The Jamaica Red Cross (JRC) has years of experience in Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management, with involvement in all stages of the Disaster Risk Management cycle in Jamaica (Preparedness, Mitigation, Response and Recovery). This allows us to apply our wealth of knowledge and expertise to assist our partners and stakeholders in building their resilience and reducing their risks to disasters.
To strengthen the capacity of organizations and/or individuals to better prepare for hazard impacts and to prevent or reduce the possibility of disasters and operational disruptions. The training also aims to build or stimulate a culture or preparedness, deepen the understanding of the disaster risk management cycle and foster practical application of knowledge for risk reduction. The training is also focused on improving capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from the most common natural hazards to which Jamaican businesses, organizations and homes are most at risk.
Jamaica is the third most exposed country in the world to multiple hazards, with over 96 percent of the country’s GDP and population at risk from two or more hazards. Its primary risks are linked to hazards including hurricanes, floods, droughts, earthquakes, storm surges, and landslides. High exposure is attributed to the country’s location in the Atlantic Hurricane Belt, the geophysical orientation of its low-lying coastal zones, and its mountainous topography. The Jamaican territory is also crossed by five major fault lines, including the Plantain Garden Fault Zone, which triggered the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Climate change models predict Jamaica could be impacted by an increased frequency of catastrophic natural events because of heightened surface temperatures and global sea level rise. Adverse natural events in Jamaica regularly impact livelihoods, destroy infrastructure, and disrupt the provision of essential services.
With all aspects of Jamaican life vulnerable to the impacts of natural hazards, the Jamaica Red Cross (JRC) whose mandate is to alleviate human suffering has a keen interest in helping Organizations, Communities and Individuals to reduce their risks to disasters and to engender a national culture of preparedness. The JRC, a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has over 75 years of fore-front experience in Disaster Risk Management in Jamaica, serving as an auxiliary to the Government of Jamaica in protecting and safeguarding human life, dignity and livelihoods. The Jamaica Red Cross’ experience in Disaster Planning, Preparedness, Response and Recovery, working with both
2 Organizations and local communities make us the ideal partner to support capacity building in these critical areas.
The training offered by the JRC covers a critical basic sensitization on disaster risk management, which lays the foundation for understanding the necessary concepts as well as specific courses on the main hazards to which the country is most at risk. A brief outline on each training offering is outlined below:
The full suite of training is offered in approximately 8 hours, with individual courses ranging between 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. The full suite may be offered within a day or shared among sessions.
Face-to-Face is most suitable, however, online deliveries are possible
The Disaster Risk Management Training Suite is especially tailored to build capacities of public bodies, corporate companies, civil society groups, service clubs, educational institutions, community-based organizations and other entities.
It is recommended that no more than twenty (20) persons be trained in any one session, to allow for maximum effectiveness of training and assimilation, including the facilitation of activities etc.
This course is the basic foundation for understanding disaster risk management and seeks to raise understanding of critical concepts such as hazards, exposure, vulnerability, capacity and disasters among others. The understanding of the basic concepts offered are essential for organizational and personal preparedness, with the disaster risk management cycle and its main components a major point of focus.
This course is recommended to precede any of the hazard specific courses. For example, if an organization is only interested in a training on earthquake safety, the basic DRM course is recommended as a precursory course.
Time: 2 ½ hours | Cost: $50,000
The basic earthquake safety course explores Jamaica’s vulnerability to seismic events and deepen understanding of important earthquake terms. The content also covers earthquake preparedness tips for organizations, homes and individuals as well as how to respond during earthquakes in different situations such as being indoors, outdoors, while driving etc. It also covers how to prepare for and respond to secondary earthquake hazards such as Tsunamis. Instructions of how to plan and execute an earthquake drill is also highlighted.
Time: 1 ½ hours | Cost: $50,000
This course analyses the basic components of hurricane development, behaviour, threats and vulnerabilities, creating a better understanding of the hazard. The training covers institutional and individual preparedness for hurricanes as well as key response actions to take immediately before, during and after hurricane impacts. It also covers critical flood safety tips, including response to flash flooding for personal and organizational safety.
Time: 1 ½ hours | Cost: $50,000
Participants in this training course examine the main causes and effects of land slippages, which are second only to floods as a major cause of destruction and loss of lives in Jamaica. The course also covers critical landslide preparedness and response actions, including warning signs and after impact actions. The course also covers mitigation measures which may be employed to reduce the risks of land slippages.
Time: 1 ½ hours | Cost: $50,000
This course explores and raise awareness on the basics of climate change, including important definitions as well as the main causes of the phenomenon. The main climate change trends or impacts affecting Jamaica are explored in detail, examining impacts on life, people and business operations as well as the impacts of climate change on the exasperation of natural hazards. The course also examines organizational as well as individual actions which can be taken to adapt to climate change impacts and to mitigate the causes of climate change.
Time: 2 hours | Cost: $50,000
The Full suite of training courses (Basic Disaster Risk Management, Earthquake, Hurricane and Flood, Landslide and Drought & Heat Safety Trainings) can be accessed for a special rate of $200,000. This will require 6-8 hours, which may be in a single day or shared across two or three sessions, depending on
desires of the client.
For training and capacity building in disaster risk management, contact the Jamaica Red Cross today!
We are ready to serve you.
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