Disaster Response Manual

This Natural Disaster Response Manual was produced for the Dutch Caribbean islands of Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten with the support of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA).

The Manual provides guidance on how to deal effectively with hurricanes and severe weather events from a natural resource management perspective. The need for response protocols for similar events, such as sargassum influx and pandemics, was identified by managers and space has been left for such additional protocols to be included. The humanitarian aspect of disasters, including personal safety and basic needs (water, food, shelter), take precedence over this document and are not included here.

The Manual provides a tool to assist park managers and staff with disaster management; preparation, response and recovery. The content includes an introduction to hurricanes, details on planning and preparing for a severe weather event, assessing the impact on natural resources and how to deal with response and recovery.