Supporting disaster preparedness in Antigua and Barbuda

Following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Irma, Baastel partnered with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to strengthen disaster preparedness and recovery efforts. This initiative aimed to revise the National Disaster Management Plan and develop a Social Sector Disaster Management Plan to strengthen resilience across the country.

Scope of work

Review of the National Disaster Management Plan:

• Review of existing framework and identification of hazards through detailed analysis and profiling
• Facilitate local consultation workshops to test and evaluate the revised plan
• Identify training needs and implement public education and awareness programs

Developing the social sector disaster management plan:

• Addressing gaps in the national disaster management framework
• Developing evacuation procedures and a post-disaster socio-economic needs assessment toolkit
• Develop an integrated social sector plan and M&E framework to track results
• Convened a stakeholder validation workshop with capacity building and communication training

Results

Revised plans are socially inclusive and gender-responsive, ensuring equitable and effective disaster management and relief:

• Strengthened disaster preparedness and response strategies tailored to local needs
• Increased community engagement and awareness through workshops and training programs
• Improved frameworks for post-disaster socio-economic assessments to support faster recovery efforts

Impact of Hurricane Irma

On September 6, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall in Barbuda as a Category 5 storm, causing catastrophic damage to the island and severely impacting health, education, and other basic social services. In response, the country received a $29 million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank to rebuild critical infrastructure. The Government of Canada also provided support to help implement the recovery program.

Related Service(s)

• Strategic Planning, Design & Research

Related Impact Area(s)

• Social
• Environmental
• Economic