Two Tropical Storms Hit Belize and Cause Worst Flooding in Years
 The first named storms for the 2008 Atlantic and Pacific hurricane seasons hit Belize simultaneously and extensively impacted the coastal and southern areas of the country with severe flash floods. Tropical Storm Alma developed on the Eastern Pacific on 27 May and Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, hit Belize on 31 May. (More)
Mass Casualty Management Instructors’ Course
 The MCM course focuses on the establishment and maintenance of a functional Mass Casualty Management System, as a mechanism for maximizing the saving of lives, preserving function and reducing suffering in a mass casualty incident. The course also emphasizes the importance of prompt response, early pertinent information-sharing, scene coordination and patient management by response agencies.
In response to a need for more instructors for the MCM course in the Caribbean region, to facilitate regular training and updates in the islands, and in keeping with one of the priorities from the 12th Health Disaster Coordinators Meeting held in Curacao in July 2007, PAHO/WHO will be hosting a series of MCM Instructors’ courses. The first of these train-the-trainers course will be held in Falmouth, Jamaica, 20 – 28 June 2008 and will provide twelve (12) persons from Belize, Bermuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad with the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct training in Mass Casualty Management, at the national and regional levels. Two (2) similar courses are being planned for the Caribbean before the end of 2008
Elderly in disasters
 Disasters are known to have a disproportionately high impact on the elderly. This is due to increased vulnerability from a variety of factors including chronic diseases, disability and multiple social factors. Globally, the proportion of older people is growing faster than any other age group. In 2000, one in ten or about 600 million people were 60 years or older. By 2050 this figure is expected to reach around 1.9 billion people. In the Caribbean, the UN estimates that the over 60 population will increase from 11.1% (4,500,000) in 2005 to 24.6% (12,400,000) in 2050 (figures include the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti). In recognition of these issues, PAHO has been exploring the issue of the elderly in disasters and proposes a strategy to support national disaster management mechanisms for identifying, preparing and responding to the specific needs of the elderly population in a disaster. A sub-regional workshop for the Caribbean on disasters and the elderly is planned for the 14 to 15 of July 2008 in the British Virgin Islands.
The New Caribbean Basin Wind Hazard Maps
 PAHO/WHO, together with Applied Research Associates, a North American institute, and participants from different Caribbean countries, have created maps that show wind hazards on Caribbean islands and along the Caribbean coasts of Central and South America. The project simulates 100,000 years of Atlantic storms using hurricane hazard models, historic records, and existing wind maps and will help in the design and construction of new health facilities. (More)
Wind Hazard Maps Training
 PAHO will hold a series of two day courses for public and private sector engineers, to promote the use of the new state-of-the-art wind hazard maps in the design and construction of health care facilities in the Caribbean. The courses are by invitation only and will include representatives from the private sector and the Ministries of Health and Works of the countries.
Schedule of upcoming trainings:
28 – 29 July: St. Lucia
18 – 19 August: British Virgin Islands
2 – 3 September: Bahamas |
