Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) on April 26, at the Savannah Hotel in Barbados. TAC is part of the governance mechanism of CDEMA and provides strategic guidance on the development and implementation of the regional Comprehensive Disaster Management programme . The Third Meeting will be held April 26-27 and will be attended by senior officials of the national disaster management organizations of CDEMA’s 18 Participating States and specialized regional organizations, such as the Seismic Research Centre of the University of the West Indies, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)
This year’s discussions will focus on several key areas pertaining to the further strengthening and acceleration of the regional Comprehensive Disaster Management programme. Central among these are the operational protocols for the Roving Technical Support Team of CDEMA which will be reviewed by the TAC. This newly established Team is intended to provide specialised assistance to the CDEMA PS specifically in the implementation of national initiatives.
Also on the agenda for discussion are the tools for developing a national comprehensive disaster management policy, the Climate Smart Community Disaster Management Programme and the Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into the CDM Country Work Programmes.
Other areas that will engage the attention of the TAC are the way forward on a Logistics Plan for the Regional Response Mechanism and, the Review of 2010-2011 Emergency Events in CDEMA Participating States.
The TAC will also receive reports from the following Sub-Committees:
• Work Programme Development and Review Sub-Committee
• Information and Communications Systems Advisory Sub-Committee
• Plan Development and Review Sub-Committee
• Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environment Sub-Committee
The Meeting will be preceded by two days (April 24-25) of working sessions for Disaster Managers. The first session will be facilitated by the CIMH with the intention of deepening the understanding of disaster managers of the seasonal forecasting products developed by CIMH and the specific value added which these bring to early warning for hydro-meteorological hazards. The second session will look at emerging programming priorities of the CDEMA Participating States beyond 2012, identify challenges in work programme implementation and outline strategies for addressing.
The Third Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is being hosted by the CDEMA Coordinating Unit with the support of the Government of Barbados through the Department of Emergency Management.
For information, please contact:
Pamela Knights, Communications Specialist
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
Bldg #1 Manor Lodge Complex
Lodge Hill, St. Michael; Barbados
Tel. no.: (246)-425-0386, Fax No. (246)-425-8854
E-Mail: