A one-week baseline assessment workshop began today at the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) to review Montserrat’s Emergency Management Standard.

The assessment is being conducted by members of the Emergency Management Accreditation Program (EMAP) in the USA. EMAP is an independent non-profit organization that fosters excellence and accountability in emergency management and programs by establishing credible standards in a peer-reviewed accreditation process.

The workshop evaluates Montserrat’s disaster management programme to see where it meets EMAP standards and to look at areas for improvement to strengthen the island’s emergency preparedness measures and response capabilities efficiently and effectively.

This week’s activity is critical and timely due to an increase in catastrophic natural disasters caused by climate change.

The Emergency Management Standard covers Program Management, Administration and Finance, and Laws and Authorities; Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Consequence Analysis; Hazard Mitigation, Prevention; Continuity Planning and Procedures; Operational Planning and Procedures; Incident Management; Resource Management; Mutual Aid and Logistics; Communications and Warning; Facilities; Training; Exercises, Evaluations and Corrective Action and Emergency Public Education and Information.

The workshop is bringing together disaster management stakeholders from the Montserrat Fire and Rescue Services, Customs, Montserrat Port Authority, Royal Montserrat Defence Force, Royal Montserrat Police Service, John A Osborne Airport, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and the Environment, Ministry of Finance, Public Works Department and Montserrat Red Cross.

The workshop, which runs from Monday, 19 February to Friday, 23 February 2024, is sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) and hosted by DMCA.