Presented by Miss Kerry Hinds,
Director Department of Emergency Management kerry.hinds@barbados.gov.bb
Policy Context } Institutional Arrangements ◦ Tourism Emergency Management Committee ◦ Tourism Emergency Operations Centre } Link to National Disaster Management Mechanism } Checkpoint of Current Status } Implications of Poor Planning } Way Forward }
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Specific Objective: ◦ To create and implement a sustainable development programme that fosters a safe and secure environment
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Strategy – Disaster Management: ◦ Facilitate the effective management of natural and man-made disasters in the tourism sector through contingency plans and simulation exercises.
(2001 Green Paper on Tourism)
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Tourism Emergency Management Committee (TEMC).
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Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC).
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Mandate: ◦ To plan for and co-ordinate the tourism sector response for national and/or sectoral emergencies and disasters.
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Composition: § Department of Emergency Management (Ex-Officio) § Ministry of Tourism § Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association § Barbados Tourism Authority § Ministry of Foreign Affairs § Immigration Department
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Composition (Cont’d): § Ministry of International Transport § Airlines Association (B’dos) Inc. § Royal Barbados Police Force § Barbados Port Inc § Ministry of Health § GAIA Inc. § Ground Handling Companies § Barbados Defence Force (Officers of the Barbados Cadet Corps)
◦ Structure:
§ PS Ministry of Tourism serves as the Chairperson. § The Executive Vice-President of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association serves as the Deputy Chairperson.
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Functions and Responsibilities: § Sector co-ordination in crisis/emergency/disaster situations § Communicating and co-ordinating with DEM, CDEMA, RBPF and any other disaster and emergency response entities; § Facilitating the development of emergency management various plans; § Planning and executing of training workshops, information seminars and simulation exercises; § Conducting awareness activities.
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Sub-Committees: § Damage and Needs Assessment – led by the BDF § Relocation, Evacuation and Shelter – led by the BHTA § Public Information – led by the BTA § Telecommunications – led by the MoT
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Mandate: § To function as the operations command centre for the tourism sector - the operational arm of the TEMC.
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Composition: § Ministry of Tourism § Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association § Barbados Tourism Authority § Barbados Defence Force (Officers of the Cadet Corps) § Federation of Tour Operators § Other members/personnel may be co-opted as required
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Functions and Responsibilities: § To provide centralised co-ordination, management and control of the tourism sector (on a 24-hour basis if necessary) in an emergency / disaster response and relief operations. § To collaborate and communicate with the NEOC according to the established protocols.
Emergency Operations Centres Emergency Operations Centres are provided for under Part 4, Section 10 of the Disaster Management Act, 2006 – 20
“The Director shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of an Emergency Operations Centre that shall be the headquarters of the activities undertaken in response to a disaster or other emergency and may establish supplementary Emergency Operations centres or facilitate the establishment and maintenance of such supplementary Emergency Operations Centres, whether distributed according to geographical location or otherwise, by persons or bodies referred to in paragraph (a) of section 9(2). [Ministries and Departments of Government, statutory bodies, volunteers who perform functions related to emergency management in Barbados]
The TEOC is established to provide localized and centralized sector
coordination
and response to an
emergency, crisis or disaster event. The TEOC does NOT replace the NEOC, but rather complements the national effort in emergency/crisis/disaster response operations.
Operations Room Hurricane Dean 2005
Operations Room Hurricane Dean 2005
Radio Room ICC/CWC 2007
Radio Room Hurricane Dean 2005
Admin/Support (ICC/CWC 2007)
Operations Room (ICC/CWC 2007)
Operations Room (ICC/CWC 2007)
Operations Room (ICC/CWC 2007)
Operations Room (ICC/CWC 2007)
Operations Room (ICC/CWC 2007)
Bridgetown Port – Berths (ICC/CWC 2007)
Admin/Support (ICC/CWC 2007)
The TEMC is a Standing Committee of the Emergency
Management Advisory Council as required by the Emergency Management Act 2006-20. The Min of Tourism is represented in the Emergency
Management Advisory Council – recommend policies, programmes and activities to enhance the national emergency management programme and to review the work of the Committees of the Council The TEMC is represented in the NEOC – Represented by the
Tourism Liaison Officer.
NEOC
TEOC
National Coordination
Tourism Sector Coordination
Policy and Command Decisions Made
Execution of Command Decisions
Operations Centre
Operations Centre
National – Local/Sector Comms.
Sector Communications
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Barbados National Emergency Management Plan.
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Barbados Tourism Sector Tropical Weather Cyclone Plan (2007).
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Tourism Emergency Operations Centre SOPs.
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Other Tourism Sector Contingency Plans.
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Successful mainstreaming of disaster management into tourism sector
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Work-in-Progress
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Reflects commitment of tourism sector and disaster management stakeholders
Large economic losses from natural hazards } Long periods of recovery } Loss of market share ($$$$$$) } Loss of trained staff } Costly repairs/replacements } Poor image in the International Market Place }
DISASTERS AFFECT EVERYONE….THEY DO NOT DISCRIMINATE
Check the location of your business ü Know your community and your general environment ü Determine your primary risks ü Back up and safeguard critical information ü Have critical contact lists ü Know your business community resources ü
Create a plan ü Validate the plan ü Ensure that your employees are apart of the process and aware of the plan ü Train your employees ü Ensure that your guests/ customers are aware of the plan ü Maintain current listing of all business inventory ü
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Don’t do it alone: Involve employees, external stakeholders that are critical to the process Emergency and disaster management planning can reduce the time it takes your business to recover and it can save you money Planning is a dynamic and iterative process Preparedness planning can be the difference between staying open to service the needs of your customers and community or shutting down for a few days or going entirely out of business
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Proposals for strengthened coordinated actions to improve planning & response Identify specific ways in which DEM, MOT , BHTA and the IHB can cooperate to improve the awareness of hazards among stakeholders, staff at all levels in the sector Individual properties to conduct a survey of vulnerability to determine what corrections/retrofit actions could be carried out Conducting a readiness audit of the tourism sector Develop a comprehensive Disaster Management Structure/ Programme Development and adoption of Standards Model for Best Practice
Questions/ Discussion
THANK YOU