for the Eastern Caribbean Countries (OECS). (1994 to present)

Training workshop for application of TAOS storm hazard assessment model for use by meteorological institutions in collaboration with the Caribbean Meteorological Institute (CMI). (1994, 1997)

Workshop on increasing the availability of reinsurance to local insurance companies, PML calculations, and database design, in collaboration with the Jamaican Association of Insurance Companies (JAGIC), Insurance Association of the Caribbean (IAC), and Insurance College of Jamaica (ICOJ). (1994)

Antigua and Barbuda

CDMP conducted a national workshop on storm hazard mapping and its applications within emergency management and development planning. CDMP also supported a national dialogue on safer housing, which focused on private sector involvement. (December 1998)

CDMP conducted 12 workshops on safe construction techniques 1995-1996.Antigua and Barbuda's UNCHS new building code was used to guide reconstruction/rehabilitation activities after hurricanes Luis and Marilyn. (1995)

Belice

Support for development of a national building code. (1999)

A coastal flood hazard assessment was completed. Results were presented at a national seminar on insurance issues.

Carried out a flood hazard study for the upper sections of the Belize River. (1999)

Dominica

Assisted with post-disaster mitigation measures for the landslide-dam in Layou River, (1997-1998)

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) invited CDMP to undertake a storm hazard assessment for Dominica as part of a loan for the rehabilitation of the coastal infrastructure damaged by hurricane Luis. (1996)

In partnership with the UNCHS, assisted with the development of a national building code.

The National Development Foundation of Dominica (NDFD) trained local builders, in sound building practices who subsequently formed a cooperative to work at the national level. The five houses that had been retrofitted before hurricane Luis were used as shelters during the storm and survived intact, confirming the training results. (1995 to present)

Haití

Following normalization of the political situation, the Haiti Pilot and Project were initiated. These will follow the Dominican project as a model by getting NGO's and the private sector deeply involved in disaster management. (1996 to 1999)

Awareness campaigns and community training to reduce the vulnerability of substandard housing, and establishment of a refinancing mechanism for reconditioning existing structures. (1994 to 1999)

Jamaica

Support for development of a national hazard mitigation plan (1998-1999)

In coordination with the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, produced a seismic hazard assessment for the Kingston Metropolitan Area. This project comprised two phases: the data collection phase was completed in the fall of 1997 and the modeling phase in the fall of 1999.

In coordination with the Geology Department of UWI-Mona, compiled a map of landslide susceptibility in the Kingston Metropolitan Area. This work was completed in early 1998. The landslide susceptibility modeling results were presented at a technical workshop and the Unit for Disaster Studies of UWI-Mona in February 1998 and at a January 1999 workshop focused on integrating the maps into national development and emergency management planning.

Installed TAOS software at the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODP). (1995)

Workshop on insurance sector and reinsurance availability. (1994)

Coastal storm surge and wind hazard assessment and mapping of the Montego Bay. (1994 to 1999)

Dominican Republic

Local community initiatives for hazard mitigation. (1998-1999)

Workshop on probable maximum loss and reinsurance availability. (1995)

Creation of a cooperative mechanism between NGO's and the private sector at the community level for disaster prevention. (1994 to present)

Saint Lucia

Support for development of a national hazard mitigation plan, including a national consultation to discuss the draft plan. (1998)

Training of local builders and provision of revolving loan funds to promote retrofitting of hazard-prone low-income housing. Coordinated and administered in St. Lucia by the National Development Foundation and CARITAS. (1996 to 1999)

Incorporation of mitigation elements into reconstruction following tropical storm Debbie. (1994 to 1997)

Energy sector vulnerability audit and hazard management recommendations with LUCELEC. (1994)

San Kitts y Nevis

Local contractors were trained in post-hurricane reconstruction and repair, and a retrofit program was initiated. (1996 to 1998)

St Vicent and
The Grenadines

A risk analysis of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines electric utility used techniques documented in the Saint Lucia and Dominica pilot audits to produce specifications for optimal design and mitigation standards for the utility's transmission/distribution system that would result in minimum operating costs over its lifetime. (1996)