With more than US$5 billion in losses to the Caribbean in the last two decades of the 20th Century, the Agency has refocused its attention on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) which is a new thrust in disaster management for the 21st Century.

It focuses on all cycles of a hazard, involving all sectors of the society, and concentrating on all hazards. This strategy has been endorsed by all member states and accepted by the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) which will see it being promoted in the Latin American states of the ACS. At the crux of CDM is a well informed and aware public and activities to achieve full compliance with CDM are at the heart of the CDEA operation.

This operation includes:

* Training for Disaster Management Personnel;
* Development of model training courses and products including audiovisual aids;
* Institutional Strengthening for Disaster Management Organizations;
* Development of model Disaster Legislation for adaptation and adoption by Participating States;
* Development of model policies and guidelines for use in emergencies;
* Contingency Planning;
* Resource mobilization for strengthening disaster management programmes in Participating States;
* Improving Emergency Telecommunications and Warning Systems;
* Development of Disaster Information and Communication Systems;
* Education and Public Awareness;

Functions of CDEMA

(a) mobilising and coordinating disaster relief;

(b) mitigating or eliminating, as far as practicable, the immediate consequences of disasters in Participating States;

(c) providing immediate and coordinated response by means of emergency disaster relief to any affected Participating State;

(d) securing, coordinating and providing to interested inter-governmental and nongovernmental organisations reliable and comprehensive information on disasters affecting any Participating State;

(e) encouraging –

(i) the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies and
practices at the national and regional level;

(ii) cooperative arrangements and mechanisms to facilitate the development
of a culture of disaster loss reduction; and

(f) coordinating the establishment, enhancement and maintenance of adequate
emergency disaster response capabilities among the Participating States.