Damage Assessment Team: A priority for Dominica

Roseau, Dominica (June 8th, 2010):  Fifteen (15) more persons are now trained in Damage Assessment  & Needs Analysis (DANA), following a three-day advanced workshop held recently at the Dominica Red Cross Headquarters on Federation Drive in Goodwill.

The training session brought together senior Public Service officers, Dominica Red Cross Staff and Volunteers and personnel from the Dominica Public Works Corporation.  The majority of participants completed the 2-day Initial Damage Assessment Course held earlier this year and, having participated in this advanced course, would be better equipped to play an important part in any damage assessment exercise.

The workshop was facilitated by Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Cecil Shillingford, and funded by the United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) on the initiative of Mr. Shillingford.  He says DANA is the second most important component of disaster management, the first being shelter.  “We want to save lives, first and foremost, and then to be able to quantify the damage caused by an event so as to begin recovery work in the shortest possible time.  It’s also important for regional and international organizations who may be willing to assist the country as they would require a damage assessment report and it also involves a needs analysis and prioritizing of needs for the international community,” he added.  Co-facilitators included Francisca Joseph, Amonia Paul-Rolle, McMillan Cuffy and Ronald Simon from Grenada.

The workshop was held in preparation for the hurricane season but, moreover, for any incident that may occur that requires this particular type of intervention.  Mr. Shillingford added that, “Given the situation in Haiti where institutions there were either not in place or, if they were, unable to handle such an event or could not be activated quickly enough, it is my hope that the Government of Dominica, through the Office of Disaster Management (ODM), will establish a Damage Assessment Team and that there be a Damage Assessment Sub-committee of the National Emergency Planning Organization (NEPO) to ensure that all the key institutions which are required during a disaster are in place ahead of an event.  I will continue to seek assistance in holding these training courses so that we can have a pool of trained persons in various areas of disaster management.”

Areas covered included team work and DANA, the National Disaster Organization (NDO) and how DANA fits within the structure, coordination and administration, setting priorities and how to implement a DANA.

-PRESS RELEASE

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