1. BVI MITIGATION PROGRAMME
C D E R A
C A R I C O M
U N D P
Disaster Emergency Response
Management Systems Project
BVI MITIGATION PROGRAMME By
Donovan Gentles
INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGER
CDERA
BACKGROUND: The BVI’s Disaster Management Programme was designed to be holistic and comprehensive in order to raise the level of awareness, preparedness and planning not only for hurricanes but also for the other hazards that the Territory is prone to.
The work prog of the ODP was designed with this mission in mind under four programme areas:
Hazard Mitigation
Welfare Services
Emer. Resp and Telecomms
Pub. Educ, Info. & Training
Perhaps the weakest area was Hazard Mitigation --- hence the HRAP
BVI fortunate ….project to form basis/foundation for mitigation prog rather that the opposite.

2. THE NATIONAL DISASTER STRUCTURE
GOVERNOR
EXCO
NEAC NEEC
ODP
I&T HEALTH EMER. OPS & TELECOMMS MIT & DAM MPAG
WELFARE ROAD CLEAR FIN & ADMIN

3. ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
MANAGEMENT OF ODP
EMER. OPS & LOGISTICS
NATIONAL DISASTER
COORDINATOR
CLERICAL OFFICER
TYPING, FILING
ORGANISING MEETINGS
DISASTER PREP
OFFICER
EMER. TELE
OFFICER
INFO & TRNG
MANAGER
SNR. EXEC
OFFICER
WELFARE & RELIEF
DISTRICT ACTIVITIES
MANAGE RADIO RM
TELECOMMS
TRAINING
PUBLIC EDUC & PUBLICATIONS
INFO. PROCESSING
OFFICE MGMT
VOTE BOOK
PERSONNEL

4. PUBLIC EDUC., INFO. & TRAINING EMER. RESPONSE & TELECOMMS
WORK PROGRAMME
HAZARD MITIGATION
SHELTER PROGRAMME
PUBLIC EDUC., INFO. & TRAINING
EMER. RESPONSE & TELECOMMS

5. BVI MITIGATION PROGRAMME
OUTPUTS
National policy
Mitigation Plan
Mitigation Legislation
Institutional Framework
Mitigation Projects
It was determined that in order to arrive at the desired outputs these areas would have to be addressed. The outputs must inform these areas.
National Policy to provide overall direction
Mitigation Plan to provide framework identifying linkages with other sectors, key players etc.

6. BVI MITIGATION PROGRAMME
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
To Reduce the Impacts From Natural and Man-made Disasters
Secondary obj. - to reduce impacts of Technological disasters, complex disasters. Project did not consider these classes of disasters but more the traditional ones

7. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
Identify Hazards
Estimate Potential Losses
Develop Strategies
Identify hazards that territory is susceptible to
Estimate potential losses in Economic and physical sectors
Fashion strategies which would counteract impacts identified

8. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
METHODOLOGY
Use of Geographic Information System
Consultants
Multi-agency Collaboration
Disaster Management Database
Deliberate strategy to use GIS platform from the outset rather than the conventional ways of conducting assessment. Both Arcview and Idrisi were used
Used practicing experts who are currently developing methodologies used - cutting edge
Involved all relevant local agencies - consultations, information sharing, providing resources

9. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
ACTIVITIES
Multi-hazard Mapping
Inventory of Risks Elements
Vulnerability and Risk Analyses
Mitigation Strategies

10. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
INVENTORY OF RISK ELEMENTS
Population centers
Essential Services
Major infrastructure
Public & Lifeline Facilities
Economic Activity
Sought to inventorise critical elements of economy that could potentially be at risk from hazards identified
In carrying out the inventory existing digital maps from T&CPD were used then ground truthed in the field. Maps were updated. Uniquecodes and categories were designed which makes the process of identifying individual features and hence quickly costing and damage to them.
Refer to chap 7 - Inventory maps

11. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS
Field Surveys
Establish Vulnerability
Produce Maps
Vulnerability was established by assigning categories of risk. Standard practice
Refer to Chap 8. Invite planners to look at classification of Buildings

12. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
RISK ASSESSMENT
Calculation of Risks
Production of Risk Maps depicting levels of Risk
Loss estimation:
The total value (replacement cost) of each building in the Road Town Area was calculated. $97M for residential and $128M for commercial buildings
Total estimated potential BVI losses = US$450M (Building damage from Hurricanes)

13. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
MITIGATION STRATEGIES
Share Project Results
Joint Strategies
Establish Standards
Guidelines for Development Planning
Share project results to achieve integration with other key stake holders
Joint strategies with those agencies who have some developmental function to ensure that recommendations are incorporated.
Agree on standards across the board with which all agencies concerned would work with
Strategies to inform development guidelines as they are developed

14. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
OUTPUTS
Final Report
Disaster Management
Long-term Development Planning
Linking of Databases
* Show final report
Quote some of the mitigation strategies and recommendations
Real time application for disaster managers - interactive database, overlaying of different variables and attributes
Recommendations to inform long term development planning
Database developed will be incorporated into T&CPD data set. Other agencies such as Cons & Fish, BVIELEC and NPT also integrated.

15. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT MITIGATION STRATEGIES
for existing structures
Relocate structures
Protect Structures
Retrofitting
General Mitigation Strategies
Report goes on to make recommendations for mitigation of specific hazards

16. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
MITIGATION STRATEGIES CONT’D
for future development
Location
Protection
Hazard Resistant Design

17. BVI MITIGATION PROJECT
IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX
AGENCY
ACTIVITY
TCPD
PWD
PVT L Ss Sp
RELOCATION L Ss
RETROFIT
L = LEAD AGENCY Ss = SECONDARY Sp = SUPPORTING