26 Grenada 2004 Photo by Frankie Michael • Continued from previous page Organization (WMO) Region IV meteorological services. The HSU also conducts an extensive outreach and education programme, training United States (U.S.) emergency managers and representatives from many other countries affected by tropical cyclones. SOURCE: National Hurricane Centre CDEMA The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is a regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The agency was established in 1991 as CDERA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency) with primary responsibility for the coordination of emergency response and relief efforts to participating states that require such assistance. It transitioned to CDEMA in 2009 to fully embrace the principles and practice of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM). CDM is an integrated and proactive approach to disaster management and seeks to reduce the risk and loss associated with natural and technological hazards and the effects of climate change to enhance regional sustainable development. All CARICOM and Non-CARICOM Member States of the Since 2009, CDEMA’s mandate has expanded to position the regional disaster management body more strategically to fully take up its role as facilitator, driver, coordinator and motivating force for the promotion and engineering of CDM in all PSs. CDEMA’s functions are as follows: 1. Mobilising and coordinating disaster relief; 2. Mitigating or eliminating, as far as practicable, the immediate consequences of disasters in Participating States; 3. Providing immediate and coordinated response by means of emergency disaster relief to any affected PS; 4. Securing, coordinating and providing to interested inter-governmental and nongovernmental organisations reliable and comprehensive information on disasters affecting any PS; 5. Encouraging – (i) the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies and practices at the national and regional level; (ii) • Continues on next page Caribbean region are eligible for CDEMA membership. CDEMA presently comprises 19 Participating States (PS): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Republic of Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands.
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