DEM Says DEOs To Change

District Emergency Organisations were set up in Barbados, to fit into an international framework requiring communities to be the first response in case of emergency.

But according to Director of the Department of Emergency Management, Judy Thomas there is a perception that the DEOs have evolved into entities that run along constituencies lines and are seen as having political links... but the DEM head says that is about to change.

"I think that whatever emerges from this new assessment will be getting rid of that particular concept and putting it in a geographic setting that people are comfortable with."

According to her, the first step will be a consultation.

"We will establish a small technical working group, that will look at the strategizing for the way forward and out of that consultation we will put to the cabinet of Barbados a proposal for the establishment of a community preparedness vehicle which may not reflect what is in existence at this time."

Of the 30 DEOs that should be in existence, 26 are functioning at what has been described as a reasonable level. However the organisations in at least 4 St. Michael constituencies are said to be below satisfactory levels.

"Those are the ones in and around Saint Michael where we have great population, which are not functioning as such, because they don't even have chairpersons for those. There are others which have had recent changes of chairpersons and committees and so on, and I wouldn't want to use the word struggling, but they're not up and running as some of the others are running at this point in time."

Ms. Thomas says the question is not whether there will be a response, given the current state of the DEOs, but whether it will be appropriate, organised and systematic.

"A lot of people, when there is an emergency on, they come to offer their support the very day the thing is happening. You have so many people volunteering 'I want to do something, I want to do something.' The difficulty and the challenge John has is that people don't come forward when there's nothing happening and therefore that role of trying to achieve level of competency in the response is not there."

As such, Ms Thomas says the overhaul of the DEOs will see participation of the Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and the Youth Service among other groups.

Flood Awareness In St. Philip South

Residents within the constituency of St. Philip South who live in flood prone areas should take steps immediately to minimize property damage and personal risk. Start by being aware of your responsibilities, be mindful of local conditions and flood hazards in your area well before disaster strikes.

Although flooding can occur at any time of year, the most severe floods result seasonally from the influences of heavy rain, mainly during the hurricane season (June 1 to November 30). Persons living in close proximity to the sea shore must also give consideration to storm surge. The incidence of storm surge increases significantly during the hurricane season, rising water levels mean you may have to evacuate, listen to your radio for instructions outlining which roads are safe for travel.

Information on hurricane and flood preparedness can be obtained from the Department of Emergency Management or by contacting the St. Philip South District Emergency Organisation.

DEO Committee Members

St. Philip South District Emergency Organisation 2008 Committee

Chairman: Mr. Shelstone Lorde (246) 423-8124

Deputy Chairman: Mr. Haskell Carter (246) 416-5612

Secretary: Ms. Rochelle Lorde (246) 423-8128

Treasurer: Mrs. Eleen Agard (246) 416-5156

Assist Sec Treasurer: Mrs. Esther Larrier (246) 416-5226

Communications Officer: Mr. Glyne Alleyne (246) 423-3626

Feeding Officer: Ms. Veda Forde (246) 416-5312

Shelter Officer: Mr. Shirley Harewood (246) 423-6433

Damage Assessment Officer:

Clothing & Welfare Officer:

First Aid Officer: Ms. Verona Seale (246) 423-4641

About St. Philip South DEO

The St. Philip South District Emergency Organisation is one of 30 thirty DEOs which are established along the same boundaries as the Electoral Constituencies. DEOs are divided into five zones and are made up of executive committees and a number of Standing Committees whose functions relate closely to the Sectoral Standing Committees at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM). These committees are chaired by the officers outlined below:

• Shelter Officer


• First Aid Officer


• Information & Damage Assessment Officer


• Road Clearance & Transport Officer


• Communications Officer


• Clothing & Welfare Officer


• Feeding Officer

The DEOs are operated by volunteers. Membership is drawn from the communities, which are served in the following ways:

• Provide a forum for education and training at the community level
• Develop operational plans and conduct pre-planning for emergency and disasters in the community
• Develop a mechanism for initial emergency response to the community
• Develop a mechanism to facilitate damage assessment, needs analysis, relief distribution.

Welcome to St. Philip South DEO online

Hello, welcome to the St. Philip South District Emergency Organisation's blog. The District Emergency Organisation (DEO) is the volunteer arm of the Department of Emergency Management in Barbados.

We hope that this new blog will provide an interactive medium for DEO members and the public as well. You are invited to submit your comments or suggestions for the blog. In addition, you can request information from the St. Philip South DEO.

We hope you enjoy our blog. Be sure to tell all your friends about this great new service!