national disaster action plan for jamaica - Abacus for Communities

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NATIONAL DISASTER ACTION PLAN
FOR JAMAICA

May 1997
MISSION STATEMENT
OF
THE OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management is
comitted to taking pro-active and timely measures to prevent or reduce the
impact of disasters on the Jamaican people and Economy through its
efficient staff and colaborative efforts with National, Regional And
International Agencies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
NATIONAL DISASTER PLAN
GENERAL
The National Disaster Plan (1997) Revised is the latest revision of a draft plan that has
been in existence since 1983. The format and content have been extensively modified
to reflect up-to-date thinking and technologies relating to disaster management in the
wider context of sustainable national development. It caters to continuous updating and
to the addition of sub plans for hazards and disaster related functions as deemed
necessary.
It is intended to provide the legal framework upon which disaster preparedness,
operations and training are predicated, and under which Government Officers can be
held accountable for disaster responsibilities, supported by the Disaster Preparedness
and Emergency Management Act of 1993.
THE DOCUMENT
This very detailed document is not meant to be used in its entirety during disaster
response, but represents detailed administrative and operational information and
instructions to provide guidance and ensure accountability among Government Officers.
It is constructed in such a fashion that agencies and individuals can pull out relevant
sections for use as needed.
It is written in four (4) parts. Part 1 outlines:
 An introduction to the plan which begins with a general overview of the country, in
the context of threats from disasters.
 The concept of operations
 The national strategy for dealing with disasters
 The structure of the National Emergency Organization (NEO)
 A matrix indicating the functional responsibilities during disaster response of each
agency in the NEO.
Part 2 presents:
 Administrative job descriptions to complement existing civil service standing orders
that will legally introduce disaster responsibilities into the duties of Government
Officers, for which they will be held accountable.
Part 3 is:
 The operational section of the plan which is organized by hazard type and response
function, in such a manner that the relevant section may be pulled out and used as
a stand alone guide (aide memoir) for any given situation.
Finally, Part 4 outlines:
 The organization, composition, and procedures for the operation of the National
Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), to include:
 Displays
 Forms
 Equipment
 Material
 Communications protocols and other procedures.
THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION (NEO)
The NEO is the term used to refer to all participants in national disaster management
efforts, whether Government (GO’s), Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s), Private
Voluntary Organizations (PVO’s) or Volunteers, and is depicted by the Organization
chart shown below.
NATIONAL STRATEGY
The National strategy for combating disasters is to continuously educate and inform
the general public and NEO personnel about disaster matters and to adequately equip
and regularly exercise the NEO in their response roles. This is achieved by:
 Rigorous Mitigation, Prevention and Preparedness programmes
 Disaster education starting at primary school through tertiary institution levels
 Local and overseas training courses for disaster response personnel
 Provision of Information at all levels before, during and after a disaster, using the
best available technology
 Providing disaster response agencies with appropriate state of art equipment
 Early warning of slow onset disasters, and
 Pre-positioning of human and material resources where sufficient notice is given.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
The Prime Minister is Chairman of the National Disaster Committee (NDC) which meets
once annually to approve disaster policy matters, and which has an Executive (NDE)
that oversees the management of the ODPEM and NEOC when the latter is activated.
During normal (Pre-disaster) times, the NDE Committees will produce and monitor
mitigation, prevention and preparedness plans, while the ODPEM will implement these
plans, to include provision of education, training and other liaison activities with GO’s,
NGO’s, PVO’s and the Parish Councils, which are mandated to provide disaster relief at
the local level.
During Normal times also, the Parish Councils, through their own Disaster Committees
and Executives will play similar roles at the Parish level that ODPEM plays at the
National level. The “Community level” activities (Zonal programmes) are currently
undertaken by the Adventist Relief Agency (ADRA). Further details of Parish and
Community organizations and activities will be found in Parish Disaster Plans.
During times of disaster, EOC’s are activated and the appropriate sections of Part 3 are
“pulled” from the plan and used for response as necessary.
Regional Emergency Operations Centres (REOC’s) will be activated in cases where
only a few parishes are affected, in which events the ODP will relate to the appropriate
REOC. Otherwise, the NEOC relates directly to the PEOC’s in affected Parishes.
FOREWORD
Throughout history, natural disasters have inflicted heavy cost in human, material and
physical resources, and represent a potentially significant obstacle to economic growth
and development. Thus the public should be well advised of the precautions and
measures to be taken before, during and after any disaster.
Since a disaster is an emergency which suddenly disrupts the daily life of the population
of a country, it can result in substantial loss of life and social upheaval, leading to many
persons becoming homeless, helpless and hungry, a situation that is further aggravated
by the dislocation or disruption of vital production, water, power supplies and
communications. It is therefore necessary to seek to protect lives and property, by
ensuring that the Country has a disaster plan equipped to respond to such events.
Adequate procedures to deal with disaster situations and relief measures should be
planned prior to the event, with strong effective legislation to empower those responsible
to carry out that task. Regular training must be carried out covering all aspects of relief,
rescue, management and welfare. Careful planning must be put in place to coordinate the
use of resources, both human and physical, for the saving and sustenance of life and
property, and for the return to a normal life style as soon as possible.
Measures must also be in place to request and receive assistance from outside of the
Country. This assistance must be what is required by the Jamaican Government, and not
what outside organizations think is required.
The National Disaster Plan seeks to address the issues which have been raised
above.
_________________________ _______________________
The Prime Minister of Jamaica Date
_________________________ _______________________
The Director General Date
Office of Disaster Preparedness
and Emergency Management
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1: GENERAL OVERVIEW AND ASSIGNMENT OF
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HAZARDS AND RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
ANNEX A HAZARDS AND RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
PART 2: DETAILED TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR
COMMITTEES, AGENCIES AND
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISASTER RESPONSE
FUNCTIONS
ANNEX A RECOVERY PLAN
PART 3: RESPONSE SUB-PLANS
ANNEX A HAZARD SPECIFIC SUB-PLANS
ANNEX B RESPONSE FUNCTION SUB-PLANS
PART 4: NATIONAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE
STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES
PART 5: GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS
PART 6: SIGNATURES OF CONCURRENCE
PART 7: DISTRIBUTION LIST
1
PART 1
GENERAL OVERVIEW
AND
ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES
FOR
HAZARDS AND RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AIM OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER PLAN................................................................3
AUTHORITY AND BOUNDARIES...............................................................................3
NATIONAL DISASTER STRATEGY............................................................................5
STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN.......................................................................................5
USE OF THE PLAN.......................................................................................................7
THE AREA - JAMAICA .................................................................................................7
HAZARD/SITUATION ANALYSIS.................................................................................11
NATIONAL EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION (NEO)....................................................17
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS.......................................................................................23
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES..................................................................25
ANNEX A: HAZARD AND RESPONSE FUNCTION RESPONSIBILITY MATRIX
3
1.0 AIM OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER PLAN
The overall aim of the National Disaster Plan is to detail arrangements to cope with
the effects of natural and/or man-made disasters occurring in JAMAICA.
It seeks to assign responsibilities and to provide coordination of emergency
activities connected with major disasters, in general and specific ways.
It also encourages a process of learning to adequately cope with the recovery from
a disaster, from both local and other experiences.
The plan therefore addresses the short and long term objectives of the National
Emergency Organization (NEO), and will be subject to continuous scrutiny, review
and upgrading as deemed necessary, based on operating and other experiences.
As such, it will be continuously strengthened and expanded in its scope, content,
membership composition, administrative and policy guidelines, rescue, relief and
recovery procedures, and in regional and international relationships with similar
organizations.
2.0 AUTHORITY AND BOUNDARIES
The National Disaster Plan - JAMAICA is produced under the provisions of Act 15
of 1993, The DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
ACT, 1993.

The authority for declaring a national disaster or state of emergency under the
Laws of Jamaica, is vested in the Governor General on the advice of the Prime
Minister.
The Director General ODPEM (DIRECTOR) shall co-ordinate during a state of
emergency, all personnel, medical and emergency services made available by
Departments, Organizations and local authorities, and any other person who may
be so determined.
When a state of emergency exists, the Governor General on the advice of the
Prime Minister may make orders to secure the essentials of life to the community
and for the preservation of the health, welfare and safety of the public. Orders so
made may inter-alia, provide:-
a) for the requisitioning of all forms of transport and communications;