Nemo conducts After Action Review of Hurricane Tomas

Key persons, who were actively involved in the national response before, during and after the impact of Hurricane Tomas, met on Tuesday, January 18, 2011, for an After Action Review (AAR) and to provide recommendations on managing any future events.{{more}}

This After Action Review was conducted by the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), and was attended by a number of Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Government Departments responsible for the various Subcommittees of the National Emergency Management Organization; volunteers of NEMO; staff and other members of non-governmental organizations, represented on different sub-committees.

The After Action Review focused on the areas relating to the alert and warnings given, Emergency Operation Centre Management, Emergency Shelter Operations, Damage and Needs Assessment, Public Information and Emergency Relief and Donations.

The Chairpersons of the National Sub- Committees of the National Emergency Management Organization and members of other key non- governmental organizations also reported on their committees’ and organizations’ activities during the response to Hurricane Tomas. They also highlighted necessary changes that are needed and areas that can be improved for future response. NEMO’s volunteers and staff also contributed to the discussions.

The primary goal of the After Action Review was to gather information that would assist NEMO in improving hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation, by examining the actions taken before, during and after the impact of Hurricane Tomas on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on 30th October, 2010.

The After Action Review also sought to examine the operational effectiveness of national disaster response arrangements, identify needed improvement in the emergency management system, operational equipment, training and staff needs, which can enhance the nation’s capacity to respond to future emergencies.