ODPM- The Chapel of Ease Anglican Church, Maraval Gets Ready for The Rainy Season
The Chapel of Ease Anglican Church, Maraval Gets Ready for The Rainy Season
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The Chapel of Ease Anglican Church, Maraval Gets Ready for The Rainy Season 〰️
Thursday July 3, 2014: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - The Chapel of Ease Anglican Church in Maraval was the recipient of a number of Disaster Preparedness items donated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) at a handover ceremony which took place on Wednesday July 2 at the Chapel.
Eric Mackie, Regional Co-ordinator of the ODPM, presented Canon Dr. Steve West, Rector of the All-Saints Parish with 40 Inflatable Sand Bags, 50 Regular Sand Bags, 250 Mosquito Nets and First Aid Kits as well as 250 each of the Information Brochures on Disaster Preparedness.
The Chapel of Ease which is nestled in serene surroundings amidst lush vegetation in the Maraval area has fallen victim to flooding in the past and is working along with its congregation of 120 persons to put things in place to alleviate any future damage.
In presenting the items, Mr. Mackie stated that he hoped that "these items would assist members of the Church and the community to be better prepared for the hurricane season." He emphasised that "the ODPM has been working with the private sector and the various arms of the State to ensure that communities are ready in the event that Trinidad and Tobago should experience unusually heavy rainfall during this season."
Canon Dr. Steve West in accepting the donation said, "l wish, on behalf of my congregation and the community to say a heartfelt thank you to the ODPM for providing such critical items that would make a meaningful contribution towards keeping us safe should we be faced with the threat of floods during this rainy season."
The ODPM continues to pursue its work with all the key sectors in order to accomplish its mission of ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago achieves disaster-resilient status in the shortest possible time.
ENDS
About the ODPM
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) was commissioned on October 28, 2005, as the only national entity mandated to bring disaster management to the forefront of the national consciousness.
The ODPM therefore, represents a strategic shift in disaster management from the reactive measures to a more pro-active model of comprehensive modern disaster management, which integrates planning and development into all phases of the disaster management cycle.
The ODPM is responsible for preparing and executing programmes which address the four phases of the disaster management cycle - preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery. As such, the ODPM:
o Monitors the incidence of disasters in Trinidad and Tobago
o Defines and Coordinates the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholder Ministries and Agencies and
o Ensures the safety of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago in times of disaster
The ODPM co-ordinates the roles and responsibilities of the nation's emergency response team consisting of the Defence Force, the Police Service and the Fire Service working in tandem with the Regional Health Authorities.
In accordance with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Hyogo Framework for Action, the ODPM has been working towards creating a culture of safety and resilience in the Trinidad &Tobago population and has led campaigns throughout the country on disaster risk reduction (DRR) across communities, government agencies, NGOs and the private sector.
The present focus of the ODPM is on mainstreaming DRR by forming clusters of volunteers within the five main amenities such as food, shelter, the environment, water and health which have been identified as critical elements to providing relief to citizens during and after the adverse impacts of a disaster.
The ODPM Website is at http://www.odpm.aov.tt/
Handing Over: Eric Mackie, regional co-ordinator of the ODPM, centre right, presents disaster preparedness items to Canon Dr Steve West, centre left, rector of the All Saints parish, at the Chapel of Ease Anglican Church in Maraval, On Wednesday. Also attending the presentation were officials of the chapel, from left, Jacqueline Campbell, Vernetta Calvin-Smith, Kate Wong and Roberta White.
