Preparing for hurricane season in the midst of a pandemic
Key takeaways from the CGI Action Network’s recent convening on disaster response in the context of COVID-19.
Communities around the world have been examining their own emergency relief plans as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the Caribbean, COVID-19 has created a compounding crisis with the upcoming hurricane season. Many islands, like Puerto Rico and Dominica, have been forced to reconcile numerous impending crises — keeping residents safe and healthy while responding to an ongoing public health crisis; bolstering an economy highly dependent on tourism that was shaken by recent disasters; and preparing for the upcoming hurricane season which could create even more emergency response needs.
Balancing all these needs is incredibly challenging for leaders in the region. To help, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Action Network and partners launched a virtual convening this month to discuss how islands can prepare for the hurricane season right around the corner.
Build support networks across the region
Elizabeth Riley, acting executive director, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency; and Dr. Joy St. John, executive director, Caribbean Public Health Agency spoke about disaster management and public health for all the nations that are part of CARICOM.
Both shared how COVID-19 has tested regional coordination mechanisms for disaster response and securing that these mechanisms are ready to be leveraged in time for the next emergency. They expressed the need to double down on mutual support between Caribbean nations, given the lessened ability of international groups and other nations to provide support this year due to COVID-19.
“The regional arrangements are already in place, in fact, we’ve had this [Regional Response Mechanism] for over 20 years and it’s tried and tested. What COVID-19 has done is really to reiterate and allow us to refocus on those principles of regional solidarity, regional cooperation, partnership, and also self-reliance.” — Elizabeth Riley, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
“The most effective thing that we can do to save lives and alleviate suffering, whether it’s a hurricane or earthquake, is to build and strengthen local disaster preparedness and local disaster management capacity.” (Ky Luu, IMC)
Don’t ignore the mental health toll
Dr. Yassel Ambert from the University of Puerto Rico spoke to the growing mental health needs in wake of the compounding emergencies of Hurricane Maria, recent earthquakes in the region, and the impact of COVID-19 in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Ambert also spoke to how their Proyecto PATRIA program is ensuring services remain free and accessible by doing training sessions and outreach online, creating a free hotline for Psychological First Aid for the communities they work with, and transitioning their team to teletherapy.
“Work continuity is fundamental for organizations like ours that provide psychological aid to people affected by disasters — that’s why preparedness is fundamental.”
Rethink the design of shelters
Denisse Solis joined from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to share tangible guidelines for how collective shelter practices should be amended this hurricane season to prevent the spread of COVID-19. She explained how organizations can work to redesign traditional shelter spaces to be able to isolate patients with symptoms upon arrival.
Brennan Banks from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy reflected, “we will have to treat every hurricane response this year as a health emergency as well.”
Look to renewable energy as a way to support local communities
Alejandra Castrodad-Rodríguez, acting executive director of Resilient Power Puerto Rico highlighted the importance of removing barriers and increasing equitable access to the tools and resources for underserved communities to develop microgrid projects.
“COVID in many ways has magnified weaknesses and vulnerability to disasters and crisis. As with other disasters, renewable, sustainable, knowledge-driven industries should be part of the regional economic strategy. It is fundamental that solar and green economy, and sustainable development, will have to explicitly be driven by investment based on local needs, interests of the vision of communities…The development of renewables must be inclusive of communities and supporting small and medium organizations locally — only way renewable energy has multiplier effects in the economy and is a catalyst for equitable development instead of exacerbating inequity.”
Focus on food security and meeting people’s immediate needs
Nicola Shirley Phillips, community economic development specialist, Jamaica Diaspora Agriculture Taskforce Action Network (JDTAN) offered insights on how the pandemic has attracted significant interest to JDTAN, which aims to support smallholders in the production of organic food as people were more interested in health, boosting immunity, and clean eating.
Their work to support food production through permaculture, organic farming, and backyard farming offers both short and long-term resiliency solutions to communities in the Caribbean overcoming the shocks from COVID-19 and preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.
“We learned a lot from Maria — two big things — communications is essential, need to have contingencies for their contingencies. Also, the importance of collaboration. Every crisis allows us to get something positive out of it. Competitors started working together as everyone was focusing on getting the needs met and not the petty business issues.” — Ivonne Gómez, Human Resources Director, Supermercados Econo
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