We are currently in the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season and it is important for you to be prepared. Please see below list of the 2022 Atlantic Basin Names
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Why are tropical cyclones named?
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Tropical cyclones are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches, and warnings. Since the storms can often last a week or longer and that more than one can be occurring in the same basin at the same time, names can reduce the confusion about what storm is being described. According to Dunn and Miller (1960), the first use of a proper name for a tropical cyclone was by an Australian forecaster early in this century. He gave tropical cyclone names "after political figures whom he disliked. By properly naming a hurricane, the weatherman could publicly describe a politician (who perhaps was not too generous with weather-bureau appropriations) as 'causing great distress' or 'wandering aimlessly about the Pacific.'" (Perhaps this should be brought back into use ;-) During World War II, tropical cyclones were informally given women's names by US Army Air Corp and Navy meteorologists (after their girlfriends or wives) who were monitoring and forecasting tropical cyclones over the Pacific. From 1950 to 1952, tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean were identified by the phonetic alphabet (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc.), but in 1953 the US Weather Bureau switched to women's names. In 1979, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the US National Weather Service (NWS) switched to a list of names that also included men's names.
The Northeast Pacific basin tropical cyclones were named using women's names starting in 1959 for storms near Hawaii and in 1960 for the remainder of the Northeast Pacific basin. In 1978, both men's and women's names were utilized. The Northwest Pacific basin tropical cyclones were given women's names officially starting in 1945 and men's names were also included beginning in 1979. Beginning on 1 January 2000, tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific basin are being named from a new and very different list of names. The new names are Asian names and were contributed by all the nations and territories that are members of the WMO's Typhoon Committee. These newly selected names have two major differences from the rest of the world's tropical cyclone name rosters. One, the names by and large are not personal names.
CDEMA presently comprises nineteen (19) Participating States (PS): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Cayman Islands, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É, Belize, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Republic of Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands.
All CARICOM and Non-CARICOM Member States of the Caribbean region are eligible for CDEMA membership.
Please click on any marker below to view NDC contact information for each Participating State.
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Full Name :
Mr. Calvin Samuel
Job Title:
Director
Company:
Department of Disaster Management
BusinessÌýAddress:
Deputy Governor's Office James Ronald Webster Building P.O. Box 60 The Valley Anguilla
Telephone:
(264) 497-2926 ext 2424
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(264) 497-5666
Fax :
(264) 497-3134
Email:
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Website:
Full Name:
Mr. Sherrod James
Job Title:
Director (Ag)
Company:
National Office of Disaster Services
Business Address:
P.O. Box 1399 American Road St. John's Antigua and Barbuda
Telephone:
(268) 462-4206
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(268) 460-7075
Fax :
(268) 462-4742
Email:
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Website
Full Name :
Ms. Danielle Coleman
Job Title:
Director
Company:
Hazard Management Cayman Islands
Business Address:
Government Administration Building 133 Elgin Ave. Grand Cayman Cayman Islands
Telephone:
(345) 945-4624
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(345) 244-3143
Email:
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ÌýWebsite:
Full Name :
Mr. Fitzroy Pascal
Job Title:
National Disaster Coordinator (Ag)
Company:
Office of Disaster Management
Business Address:
c/o Ministry of Public Utilities Post Office Building Bayfront Roseau Dominica
Telephone:
(767) 448-7777
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(767) 266-5234
Fax :
(767) 448-2883
Email:
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Full Name :
Mr. Terence Walters
Job Title:
National Disaster Coordinator
Company:
National Disaster Management Agency
Business Address:
Fort Frederick Mt. Wheldale St. Georges Grenada
Telephone
(473) 440-8390 ext. 63009
(473) 405-0110
Fax :
(473) 440-6674
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Major Loring Benons
Job Title:
Director General (Ag)
Company:
Civil Defense Commission
Business Address:
Camp Ayangauna Annex Thomas Lands Georgetown Guyana
Telephone:
(592) 226-1114 /7
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(592) 226-8815
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(592) 226-9201
Fax :
(592) 226-1027
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Dr. Jerry Chandler
Job Title:
Director
Company:
Directorate of Civil Protection
Business Address:
Ministere de I'lnterieur Rue de La Reunion Port au Prince, Haiti
Telephone:
(509) 3702-4929
Email:
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Website:
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Full Name :
Mr.ÌýRichard Thompson
Job Title:
Director General
Company:
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
Business Address:
2-4 Haining Road Kingston 5 Jamaica
Telephone:
(876) 906-9674
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(876) 906-9675
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(876) 754-9077
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(876) 754-9078
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(876) 906-9299
Fax :
(876) 754-3229
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Major. Alvin Ryan
Job Title:
Director (Ag)
Company:
Disaster Management Coordination Agency
Business Address:
Yellow Hill Road St. John's Montserrat
Telephone:
(664) 491-7166/7161
Fax :
(664) 491-2465
Email:
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Website:
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Full Name :
Mr. Abdias Samuel
Job Title:
National Disaster Coordinator
Company:
National Disaster Management Agency
Business Address:
P.O. Box 181 Lime Kiln Basseterre St. Kitts and Nevis
Telephone:
(869) 466-5100
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Fax :
(869) 466-5310
Email:
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ÌýWebsite:
Full Name :
Ms. Maria Medard
Job Title:
Director (Ag)
Company:
National Emergency Management Organization
Business Address:
Bisee Castries Saint Lucia
Telephone:
(758) 452-3802
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(758) 468-2126
Fax :
(758) 453-2152
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Ms Michelle Forbes
Job Title:
Director
Company:
National Emergency Management Organisation
Business Address:
Ministry of National Security Old Montrose Kingstown St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Telephone:
(784) 456-2975
Fax :
(784) 457-1691
Email:
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Website:
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Full Name :
Major General (Ret'd) Rodney Smart
Job Title:
Chief Executive OfficerÌý
Company:
Office of Disaster Preparedness & Management
Business Address:
No.4A Orange Grove Road Trincity Tacarigua Trinidad and Tobago
Telephone:
(868) 640-1285
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(868) 640-8905
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(868) 640-8653
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(868) 640-6493
Fax :
(868) 640-8988
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Allison Gordon, MSc.
Job Title:
Director
Company:
Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies
Business Address:
South Base Grand Turk Turks & Caicos Islands
Telephone:
(649) 338 4039
Fax :
(649) 946-1230
Email:
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Website:
Full Name :
Colonel Jerry Slinjgard
Job Title:
Coordinator
Company:
National Coordination Center For Disaster Relief (NCCR)
Business Address:
Ministry of Defense Kwattaweg #29, Paramaribo Suriname
Telephone:
(597) 52 0840 / 42 6416
Fax :
(597) 47 4320
Email:
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The CDEMA Coordinating Unit (CU) has advanced the process of improving accountability through the development of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Monitor. The CDM monitor is a tool for facilitating the monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the 2014-2024 CDM Strategy. Reports will be generated using the CDM Monitor to aid in decision-making.
Geo-Spatial data is an important asset which, among many other applications, forms essential basis for informing decisions by a large multitude of stakeholders before, during and after disasters. CDEMA has started using a SpatialEdge platform to dynamically pull tropical storm hazard data from National Hurricane Center as well as earthquake hazard analysis in real time. While there are a few applications that provide the visualization of this type, we are further upping the ante to use these dynamic data in evaluating impact on population and exposure, at real time.
Realizing the importance of spatial data, several Caribbean countries have begun to create a conducive environment in developing and managing spatial data. For instance, through the CHARIM Project, a number of resources have been developed including, training materials, landslide and flood hazards maps, and risks information for use in disaster risk reduction planning and decision-making.
A number of model and guidance tools including: standards, guidelines, manuals, procedures and policies have been developed by the CDEMA CU on various DRM and CCA matters. These tools were developed for Participating States to adapt to their specific needs and are made available for stakeholders to access and utilize as necessary. The wider DRM and CCA partners’ network have also developed knowledge products and documents that are also useful in risk management and fact-based the decision making.
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The Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS) is a multi-faceted virtual platform that hosts risk management data and information accessible to stakeholders to facilitate analysis, research, greater awareness of risk management and climate change adaptation in the region. The CRIS contributes to the region’s sustainable development efforts by enhancing and strengthening disaster risk and climate change information sharing to drive evidence based decision making processes at all levels.
In order to improve information and knowledge sharing throughout the CDEMA system, the CRIS provides access to information on all hazards including climate induced hazards and how to reduce risk from disasters to build disaster resilient states and promote regional sustainable development. The CRIS therefore facilitates the delivery of the CDEMA Clearing House function as articulated in the Agreement Establishing the CDEMA.
CRIS is the primary mechanism envisioned by CDEMA in fulfilling its mandate…
Agreement Establishing CDEMA – Article XIII ‘to provide a clearing house for relevant information and intelligence on all matters relating to disasters including current research being undertaken in all related regional institutions.’
CDM Strategy (2014-2024) – Pillar 2 ‘increasing knowledge management and learning for informed decision-making’
There have been a number of initiatives embarked on to produce a similar result but over time very few have survived or remained functional. This often results from:
Lack of data and information sharing protocols among agencies
Lack of standardization (minimum) of datasets leading to incompatibility of databases to facilitate research etc
Irregular or un-sustained hosting capacities
Poor access to data and information
Limited understanding of use of data and information
Lack of understanding of mandates that leads to duplication of systems among agencies
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{slider title="CRIS - An Integrated Platform?" open="false" class="icon"}
CRIS is an integrated platform that facilitates the sharing of information among stakeholders in DRM and CCA to ensure better execution in preparedness and response as well as contribute to effective development-oriented planning.
The following diagram (Figure 1) illustrates the key components of the CRIS:
The CRIS architecture will include data/information from various sources. These sources could be the producers of data or existing hosts of data/information. Such sources include but are not limited to Participating States, other national and regional DRM & CCA entities, international partners; academic/technical institutions; DRM & CCA programme/projects etc. By fulfilling its clearing house mandate, the CDEMA CU will gather and make available data/information accessible for all relevant stakeholders through the CRIS platform.
Please see below Figure 2, which highlights the initial structure of the CRIS architecture. Ìý
Queries from prospective tenderers on the RFP #: UNICEF/9070/17 will be accepted by the CDEMA Coordinating Unit until 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, June 19, 2017. Responses to these queries will be posted to the CDEMA website on Wednesday, June 21, 2017. All queries should be forwarded electronically to the following addresses:
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The Caribbean is the second most hazard prone region in the world; and, it has been reported over the last decade that the region suffered annual losses estimated at US$3 billion . Diverse hazards affect the region and include those which are categorized as hydro-meteorological, seismic, geological, biological and man-made. With respect to climate related hazards, the extent of these damages due to current climate variability (short term impact) is already evident and is expected to increase with climate change (longer term impact). The impact of global climate change poses a significant threat to the region’s development as evident in the experiences of affected Participating States over the years. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) recognizes the inextricable linkage between climate change and natural disasters and development. Disasters disrupt livelihoods and directly impact social and economic advancement, which makes it more difficult for countries in the region to spur sustainable development.
Outcome 2 of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM Strategy) 2014-2017 speaks to the need for enhanced knowledge management to understand disaster risk through the sharing of information and knowledge. At the global level, this is mirrored in Priority one of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). Disasters exacerbate existing vulnerabilities including those associated with poverty. As such, it is important that appropriate knowledge, science and data are available to provide an evidence base for development decision making. Against this backdrop, and on the heels of the historic Climate Change Conference – COP21 held in Paris, December 2015, it is critical for the Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean to adopt and integrate climate change resilience and disaster risk reduction in development. In order to achieve this, improved access to information on all hazards including climate induced hazards and how to reduce risk from disasters is paramount for knowledge based decision making to build disaster resilient states and promote sustainable development.
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2. WHAT IS THE CARIBBEAN RISK INFORMATION SYSTEM (CRIS)?
The Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS) is a multi-faceted virtual platform that hosts risk management data and information accessible to stakeholders to facilitate analysis, research, greater awareness of risk management and climate change adaptation in the region. The CRIS contributes to the region’s sustainable development efforts by enhancing and strengthening disaster risk and climate change information sharing to drive evidence based decision making processes at all levels.
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3. RATIONALE FOR ESTABLSIHING THE CRIS
CDEMA recognizes that there is need for improved understanding of the present and future vulnerabilities to climate change as articulated in the Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change. The Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy (2014-2024) also identifies the need for generating the evidence required to increase information and knowledge associated with hazards, climate change, disasters and disaster related matters. CDM advocates a holistic approach to DRR and CCA and addresses all hazards, all peoples and sectors. An overarching pillar of the CDM agenda is increasing knowledge management and learning for informed decision making. To this end, a series of stakeholder consultations were facilitated between March 2015 and August 2015 to solicit the views of key partners in development and disaster risk management (DRM) on how best CDEMA could advance the sharing of information and knowledge. Key partners and stakeholders including members of CDEMA’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) and the Physical and Environmental Planning Sector Sub-Committee (PEPSSC) identified the need for better understanding and contextualizing of disaster risks in the region. This pointed to the need to develop a system that would provide for accessing, analyzing, researching data and information on DRR and CCA.
Therefore, the CRIS as an integrated platform facilitates the sharing of information among stakeholders in DRM and CCA to ensure better execution in preparedness and response as well as contribute to effective development-oriented planning.
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a. General Challenges in Coordinating Fact Based Information Systems
There have been a number of initiatives embarked on to produce a similar result but over time very few have survived or remained functional. This often results from:
Lack of data and information sharing protocols among agencies
Lack of standardization (minimum) of datasets leading to incompatibility of databases to facilitate research etc
Irregular or un-sustained hosting capacities
Poor access to data and information
Limited understanding of use of data and information
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4. STRUCTURE OF THE CRIS
The CRIS comprises information and data gathered from various sources. Stakeholders in the CDEMA system are encouraged to share information and knowledge in DRR and CCA.
Specifically the CRIS:
Provides access to DRM and CCA information developed internally by CDEMA and externally by regional and international development partners;
Maintains a repository of key disaster risk management documents for each CDEMA Participating States including policies, plans, procedures;
Provides access to geospatial data with specific focus of demonstrating how risk information can be incorporated into developing hazard specific maps and aid development-oriented planning;
Maintains project reports to assist in research and information sharing;
Support the online monitoring and evaluation system that will promote the results based performance management approach adopted by CDEMA for delivery on the CDM and;
The following diagram (Figure 1) illustrates the key sources of information to be shared via the CRIS.Ìý
5. BENEFICIARIESÌý
The primary beneficiaries will be CDEMA Participating States particularly actors in the National Disaster Organisations, staff of the Coordinating Unit and DRM and CCA partners. These groups will benefit directly from the articulation and development of the CRIS. Private sector agencies, students and individuals may also benefit from accessing the platform.
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6. EXPECTED RESULTS
The Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS) meets the requirements of its primary stakeholders
Information portals of the CDEMA Coordinating Unit strengthened for efficient collection of and easier access to current and relevant resources pertaining to DRR and CCA
Promotion of the CRIS within the CDEMA system towards strengthening information sharing for informed decision making on CDM
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7. GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
The developing and hosting of the CRIS will be guided, inter alia, by values of excellence, equity, participatory approaches, accountability and transparency.
CDM as the basis
CDEMA as Custodian – Coordinating Unit role:
I. Building those components which fall under the CDEMA’s remit for developmentÌý II. Fostering the environment for the maintenance of information led by other agencies III. Encouraging the enabling environment for those areas which fall under other agencies which need to be built or developed from the start
Regional Ownership - Sources of information and responsible entities for the CRIS are multiple. As such, partners are key repositories of existing information and data. Partners will retain responsibility for areas that under their purview and mandate.
Build upon existing elements eg. CDEMA’s virtual library; DEWETRA, GEONODE; CHARiM; DESINVENTAR
Accessible to all - levels of access will apply to certain categories of information
