Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project
Implemented by the Organization of American States
Unit of Sustainable Development and Environment
for the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Caribbean Regional Program

USAID Logo OAS Logo

Workshop on Natural Hazards, Disaster Mitigation and Integrated Development Planning

Note: This workshop report was jointly prepared by Cassandra T. Rogers, Ph.D and Lynette Atwell for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of Trinidad and Tobago. The workshop, which was held 2-5 November 1999, was organized by NEMA with funding assistance from the Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project.

1. Introduction

A workshop on Natural Hazard / Disaster Mitigation and Integrated Development Planning was held from November 2 to 5, 1999 at the Faculty of Engineering, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. The workshop was organised by the National Emergency Management Agency with support from the USAID - Organisation of American States/ Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project. The workshop is one of several national workshops which followed a USAID/OAS-CDMP regional workshop on "Integrating hazard mapping and vulnerability assessment into development planning". This latter workshop was held in Grenada in March 1999.

2. Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of the workshop was to provide senior personnel in the public and private sector with the basic knowledge required to incorporate disaster mitigation into national development planning.

The objectives of the workshop were as follows:

  1. To sensitise participants to the types and characteristics of natural hazards which affect Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean
  2. To discuss the vulnerability of population, property, infrastructure and services in the country to the identified hazards
  3. To outline the specific role of mitigation in the disaster management cycle
  4. To demonstrate the importance of mitigation as a tool for development in Trinidad and Tobago and to outline the processes involved in the development of mitigation policies, plans and programmes
  5. To develop relevant mitigation plans.

3. Workshop Agenda

3.1 Opening Ceremony

The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Morgan Job, Acting Minister of National Security, who also gave the feature address. The Opening Ceremony was also attended (and remarks made) by Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Compton Bourne, Principal of the St. Augustine Campus; Professor Kurmohan Kochhar, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UWI, and Dr. Joseph Campbell, OAS Representative in Trinidad and Tobago. Representatives from the United States Embassy, the British High Commission, engineering organisations and participants were also in attendance.

3.2 Workshop Description

3.2.1 Participants

A total of 28 persons, comprising senior personnel from the public and private sector, attended. Participants included representatives from regional corporations, city councils, the Tobago House of Assembly, the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Development (Valuation, Economic Planning, Central Tenders Board and Town and Country Planning); Housing and Settlement; Works and Transport; Agriculture, Lands and Marine Resources; Health and Education; the Employers Consultative Association, the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago, San Fernando Technical Institute and disaster management agencies (NEMA, TTEMAS).

3.2.2 Workshop Presenters

Dr. Cassandra Rogers facilitated the workshop. Dr. Rogers and Ms. Lynette Atwell, (mitigation planning consultant) were the lead presenters. Other presenters included Mr. Eli Henry, Head, Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Services, (hurricanes and coastal storms); Dr. John Shepherd, Head, Seismic Research Unit (earthquakes and volcanoes); Mr. Vincent Cooper, Research Assistant, Faculty of Engineering, UWI (floods); Dr. Ian Khan-Kernahan (structural mitigation) and Col. Dave Williams, Head of NEMA (disaster mitigation in Trinidad and Tobago).

3.2.3 Workshop Content

The workshop programme is presented in Appendix 1. The first day was devoted to descriptions of the different types of hazards which impact or are likely to impact on the country and the wider region, including the economic, social consequences of such hazards and resulting disasters. This was followed on Day 2 by lectures on hazard vulnerability and risk and the methods used to map hazards and to perform vulnerability and risk assessments.

The remainder of the workshop was devoted to mitigation planning, its role in development and the detailed procedure for the development of mitigation plans, policies and programmes at the national, regional, and sectoral level. On the final day a panel discussion was held on "The way forward".

3.2.4 Development of Outline Mitigation Plans

On Day 3 participants were divided into four groups, each with responsibility to develop the detailed outline of the following mitigation plans:

Each group made 20-minute oral presentations of the plan on the final day, and also submitted written reports. Overall, the quality of the plans developed were of a very high standard, indicating that the majority of the participants had obtained a good grasp of the subject matter and understood the plan development process. Several specific recommendations came out of the plans and these are listed in Appendix 3.

4. Suitability of the Lecture Material

The lecture material was directly applicable to Trinidad and Tobago. All lecturers focused their presentations on Trinidad and Tobago and used local case studies and examples for the discussions of the different hazards, hazard vulnerability, and mitigation planning, where available. Regional case studies were also utilised. Participants also added to the discussion by sharing their local experiences.

Further, the lecture material was very timely in light of the ongoing efforts by NEMA to have established a National Mitigation Task Force, the terms of reference of which are under consideration.

There was also general agreement by the participants of the practical importance of the material presented. This is indicated in participant responses to the workshop evaluation questionnaire (Appendix 2).

5. Feed back from Participants

5.1 Questionnaire

The results of the questionnaire are presented given in Appendix 2. The vast majority (92%) of participants rated the course as good or very good, and 92% also felt that the course had met its objectives. All expressed, by questionnaire or during discussion, a desire to incorporate the information obtained in a practical manner in their organisations. Others indicated that they intend to use the detailed outlines prepared during the workshop to develop actual mitigation plans.

Several participants felt that the course should be one day longer. This would allow the same material to be covered over a longer time, and will thus enable participants to better absorb the material and to lengthen the question and discussion time. Others felt that more time should have been allocated to groups to develop the plan outlines. A summary list of participant comments is included in the questionnaire results.

5.2 Recommendations

Several pertinent recommendations came out of the general discussions, and are listed below. In addition, each of the four groups made recommendations specific to the area for which a mitigation plan outline was developed. These are listed in Appendix 3. Many of these latter recommendations form part of the general recommendations.

5.2.1 General Recommendations

Organisational

  1. That the proposed National Mitigation Task Force should consist of a multidisciplinary team of all stakeholders. The terms of reference of the task force should include the development and monitoring of mitigation policies and practices in Trinidad and Tobago.

Legislative/Regulatory

  1. That a building code for Trinidad and Tobago be enacted
  2. That there is the need for strong enforcement mechanisms
  3. That building contractors be licensed in order to ensure that the required building standards are observed
  4. iii. That disaster mitigation be incorporated into the National Physical Planning Commission activities

Hazard information

  1. That there is the need to complete the mapping of all hazards which affect the country
  2. That the vulnerability and risk of all relevant hazards to population, infrastructure, property and services be evaluated

Public Education

  1. That hazard information is regularly disseminated to the public
  2. That disaster mitigation be included at all levels of curriculum development
  3. That the relevant information, such as building codes, hazard and vulnerability maps, is presented in a non-technical manner, easily understood by the layman
  4. That a "Disaster Awareness Culture" be created in all sectors of the public service

Training and research

  1. That a national plan for training in disaster mitigation and mitigation planning at all levels should be formulated
  2. That similar courses in disaster mitigation and mitigation planning should be held for decision-makers at the highest level of government, viz. government ministers and permanent secretaries
  3. That the course should be reoffered to CEOs of regional corporations and councillors
  4. That the University of the West Indies must provide the technical leadership in teaching, research and training in disaster mitigation and disaster management. In addition, they should work in collaboration with NEMA and other agencies to increase the level of disaster awareness of the country.

Appendix 1: Workshop Programme

PROGRAM FOR WORKSHOP ON "INTEGRATED NATURAL HAZARD/DISASTER MITIGATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING"

NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING UWI ST. AUGUSTINE.

FACILITATOR -- DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS

DAY ONE, TUESDAY 2nd NOVEMBER, 1999

8.30 A.M. REGISTRATION
9.00 AM. OPENING CEREMONY, REFRESHMENT BREAK

SESSION ONE - NATURAL HAZARDS IN THE CARIBBEAN/ TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

10.15 A.M. OVERVIEW - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
10.30 A.M. HURRICANES/ COASTAL STORMS – MR. ELI HENRY DIRECTOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
11.00 A.M. EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS –  DR.JOHN SHEPHERD SEISMIC RESEARCH UNIT UWI
11.30 A.M. VOLCANOES - DR. JOHN SHEPHERD SEISMIC RESEARCH UNIT UWI
12.00 P.M TO 1.00 P.M LUNCH
01.00 P.M. FLOODS - MR. VINCENT COOPER CIVIL ENGINEERING DEP’T UWI
01.30 P.M. LANDSLIDES - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
02.00 P.M. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF DISASTERS – MS. LYNETTE ATWELL
02.45 P.M. REFRESHMENT BREAK
03.00 P.M. MITIGATION AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
03.45 P.M. CLASS EXERCISE AND DISCUSSION – INDENTIFICATION OF HAZARDS
04.15 P.M. END OF DAY ONE

DAY TWO WEDNESDAY 3rd NOVEMBER ,1999

HAZARDS, VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT

08.30 A.M. HURRICANES AND COASTAL STORMS - MR. ELI HENRY
09.00 A.M. EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS - DR. JOHN SHEPHERD
09.30 A.M. VOLCANOES - DR.JOHN SHEPHERD
10.00 A.M. REFRESHMENT BREAK
10.30 A.M . FLOODS - MR.VINCENT COOPER
11.00 A.M. LANDSLIDES - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
11.30 A.M. MULTI HAZARD ASSESSMENT - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
12.00 P.M. TO 1.00 P.M. LUNCH
01.00 P.M. VULNERABILITY AND RISK ASSESSMENT - DR. CASSANDRA ROGERS
02.00 P.M. STRUCTURAL MITIGATION  - DR. IAN KERNAHAN CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT UWI
02.30 P.M. NON- STRUCTURAL MITIGATION – DR.CASSANDRA ROGERS
03.00 P.M. REFRESHMENT BREAK
03.15 P.M. MITIGATION PLANNING PROCESS, INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK, RESOURCE SHARING, PLANS PROGRAMS - MS. LYNETTE ATWELL

DAY THREE THURSDAY 04 NOVEMBER, 1999

MITIGATION PLANNING

08.30 A.M. MITIGATION PLANNING PROCESS, INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK, RESOURCE SHARING, PLANS PROGRAMS - MS. LYNETTE ATWELL
10.00 A.M. REFRESHMENT BREAK
10.15 A.M. MITIGATION AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT – L. ATWELL
11.15 A.M. EXISTING APPROACHES TO DISASTER MITIGATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO COL. DAVE WILLIAMS DIRECTOR NEMA
11.30A.M. GROUP ASSIGNMENTS/ DISCUSSION - LYNETTE ATWELL
12.00 P.M. LUNCH
01.00 P.M. WORKSHOP SESSION / GROUP ASSIGNMENTS ON MITIGATION PLANNING
03.30 P.M. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION
04.00 P.M. END OF DAY THREE

DAY FOUR FRIDAY 05 NOVEMBER, 1999

MITIGATION PLANS AND PROGRAMS

08.30 A.M. GROUP ASSIGNMENTS - CONTINUED
10.00 A.M. REFRESHMENT BREAK
10.20 A.M. GROUPS ASSIGNMENTS - CONTINUED
11.00 A.M. GROUP PRESENTATIONS
12.00 P.M LUNCH
01.00 P.M. GROUP PRESENTATIONS
2.00 P.M.- 2.20 P.M. BREAK
2.20 P.M –3.20 P.M. PANEL DISCUSSION - TOPIC DISASTER MITIGATION AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING , THE WAY FORWARD
3.20 P.M. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES AND CLOSING

APPENDIX 2: Results of Workshop Questionnaire (26 respondents)

In an effort to improve the quality of subsequent courses, please answer the following questions.

1 = Very Poor; 2 = Poor; 3 = Fair; 4 = Good; 5 = Very Good; n/a = not applicable.

1. How would you rate the following:

2. Were the handouts helpful in improving your understanding of the course material? 4.3

3. Was the course helpful in improving your understanding of natural hazards and hazard mitigation planning in your current job? 4.3

4. Do you intend to use this information directly in your current job? Explain.

5. Did the course meet its objectives? 4.2

6. How would you rate the course on an overall basis? 4.2

7. How could the course be improved?

8. Add any additional comments here.

APPENDIX 3: Recommendations of Specialist Mitigation Plans (Summary by Ms. Lynette Atwell)

Four outline mitigation plans were prepared at national, regional and local levels. These were:

  1. A national mitigation plan for Trinidad and Tobago
  2. A regional mitigation plan for Tobago
  3. A regional mitigation plan for Sangre Grande
  4. A local area mitigation plan for Port of Spain.

The following are the relevant recommendations:

1. NATIONAL MITIGATION PLAN FOR TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Legislative/Regulatory

Hazard Information

Public Education

Organisational

Training

National Infrastructure

2. TOBAGO REGIONAL MITIGATION PLAN

Although the Tobago group recognized that Tobago is vulnerable to a number of hazards their plan emphasized mitigation measures for earthquakes. The following are the recommendations made:

Regulatory

Administrative

Identification of Need for Retrofitting

Public Education

3. SANGRE GRANDE REGIONAL MITIGATION PLAN

This plan highlighted public awareness and the concept of disaster resistant communities, which employ long range community based approaches to mitigation.

The recommendations of this group are as follows:

Regulatory

Public Education

Management and Maintenance

4. PORT OF SPAIN LOCAL AREA MITIGATION PLAN

This plan was very detailed in some areas and made some very specific recommendations with respect to mitigation activity that needs to take place in the city of Port of Spain .

The following are the recommendations made by this group:

Legislative/Regulatory

Public Education

Organisational

Retrofitting

Infrastructural Works

CDMP home page: http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp/ Project Contacts

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