ODPM your thoughts

[nervewrecker]

MISSION STATEMENT
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management will implement pro-active measures to mitigate the impact of all hazards that threaten the people of Trinidad and Tobago and provide effective response and recovery in the aftermath of a disaster. This will be achieved in collaboration with our local, regional and international partners.


seeing that we quoting from the website

one word there in bold, recognize it?

now, the part underlined: I know of another agency that says it can only uphold its mission statement if it is provided with suitable equipment, budget & latest technology. so now like I said before....the odpm have what?

& no I am not defending the odpm, like I said about the previous administration ' yuh fail to deliver / cant do the job then step down' & I stand by my words but trinis always want to place blame on someone else & always want someone to bail them out, they dont do nothing for themselves.

[pugboy]

yes, they are basically a glorified weatherman
the main equipment odpm have is communication equipment trailers.

but at the end of the day there is a need for somebody to coordinate, raise alarms and tell people what to do.

[hydroep]

They're another management organisation designed to coordinate all first response instituions/organisations in the country in the event of a disaster.

I "understand"......they get one hefty budget every year. Aside from sponsoring those Hurricane Preparedness ads and a couple of Prime Time TV shows, interested parties have been dying to know where all that money goes/has gone.

It's a type of UDeCOTT in many respects. That should tell everyone all they need to know.

[Edge]

Here's a update that was recieved today from the ODPM.

SITUATION UPDATE # 1
Clean up activities continue
Clean up activities are well underway in the communities which were affected by Sunday’s (August 02,
2010) heavy rainfall and flooding. The ODPM together with a number of government and non
governmental agencies such as CEPEP, National MTS, URP, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross and the
Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force First Engineering Battalion, are working hand in hand with the
Regional Corporations to provide relief to the public.
At present works are underway to:
a. Remove the slush and debris in areas in the Couva/Talparo Regional Corporation which were
particularly affected. These include Mc Caulay, Bank Village and Gasparillo.
b. Clean up homes in Harmony Hall which were flooded. The Princes Town Regional Corporation
is assisting the HDC with this activity.
c. Sanitize the roadways in Point Fortin. This effort is being coordinated by the Point Fortin
Borough Corporation.
These activities are a continuation of work which began yesterday.
To help meet the most pressing needs identified, relief shelters in Gasparillo and Waterloo High Schools
continue to function and resources including food aid and other commodities are being provided.
We continue to remind citizens that if they are impacted by this weather situation, they must
contact their municipal corporation or the ODPM at 800 – ODPM immediately so that their report
can be actioned.
The ODPM reminds citizens of the following:-
• Be extra vigilant and cautious at this time
• Secure valuables and ensure all important documents in waterproof containers or bags
• Secure all pets and livestock
• Do not walk through flood waters unless absolutely necessary
• Do not drive in flooded areas
• Be aware of possible landslides.
Contact:
Public Information Specialist
868 640 1285 / 486 8251

[nervewrecker]

let everyone sit down like Vladimir & Estragon & wait for Godot yes. d odpm cant come today but will come tomorrow.

sit down in your living room watching music videos on your 30" plasma screen tv while the water rises & dont do anything, then come on tv & bawl 'oh gawd, kamla, help we nah!'.

[sMASH]

the ministry of local government should have a committee, not a department, concerned with disaster preparedness and response planing. regiment should be a supplemental work force for them.
odpm not doing what they supposed to do... and quite frankomen, unnecessary.

mr. director-ian allen, is a better odpm than the whole odpm.

[AbstractPoetic]

How many people actively check the drains and watercourses in your area?? I do. In fact, the Min of works, or whoever in their haste to pave before general elections did a mighty halfway job and clogged a drain in front my house, which I went out and cleaned. I'm not waiting to get flooded out to go and cry and bawl for help on TV.

It's a shame you have to resort to such measures to mitigate potential loss in an event of a flood or worse yet, hurricane. Why pay taxes if you have to take measures into your own hands?

So backwards.

[FriendlyFire]

The ODPM is an entity whose function is often misunderstood, even by those who are directly involved in it.

Disaster management agencies like this as the overview states is a coordinating entity. Their is however some confusion in the minds of many with respect to what they are to coordinate. This can best be clarified by using the following analogy.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC):

ATC is responsible for safely coordinating the arrival and departure of aircraft at an airport and their passage through designated airspace as well as the movement of personnel and equipment on the aerodrome floor. THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR; Booking flights, hiring pilots, purchasing planes, selling tickets, communicating with passengers, etc. If ATC fails to perform its function their will be a major disaster involving aircraft and passengers.

The problem ODPM faces occurs because unlike ATC which operates in an unseen, though critical manner at the airport, they have chosen to make their existence known to the public inadvertently creating the impression that they can/should be contacted for assistance in an emergency. That unfortunately would be as effective as calling ATC to find out when your flight will depart. Even though they have the information it isn't because of a need for them to inform the general public and attempting to provide this service would distract attention from critical activities (call the airline instead).

If ATC coordinates the activities of airlines and ground support agencies, whose activities does the ODPM coordinate? - The City/Borough/Regional Corporations, the Fire Service, the Military, the Police, the NGOs etc. It should be noted that just as ATC does not tell the airlines how to operate their carriers the ODPM should not ever attempt to tell any of its coordinating agencies how to perform their function. Just as ATC directs airlines to a safe flight route or landing strip ODPM primary responsibility is to direct responding agencies to the locations they are most needed.

The areas of most need should be chosen from the information obtained from responding agencies and it is to these agencies that the public should go for assistance. The ODPM through its own actions have caused even government officials to call them directly for assistance or to report on disasters. To state that only the Fire Service and Police Service have the capacity to handle emergency calls at the capacity required in a disaster so that the ODPM needs to be called is to create even greater inefficiencies. The other agencies need to have their capabilities increased with the provision of a toll free number which will give the public access to their local government bodies.

If you need to travel to Europe would you call Air Traffic Control?

[VexXx Dogg]

The ODPM is an entity whose function is often misunderstood, even by those who are directly involved in it.

Disaster management agencies like this as the overview states is a coordinating entity. Their is however some confusion in the minds of many with respect to what they are to coordinate. This can best be clarified by using the following analogy.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC):

ATC is responsible for safely coordinating the arrival and departure of aircraft at an airport and their passage through designated airspace as well as the movement of personnel and equipment on the aerodrome floor. THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR; Booking flights, hiring pilots, purchasing planes, selling tickets, communicating with passengers, etc. If ATC fails to perform its function their will be a major disaster involving aircraft and passengers.

The problem ODPM faces occurs because unlike ATC which operates in an unseen, though critical manner at the airport, they have chosen to make their existence known to the public inadvertently creating the impression that they can/should be contacted for assistance in an emergency. That unfortunately would be as effective as calling ATC to find out when your flight will depart. Even though they have the information it isn't because of a need for them to inform the general public and attempting to provide this service would distract attention from critical activities (call the airline instead).

If ATC coordinates the activities of airlines and ground support agencies, whose activities does the ODPM coordinate? - The City/Borough/Regional Corporations, the Fire Service, the Military, the Police, the NGOs etc. It should be noted that just as ATC does not tell the airlines how to operate their carriers the ODPM should not ever attempt to tell any of its coordinating agencies how to perform their function. Just as ATC directs airlines to a safe flight route or landing strip ODPM primary responsibility is to direct responding agencies to the locations they are most needed.

The areas of most need should be chosen from the information obtained from responding agencies and it is to these agencies that the public should go for assistance. The ODPM through its own actions have caused even government officials to call them directly for assistance or to report on disasters. To state that only the Fire Service and Police Service have the capacity to handle emergency calls at the capacity required in a disaster so that the ODPM needs to be called is to create even greater inefficiencies. The other agencies need to have their capabilities increased with the provision of a toll free number which will give the public access to their local government bodies.

If you need to travel to Europe would you call Air Traffic Control?

Very well said.

[crazybalhead]

How many people actively check the drains and watercourses in your area?? I do. In fact, the Min of works, or whoever in their haste to pave before general elections did a mighty halfway job and clogged a drain in front my house, which I went out and cleaned. I'm not waiting to get flooded out to go and cry and bawl for help on TV.

It's a shame you have to resort to such measures to mitigate potential loss in an event of a flood or worse yet, hurricane. Why pay taxes if you have to take measures into your own hands?

So backwards.

Tell me about it... And then rushing to give people house, and certificate of comfort.

[killersuzuki]

I have fixed the drain by my house, since I am not waiting on gov't to fix it.

[mitsu_chick941]

ODPM is like a ghost gang.

[bluespeed]

Col. Roberson is a Kant, trust meh, It did not surprise me that he did nothing..he is a PNM ballslicker.

[sMASH]

The ODPM is an entity whose function is often misunderstood, even by those who are directly involved in it.

Disaster management agencies like this as the overview states is a coordinating entity. Their is however some confusion in the minds of many with respect to what they are to coordinate. This can best be clarified by using the following analogy.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC):

ATC is responsible for safely coordinating the arrival and departure of aircraft at an airport and their passage through designated airspace as well as the movement of personnel and equipment on the aerodrome floor. THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR; Booking flights, hiring pilots, purchasing planes, selling tickets, communicating with passengers, etc. If ATC fails to perform its function their will be a major disaster involving aircraft and passengers.

The problem ODPM faces occurs because unlike ATC which operates in an unseen, though critical manner at the airport, they have chosen to make their existence known to the public inadvertently creating the impression that they can/should be contacted for assistance in an emergency. That unfortunately would be as effective as calling ATC to find out when your flight will depart. Even though they have the information it isn't because of a need for them to inform the general public and attempting to provide this service would distract attention from critical activities (call the airline instead).

If ATC coordinates the activities of airlines and ground support agencies, whose activities does the ODPM coordinate? - The City/Borough/Regional Corporations, the Fire Service, the Military, the Police, the NGOs etc. It should be noted that just as ATC does not tell the airlines how to operate their carriers the ODPM should not ever attempt to tell any of its coordinating agencies how to perform their function. Just as ATC directs airlines to a safe flight route or landing strip ODPM primary responsibility is to direct responding agencies to the locations they are most needed.

The areas of most need should be chosen from the information obtained from responding agencies and it is to these agencies that the public should go for assistance. The ODPM through its own actions have caused even government officials to call them directly for assistance or to report on disasters. To state that only the Fire Service and Police Service have the capacity to handle emergency calls at the capacity required in a disaster so that the ODPM needs to be called is to create even greater inefficiencies. The other agencies need to have their capabilities increased with the provision of a toll free number which will give the public access to their local government bodies.

If you need to travel to Europe would you call Air Traffic Control?

Very well said.

if the odpm were not here, would things be worse?

[Monk BANzai]

MISSION STATEMENT
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management will implement pro-active measures to mitigate the impact of all hazards that threaten the people of Trinidad and Tobago and provide effective response and recovery in the aftermath of a disaster. This will be achieved in collaboration with our local, regional and international partners.


seeing that we quoting from the website

exactly...every motnh ODPM has meetings in communities where the disasters are most likely to hit and every time, if you get 5 ppl turning up at a meeting you get plenty.

They are supposed to go to school and educate students on Disaster preparedness, but do they get co-operation from the Ministry of Education?

What about doing mock Disaster maneuvers? Do they get co-operation from Min of Nat Sec to do it? ask yourselves those questions before assuming they not doing their jobs.

..their job is to co-ordinate emergency efforts...if they got the chance to do that, maybe the PM and Min of Nat Sec wudnt have egg on thier faces now.

the question that should be asked is "why should the ODPM be brought up for its in-efficiencies when the same Govt has sidelined them and not given them the power to act? and then when disaster strikes you finger point?"

just like its predecessor, NEMA, these are institutions that, unfortunately, come under the "God is a Trinidadian" syndrome. Disasters are not an IMPORTANT issue with the Govt..take it or leave it.

[Sumana.00]

Col. Roberson is a Kant, trust meh, It did not surprise me that he did nothing..he is a PNM ballslicker.

Hazel's cousin innit?