Disaster Response Manual

Parks Work have finalised a Natural Disaster Response Manual for DCNA, Saba Conservation Foundation, Stenapa St Eustatius and Nature Foundation St Maarten to help protected area managers and their staff, better prepare for and respond to the impact of natural disasters, including hurricanes, and associated severe weather events on their natural assets.

For the Caribbean, hurricanes, tropical storms and associated severe weather events are a fact of life every year from June to November. But this Manual is a response to an extremely powerful storm, Hurricane Irma, the first category 5 hurricane to hit the region, which claimed over 100 lives as it swept through the Caribbean. Hurricane Irma passed Saba and St Eustatius, making landfall on St Maarten where winds ripped through the island, wrecking the airport, smashing boats and demolishing 70% of residential houses. It was the worst natural disaster to hit St Maarten and the cost of damage was estimated to be in excess of Euro 2.5 billion. Just two weeks later the islands were battered for a second time by Hurricane Maria.

The initial draft is available below.

This project was funded by The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance.