The Department of Emergency Management (DEM) in an effort to continue promoting its theme “Early Warning, Early Action, Saves Lives” for Hurricane Awareness Month, held a workshop with media practitioners and emergency response personnel to discuss the importance of people-centred risk communication.
Speaking during the DEM’s High-Level Media Roundtable Discussion and Workshop at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, noted that the media is an invaluable partner to the Government in helping to disseminate early warning messages, which have proven to save lives and livelihoods in the event a hazard occurs.
“Risk communication plays a crucial role in enhancing early warning systems by ensuring that the information about potential risks or hazards is relayed to those at risk. The timely dissemination of risk information ensures that warnings and alerts are promptly communicated to all stakeholders to allow for swift action to mitigate the impact of the impending hazard….
“Any impact or the impact of a single climatic event can erode years of economic growth and development across Barbados. Effective disaster risk management contributes to sustainable development and the reduction of disaster risk can be considered as a cost effective investment in preventing future losses,” Mr. Abrahams emphasised.
He encouraged those participating in the workshop to: “Let us leave here today with a concrete plan as to how we will work together when the time comes to be able to get the critical messaging to as many Barbadians in the shortest space of time. Let us expand our minds and think outside the box and let us put new things on the table. We are breaking new ground here; let us not be afraid to drill down and break even more. Remember, early warning, early action saves lives.”
Minister Abrahams gave the assurance that Government is committed to strengthening partnerships with the media, emergency response agencies and community leaders to ensure that timely, efficient, and effective early warning messages are disseminated in various formats and channels.
Chief Information Officer at the Barbados Government Information Service, Tyson Henry, agreed that the media has an invaluable role to play in helping the public be aware of impending hazards and what actions they need to take.
“Here in Barbados, I believe that we are all too familiar with the theory of the threats posed by disasters…. However, the gap between knowledge and action is vast. So, when it comes time to execute a plan of action, my fear is that we could be left wanting if we haven’t properly prepared ourselves and our communities.
“Timely and clear communication is therefore paramount to ensuring public safety. Having said that, while timely warnings are crucial, their effectiveness hinges on a strong foundation of collaboration. This workshop, bringing together emergency response agencies and media practitioners, symbolises precisely that,” Mr. Henry stated.
Director of DEM, Kerry Hinds, and Barbados’ Project Lead for BBC Media Action, Kerry Cox, agreed that strengthening the island’s resilience against natural disasters is contingent upon having all stakeholders working together to get early warning messages out that target all levels and ages of society, which can be achieved by creating people-centred risk communication strategies.