The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) is placing greater emphasis on teaching children how to prepare for and respond to emergencies, recognising that awareness and education are essential to the island's overall disaster management cycle.
The ODM, which coordinates disaster programming across all phases of the cycle in the Commonwealth of Dominica, says one of its core responsibilities is informing and educating the population on threats and counter-disaster measures. The agency notes that people who understand these matters are better equipped to prepare for and respond to hazards, and that this understanding must begin early in life.
Through its Children Disaster Awareness Programs, the ODM works with schools and youth groups to deliver age-appropriate information on the risks Dominica faces, including hurricanes, flooding, landslides and other natural hazards common to the Nature Isle. The programmes aim to build a culture of preparedness among young people, so that they grow up knowing what to do before, during and after an emergency.
The initiative forms part of the ODM's wider public education mandate, which covers all phases of disaster management from mitigation and preparedness to response and recovery. By reaching children, the office hopes to extend its message into households across the island, encouraging families to discuss and plan for emergencies together.
Dominica is regularly exposed to Atlantic hurricane seasons and other natural threats, and the ODM has long stressed the importance of readiness at every level of society. The children's programmes complement the office's official alert systems, including the colour-coded vigilance system used by the Dominica Meteorological Service, and its public advisories on shelter, evacuation and safety measures.
The ODM has not announced a specific schedule of upcoming sessions, but the programmes are understood to be ongoing, with engagement in schools and community settings. Parents and guardians are encouraged to support the effort by reinforcing preparedness messages at home and ensuring that children know the basic steps to stay safe in an emergency.
Further details on the programmes and other ODM initiatives are available through the office's official channels.
