Saint Lucia National Emergency Management Organisation

Saint Lucia's National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) is responsible for disaster preparedness and disaster response co-ordination.

History

Disaster Management, though called by numerous names over the years has manifested itselfconstantly in Saint Lucia. As far back as June 10 – 20, 1979 Saint Lucia was host to theCaribbean Disaster Preparedness Seminar, where over one hundred and fifty delegates from theCaribbean, North and Latin America assembled to discuss the concerns of the day. The following year Hurricane Allen blasted Saint Lucia.

A year later in 1991 Saint Lucia, together with fifteen other Caribbean States signed the Articlesthat created the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)Disaster Management in Saint Lucia is conducted on a voluntary basis and during an eventNEMO is part of a larger network that comes into existence to respond to a disaster. There arevarious Ministries that are essential to a response action. There are also eighteen (18) DistrictCommittees that are composed similarly to the national committees, which are composed ofrepresentatives of various Ministries and Social Groups. For a response action the nationalpersonnel contact his/her local counterpart and together execute an action.

tatutory Authority

*Emergency Powers Act 5 of 1995Provided NEMO with the power to commandeer resources during a state of emergency.

*Disaster Preparedness and Response Act 13 of 2000Consolidated and placed in law the actions of NEMO.

*Cabinet Conclusion 1149/96Authorised the National Emergency Response Plan for Saint Lucia.

*Disaster Management Act No. 30 of 2006 [http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/docs/DisasterManagementAct.pdf] Replaced Disaster Preparedness and Response Act of 2000.

Mission statement

The role of the National Emergency Management Organisation [NEMO] is to develop, test and implement adequate measures to protect the population of Saint Lucia from the physical, social, environmental and economic effects of both natural and man-made disasters.

Its responsibility is to ensure the efficient functioning of preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response actions.

Disaster Response Plans

The National Response Plans for Saint Lucia are all at various levels of approval. Once theyhave met the full approval process they shall be available to the public. The plans are all “standalone” documents that may be activated to support hazard management plans. They are inter alia:
*STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES [SOPs] 1. SOPs: General [Approved 1149/96] 2. SOPs: EOC [Approved 1149/96] 3. SOPs: Declaring a Disaster [Laws of Saint Lucia] 4. SOPs: National Shut Down5. Telecommunications Procedures [Approved 1149/96] 6. Mass Crowd Events Guidelines
*POLICIES & GUIDELINES1. A Policy Framework on Disaster Management2. Donations and Importation of Relief Supplies Policy [Part 1 approved 1149/96] 3. Emergency Shelter Management Policy [Approved 1149/96] 4. Emergency Housing Policy5. Hazard Mitigation Policy6. Mass Fatalities Policy7. Mass Crowd Events Policies and Guidelines8. Governmental Officers Security Travel Policy9. Backup Policy10. National Policy on Ambulance Operations11. National Incident Management System [NIMS] Policy
*COMMITTEE PLANS1. Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis Guidelines2. Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis Plan3. Crisis Communication Guide4. Media Plan for Disasters and Emergencies5. Telecommunications Plan6. Relief Distribution Plan7. Shelter Management Program8. National Plan for Transportation in Disasters9. Welfare Emergency Management Support Plan10. Stress Response Team Plan11. Emergency Action Plan for Agricultural Pests And Diseases12. Disaster Auxiliary Corps Guidelines13. Hospitality Industry Crisis Management Plan14. Model Plan for the District Disaster Committees
*HAZARD SPECIFIC PLANS1. Hurricane Plan [Approved 1149/96] 2. Earthquake Plan3. Volcanic Eruption Plan4. Landslide Plan5. Oil Spill Contingency Plan6. Strategy on the Management of Used Oil7. Hazardous Materials Plan8. Hazard Mitigation Plan9. Response Plan for Refugees and Displaced Persons10. Maritime Search and Rescue Plan11. Land Search and Rescue Plan12. Drought Response Plan13. Flood Response Plan14. Fire Response Plan
*GOSL PLANS1. GOSL Continuity of Operations Plan [COOP] 2. The Ministry of Works Plan3. The Ministry of Health Plan4. Private Sector Response Plan5. Borderlais Prison Emergency Plan6. GFL Charles Airport Emergency Plan7. Hweanorra International Airport Emergency Plan8. Seaports Contingency Plan9. Guidelines for Debris Management in a Disaster10. Ministries of External Affairs - Guidelines in case of Disasters11. National Incident Management System [NIMS] Plan
*AGREEMENTS1. Articles Establishing the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency [CDERA] 2. St George’s Declaration of Principals3. Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations4. United Nations Millennium Goals5. Agreement Between Member States and Associate Members of The Association ofCaribbean States for Regional Cooperation on Natural Disasters
*LEGISLATION1. The National Emergency Powers Act (5/1995)2. The Disaster Preparedness & Response Act (13/2000)

PAHO on NEMO

In praise of Disaster Management in Saint Lucia, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has stated the following on its website.

"National Disaster Management is very active and well developed. Saint Lucia has achieved Disaster Management capabilities which other Caribbean countries can follow. Numerous agreements with the private sector, NGO's, Service Organizations, and neighbouring French Departments have been implemented. Health sector mitigation activities have begun and are expected to continue. St. Lucia has all possible disaster plans available and updated thanks to the National Emergency Management Office Saint Lucia" [http://www.disaster-info.net/carib/stlucia.htm Source]

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/slunemo/ NEMO website]