Disaster risk knowledge empowers communities to effectively prepare for, mitigate and respond to potential shocks and hazards.
National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Centre
DRR Activies at Community Level
In Mauritius, to help build this knowledge and empower communities to respond to disasters, the concept of Community Disaster Response Programme (CDRP) has been introduced. Together with this concept of CDRP, Simulation Exercises and Sensitisation/Awareness Campaigns are also being conducted to foster a culture of risk reduction within the population.
Community Disaster Response Programme (CDRP) | ||
The Community Disaster Response Programme (CDRP) aims to train and equip a team of volunteers from vulnerable areas to respond to a crisis situation or imminent disaster, to take life saving measures pending the arrival of first responders, give critical support to first responders and provide immediate assistance to victims. The Community Disaster Response Programme is organised by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre (NDRRMC) with first responders and other organisations.
The 3-day programme is based on the principle of self-help and mutual help and it consists of empowering a group of volunteers to basic techniques like Fire Safety; Rope Handling; First Aid; Water Rescue Activities; Basic Camp Management; Team Building; Sand Bagging; and other basic techniques applied in an emergency situation.
Moreover, Mauritius acknowledges significant progress made since the adoption of the Sendai Framework in 2015, to guide our efforts to reduce disaster risks, enhance resilience, and protect our communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Following the submission of our Mid Term Review, the UN System has recognised our community preparedness programme as a global good practice in its report ‘Good Practices in Disaster Risk Reduction’ dated 31 March 2023.
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Simulation Exercises, Preparedness & Training Programmes | ||
Simulation exercises are regularly conducted both at national and local levels to maintain the level of preparedness of first responders, authorities, vulnerable local communities and the population at large to better respond to disasters. Training programmes are regularly held to create "resilient" communities. An example is the Training programme in seismology and tsunami warnings held at the Mauritius Meteorological Services from January 14-18, 2008; programme is part of the Indian Ocean Tsunami warning System (IOTWS) developed to create "tsunami resilient" communities in the Indian Ocean region. | ||
| simulation video: mid-term .. | world tsunami video | |
Sensitisation/Awareness Campaigns | ||
| Sensitisation campaigns which include talks, video clips and interventions on media and social media, are ongoing activities in vulnerable regions and for the general public. | ||
Contingency/Emergency/Business Continuity Plans
Contingency planning means preparing an organization to be ready to respond effectively in the event of an emergency.
Contingency Plans are in place for:
§ Vulnerable flood prone areas
§ School Emergency Response Plan
§ Critical Facilities (Hospitals, Bagatelle Dams, etc)
§ Rock fall Emergency Scheme for Signal Mountain
§ Off Airport Aviation Emergency Plan
§ Residential Care Homes
§ Metro Express
§ Heavy Rainfall Protocol for the Public Sector & Private Sector
§ A major Flood Response Evacuation Plan for the Capital City Centre of Port Louis is under preparation
Mauritius Meteorological Services
Preparedness &Training Programmes
