IOM partners with Local Government to train shelter managers

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has partnered with the Local Government Division to host a “Workshop for Emergency Shelter Managers on Developing Operations Plans for Emergency Shelters”, which will improve the capacity of Shelter Managers to use the Emergency Shelter Management Manual and created their own their Operational Plans.

The 12-month project “Improving Resilience by Strengthening Disaster Preparedness in Dominica”, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with funding from the American People, is contributing toward the improvement of the capacity of the Government of Dominica to manage the response of disaster-related mobility and strengthen the inclusivity of disaster risk reduction and management strategies.

The initiative is also supporting the efforts outlined by the National Resilience Development Strategy—particularly the Government’s aim to ‘strengthen the capacity of national and local officials, particularly at the community levels on disaster-risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and hazard resilience.’

Specifically, the project is working to ensure that seven  community collective  centres  are rehabilitated, over  50 community emergency shelters have enough security and essential equipment;  and people of communities who are living around collective centres are informed and prepared for different disaster scenarios.

As part of the improved preparedness, IOM has committed to training 150 community-level first responders.   The IOM says when this training is completed, the objective is that the capacity of these shelter managers to complete their Emergency Shelter Operational Plans would have been improved, therefore enabling this group of first responders to be better prepared if and when they are called on to open their shelters in the event of an emergency.

The Climate Resilience Executing Agency of Dominica (CREAD) will also be presenting their design for the Regional Emergency Shelter to be constructed in the Kalinago Territory, for review and comments from the shelter managers, as an operational group that could give good feedback based on their experience.