Turks and Caicos Islands

4.7. Comprehensive Natural Disaster Management
4.7.1. History of Disaster Management Globally
Though natural hazards have been affecting populations and interrupting both natural and human
processes for millennia, only in the last several decades have concerted efforts to manage and respond to
their impacts on human populations and settlements become a priority. Most recently, these efforts have
been informed by work at the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), a United Nations agency
for disaster reduction created after the 1990s International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. After
several years of reporting on hazards and impacts, the ISDR created the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)
in 2005. This strategy aimed at preparing for and responding to disasters was adopted by many countries in
order to address a growing concern over the vulnerability of humans and their settlements. The HFA took
the challenges identified through disaster management research and practice and created five priorities:
Priority #1: Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and local priority with a strong
institutional basis for implementation
Priority #2: Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning.
Priority #3: Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at
all levels
Priority #4: Reduce the underlying risk factors.
Priority #5: Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective response at all levels.
(ISDR, 2005)
Extensive elaboration of each priority is beyond the scope of this report. However, there are some key
points to discuss before moving forward to a discussion of the local disaster management context. Priority
#1 of the HFA can be thought of as the foundation for hazard and disaster management.
Given that governance and institutions also play a critical role in reducing disaster risk,…fully
engaging environmental managers in national disaster risk management mechanisms, and
incorporating risk reduction criteria into environmental regulatory frameworks [are key options for
improving how institutions address disaster-related issues] (UNEP, 2007, p. 15).
The Hyogo Framework suggests strengthening effective and flexible institutions for enforcement and
balancing of competing interests (UNEP, 2007).
Priority #2 focuses on spatial planning to identify inappropriate development zones, appropriate buffer
zones, land uses or building codes and the use of technology to model, forecast and project risks (UNEP,
2007, p. 15). The development of technology for mapping, data analysis, modelling and measurement of
hazard information offers decision makers a much better understanding of the interaction hazards have
with their economy and society.
Priority #3 encourages the promotion and integration of hazard education within schools to spread
awareness of the risks and vulnerability to the individuals of at-risk communities. This relates to climate
change awareness as well. The countries of the Caribbean, including TCI, not only face annual hazards, but
will also be directly affected by changes in sea levels, more extreme temperatures and other predicted
climate changes. By educating children, hazard information will be transferred to adults and basic
knowledge about threats and proper response to hazards, as well as climate change, can help improve
community-level resilience. It is important that hazard and climate change awareness be promoted within
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