CDMP Progress Bulletin

Natural Disaster Preparation and Mitigation: Activities in the Dominican Republic

Bulletin Date: January 1999

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), under an agreement with the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the U.S. Agency for International Development, is executing a five-year Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project (CDMP). One component of this project is the orientation of communities and businesses in high-risk regions of the Dominican Republic to prepare them to face natural hazards such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.

Since early 1994, the CDMP has worked through a joint committee of representatives from important private sector companies such as the GTE Affiliate CODETEL, Sea Land Service, and the Compañia Nacional de Seguros, as well as key NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) such as World Vision International, Food for the Hungry, the Dominican Society of Seismology and Seismic Engineering (SODOSISMICA) and the Dominican Hotel and Restaurant Association (ASONAHORES). The Dominican team custom-tailored the CDMP for implementation in the Dominican Republic, focusing primarily on vulnerability reduction in high risk communities through programs designed to help companies mitigate and prepare for disasters.

Project Objectives

The CDMP program in the Dominican Republic aims to achieve the following impacts:

1. Reduce the loss of human life and the economic damages associated with natural disasters by reducing vulnerability in high risk areas.
2. Increase the use of better vulnerability reduction techniques by informed communities.
3. Establish an efficient inter-institutional coordination mechanism capable of carrying out mitigative and preparatory programs over the long-term.
4. Organize communities in high-risk areas so that they develop and practice their own Community Emergency Plan.
5. Facilitate effective coordination and collaboration among the private and public sectors and NGOs for all matters related to disaster management.

Progress to Date

Since its inception in the Dominican Republic the CDMP has made definite headway achieving lasting impact in communities vulnerable to natural disasters as well as in the private and public sectors. Preparatory work for this project included technical studies, needs assessments and mobilization of support among NGOs and private firms. In late 1995, the Comite Dominicana para la Mitigacion de Desastres (CDMD) was established to take over the activities of the CDMP and assure the sustainability and long-term viability of CDMP vulnerability reduction program in the country. The CDMD Board of Directors includes NGOs as well as private sector companies.

Public Information and Training

The CDMD devotes substantial efforts to public education and training. It has organized TV and radio programs using time donated by the stations, published regular informational bulletins on the country's natural hazards, recommended mitigation measures for distribution to more than 2,500 businesses, organizations and communities, and together with the Civil Defense produced over 24,000 brochures on what to do before, during and after hurricanes and earthquakes.

In conjunction with OFDA, CDMD has offered 10 Disaster Administration courses, educating 300 professionals and technicians in private, NGO and public sectors. Eight hurricane simulations were facilitated by the CDMD, reaching over 270 representatives of major hotels, free enterprise zones, insurance brokers, businesses and communities. Jointly with the Red Cross, CDMD trained 89 local facilitators from 17 NGOs, the Civil Defense and the Red Cross.

Community Preparedness

Since October of 1995, over 600 communities have hosted the Community Disaster Preparedness Workshop. Over 18,000 community leaders have learned to recognize disasters, to identify vulnerability, to assess community resources and capabilities, and-as a community-to develop a Community Emergency Plan. Several communities who had benefited from these workshops were better prepared when Hurricane Hortense struck the country in late 1996. Various communities also have reactivated local Red Cross, Civil Defense and Fire Control Brigades.

Through its Community Initiative Support program, the CDMD is helping communities organize vulnerability reduction projects and obtain resources from external sources. Several communities have achieved government support for bridges and other much-needed projects. Five communities planned and executed projects with their own resources such as construction of speed bumps; improving roadways; drainage systems, and embankments for unstable slopes. Community contributions are used to leverage small grants provided by CDMD.

Coordination and Communication

The CDMD established coordination and communication mechanisms for highly vulnerable communities, private schools, and private companies through which it provides information, orientation and assistance immediately prior to and following disasters. CDMD uses these mechanisms to motivate and coordinate preparedness actions for hurricanes and earthquakes. The CDMD maintained contact with threatened communities and local authorities during Hurricane Hortense´s passage, sending damage reports and needs lists to responsive organizations such as USAID and OXFAM. CDMD also assists participating institutions or companies in preparing emergency plans and running evacuation drills for hurricane events.

During the passage of Hurricane Georges (1998), the CDMD maintained contact with project communities, supporting activities such as evacuation and food distribution efforts, which limited the impact of the hurricane in these communities. The Community Initiatives, which had been put in place by various communities with support of CDMD, performed well, with only two projects failing due to the great volumes of flood waters. The CDMD also participated in the 'Civil Society Emergency Committee', a network of fourty NGOs established by Participacion Ciudadana. This network of 40 NGOs facilitated the collection of community-related damage and needs information for international and local response agencies, such as the Red Cross and USAID.

Project Sustainability

The CDMD has initiated an affiliation campaign among NGOs and private sector companies, who contribute a yearly fee, according to size. It already has some key NGOs and major international and local businesses as members and is expanding the membership. CDMD practices cost sharing and cost recovery for all training exercises it organizes, and charges a fee for events benefiting the private sector. It also has also begun to represent selected products and services that help to create a disaster mitigation culture as well as generate funds for activities.