OVERVIEW
Trinidad and Tobago’s recent health care infrastructure enhancements bolstered the capacity of hospitals and health centers, and increased available services and equipment, allowing parallel treatment as COVID- related health care needs increased. Additional measures to mitigate the spread of the virus included the country’s continuous update of public health protocols as new scientific evidence emerged, such as revising hospital visitation rules, establishing designated facilities for community testing, enacting quarantine protocols, and issuing public information and personal protection guidelines. The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) completed the Trinidad and Tobago National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment (NDPBA) in partnership with the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of National Security (MNS) and its Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). Hazard-based risk, vulnerabilities, resilience, and disaster management capabilities were researched and analyzed to produce scientific data that can be used in the decision-making process during all phases of disaster management. The results are based on desk research and data made available by in-country partners during the period of the project from 2019-2020 and include recommendations that will increase disaster management readiness. The NDPBA provides stakeholders with analytical tools, scientific data, and evidence-based practices that allow the disaster management community in Trinidad and Tobago to reduce disaster risk and support response efforts. The methodology and associated recommendations are in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (Sendai Framework) 2015-2030.
The NDPBA was funded by the United States Government through the US Southern Command and was conducted in coordination with the US Embassy in Port of Spain. Although MNS-ODPM was PDC’s in-country partner during this project, the Center also developed relationships and data-sharing agreements with multiple government and non- governmental agencies in Trinidad and Tobago that supported the data gathering and vetting process.
The full report presents the data collected, assessment results, analysis of these results, and recommendations for closer alignment with the Sendai Framework. The following sections summarize findings for executive review.