CDEMA tweaks disaster management plans

Days away from the start of a likely above-average Atlantic hurricane season, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the regional disaster management agency to revise its preparedness protocols.

Acting Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Elizabeth Riley said: “We have modified the regional plans based on COVID-19 public health protocols from both the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and from national health authorities in our member states.

“Since we could not do face-to-face training this year, we are drawing upon people trained in previous years to conduct refresher courses in June.

“We realise that as a result of the protocols we are committed to following from our health sector partners, there may be a lag time in terms of getting a physcial presence on the ground, so we are looking at remote support to our states and we have discussed that with national disaster coordinators.”

Riley said one of the areas that needs special attention this year is shelter management.

She said: “In treating to physical distancing requirements we have to explore options for additional spaces, as well as the necessary physical resources and human and financial resources at shelters, for example supplying personal protective equipment, respecting physical distance guidelines, and having adequate water supplies as well as other solutions to ensure hygiene practices are adhered to.”

Experts have also focused on changes to the way shelters are to be used in the time of COVID-19.

Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, said: “Shelters can be relatively cluttered in a normal situation, but with coronavirus now and social distancing we have been identifying additional centres and plans to minimise the number of people allocated to centres.

“There is usually a medical person at the shelters in case of emergency, but in this instance, some have said they have identified a medical doctor, others are training medical people already in the shelters on this, and in some cases, they are setting up stations for people who may have been evacuated and are showing signs of the illness so they can be isolated from other people.

“Since February the regional disaster management agencies have been amending and reviewing their guidelines with respect to coronavirus.”

Dr Laura Lee Boodram, director of Vector Control Surveillance with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), said that apart from COVID-19,  the region should ensure it does not face any of the other health issues that might emerge in the aftermath of storms, such as water and foodborne illnesses.

She said: “Our recommendations are that we may have to source alternative additional shelters, not only because of physical distancing, but people in the shelter will have to wear protective gear and masks, and once we have that in place, we won’t be able to accommodate the same number of persons as in the past, so we would have to assign people to places where there is enough space for that.

“Apart from COVID-19, there are other potential diseases that can break out in shelters, like food and water-borne diseases and these have to be constantly monitored, and medications kept on hand for those with preexisting health conditions. Yes, extra resources will be required but once we are aware of these, advance planning will go a long way to mitigate these scenarios if they occur.”