Urgent action needed to reduce impact of disasters, says TTRCS

Thousands of lives and billions of dollars could be saved every year  if a fraction of the funds pumped into major headline grabbing  disasters were spent on minimising the effects of natural hazards such  as landslides, earthquakes and hurricanes on vulnerable people.

Looking back only a year to last year’s hurricane season, which brought  27 hurricanes to the Caribbean affecting 14 countries, 1.3 million  people and caused economic losses in the area of US$255 billion.

The message for this year’s International Day of Disaster Reduction is  that lives and livelihoods can be saved and the economic impact of a  disaster eased, if more is done in the field of disaster reduction from  the government, the NGO’s and from within the communities itself.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society (TTRCS) passionately believes that  a major factor to reducing the impact of disasters lie within the  ommunities themselves. Our unique network of community-based 
volunteers offer the best way to pass on to vulnerable communities the  knowledge and skills they need to mitigate the impact of catastrophes.
These persons are there before the disaster strikes; in the immediate  aftermath before international teams arrive; and long after they have  left,” says Dr. Allan Bachan, TTRCS board member, speaking on the occasion of the International Day of Disaster Reduction.

The TTRCS is involved with building capacity in  local communities throughout the country, and prepare people for natural  and man-made disasters. This Community Based Disaster Preparedness  leaves communities stronger and more able to deal with disasters. 

There is, however, a need for everyone to pull together on this issue. Dr. Allan Bachan emphasises: “Working to reduce risks means developing regulatory measures which include risk reduction at national, regional and community levels, in  plans, policies, legislation, programmes and strategies. It also means promoting education and awareness, establishing early warning systems and applying building codes strictly, concentrating especially on the most vulnerable populations,” Dr. Bachan said.

Mr. Scott Muizneiks, TTRCS Director of Disaster Management added “It is imperative that our national community as a whole understands the need to work together in preparing for and to mitigate against disasters in our region.”