#Nassau, July 1, 2019 – Bahamas – The Bahamas,
through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA launched the first
National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment, a year-long programme to
measure disaster preparedness and risk.
Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon K Peter Turnquest delivered the
keynote address at the NDPBA kick-off ceremony at the British Colonial Hilton
held Wednesday, June 26, 2019.
The new
disaster management initiative also featured key speakers including the
Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell, the U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires
Stephanie Bowers, and Dr. Erin Hughey of the University of Hawaii’s Pacific
Disaster Center, among several other experts.
Following several consecutive
years of serious hurricane impacts, The Bahamas launched the NDPBA research
disaster risk, preparedness, and climate change in partnership with Pacific
Disaster Center (PDC)—a University of Hawaii applied science and research
center.
The Deputy Prime Minister upheld
the importance of the partnership, describing the yearlong NDPBA programme as
an imperative step towards risk reduction and true sustainability for The
Bahamas.
“We recall that within the past few years
alone, The Bahamas has been seriously affected by at least three major
hurricanes—all category four storms or above. The impact of Hurricanes Joaquin,
Matthew, and Irma on The Bahamas has been reported by the United Nations
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) to cost
approximately eight hundred and twenty million dollars,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister
emphasized that such a significant cost to an economy like The Bahamas is
unsustainable. “Through the NDPBA partnership, The Bahamas and PDC will work
together to address the unique disaster risks and sustainability challenges of
small island nations/states. The Baseline Assessment also creates an
opportunity for The University of The Bahamas Small Island Sustainability
Centre and Hawaii’s Institute for Sustainability and Resilience to collectively
study the most pressing questions and emerging threats related to climate change,”
he said.
Captain Russell also underscored
the importance of the baseline assessment to the overall national disaster plan
and the partnerships NEMA has developed over the years.
“As a strong nation of united family islands,
The Bahamas has leveraged its culture of resilience over hundreds of years to
adapt to and shape its changing environment. Through this longstanding
partnership with PDC and the Baseline Assessment program, The Bahamas can take
the next step in its journey of growth to address the challenges that we have
yet to face,” he said.
Captain Russell added that NEMA has
partnered with regional and international agencies for decades to enhance
mitigation, response, and recovery capabilities with the aim of long-term
national resilience.
“Over
the past 10 years, the partnership with PDC has helped to establish a brand new
National Emergency Operations Center, with trained and effective staff; it has
helped to implement the policies and protocols to effectively utilize this
resource; to improve communication between islands; and most importantly, to
support our brothers and sisters on the family islands,” said Captain Russell.
Such were similar sentiments echoed by U.S.
Embassy’s Charge d’Affaires Stephanie Bowers, who, during her opening ceremony
remarks said: “This international model for cooperation demonstrates how we can
leverage shared resources and expertise to build capacities and strengthen
stability. This initiative brings together our governments, universities, and
public-private sector partnerships to cooperate on one of the most challenging
issues of our time. By bringing together experts from across sectors, we can
bridge gaps in knowledge to reduce risk and find solutions to responding to
crises.”
And according to Dr. Hughey said
the National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment (NDPBA) is a program
started by PDC to help nations build resilience at the national and
sub-national level and to engage experts from across sectors to take part in
lowering disaster risk.
She noted that PDC is located in
one of the world’s most remote island chains and regularly faces extreme
threats from tropical cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, flash floods,
landslides, and wildfires.
“Out of necessity to protect its
own community, PDC has developed some of the most advanced disaster management
technology, science, and research methodologies which are applicable not only
on the Hawaiian Islands and in the continental United States, but in multiple
contexts everywhere around the world,” said Dr Hughey.
The kick-off workshop and knowledge
exchange for the baseline assessment was co-hosted by NEMA, the Bahamas
National Geographic Information Systems Centre (BNGISC), and PDC with funding
and support from the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).
The event drew participation by nearly 100
representatives from NEMA’s Emergency Support Function groupings across public,
private, academic, and nonprofit sectors. It was the beginning of
cross-sectoral engagement planned throughout the assessment. Using scientific
methodologies, the programme will also support The Bahamas’ Vision 2040
National Development Plan and international commitments to the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Press Release: NEMA
Captions:
Header: Nearly 100 representatives from NEMA’s Emergency Support Function groupings across public, private, academic, and nonprofit sectors attended the launching of the first National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment kickoff a year-long programme to measure disaster preparedness and risk. The ceremony was held at the British Colonial Hilton on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Opening ceremony speakers pictured front row from left are: Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell; CarolAnn Albury, Director, Bahamas National Geographic Information System; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon K Peter Turnquest; Stephanie Bowers, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy, Nassau; Dr. Erin Hughey of the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Disaster Center; and Bradley Golden, Humanitarian Assistance Programme Specialist with USNORTHCOM. (BIS Photo/Kristaan Ingraham)
First Insert: The Bahamas, through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA launched the first National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment, a year-long programme to measure disaster preparedness and risk. A kick-off ceremony was held at the British Colonial Hilton on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Pictured from left are Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell; CarolAnn Albury, Director, Bahamas National Geographic Information System; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon K Peter Turnquest; Stephanie Bowers, Charge d’Affaires, US Embassy, Nassau; Dr. Erin Hughey of the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Disaster Center; and Bradley Golden, Humanitarian Assistance Programme Specialist with USNORTHCOM. (PHOTO/NEMA/PDC)