Minister Hinds met with ODPM’s executive to get an overview on the operations and preperations of the organisation. The following is a press release from the Ministry of National Security.
Minister of National Security the Honourable Fitzgerald Hinds M.P. visited two (2) Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) facilities and met with the executive of the ODPM on Tuesday August 10, 2021 to get a first-hand view of the organization’s operations and ongoing preparations for the2021 Hurricane/Wet Season.
At the meeting, Minister Hinds received a comprehensive overview of the role, functions and operations of the ODPM. Matters discussed included human resources; finance and administration; policy and legislative proposals; community engagement and disaster mitigation efforts; as well as the activities and projects of individual ODPM Units.
The Minister commended ODPM staff on their collaborative approach when working with communities, local stakeholders and organizations, as well as regional and international partners, in order to continuously build Trinidad and Tobago’s resilience to disasters.
Chief Executive Officer of the ODPM Major General (Retired) Rodney Smart highlighted the recent National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Month (NDPPM) observed in May, which created greater public awareness of the various hazards our country faces. Major General (Retired) Smart also noted the ODPM’s Volunteer Programme, comprising a pool of young person’s trained to provide disaster management support to stakeholder agencies involved in Trinidad and Tobago’s national disaster response and recovery operations. He also outlined the ODPM’s partnership with corporate Trinidad and Tobago to reach and engage vulnerable groups in society, including disabled persons.
Following the meeting at the ODPM’s Head Office in Orange Grove, Tacarigua, the Minister toured the ODPM’s Alternative National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in Mausica.