Disaster Management Act (No. 2 of 2023).

This Act primarily aims to establish and promote a comprehensive, integrated, and proactive disaster risk reduction and management approach. This approach seeks to mitigate the socio-economic, environmental, and fiscal impacts of disasters, including those related to climate change. It emphasizes reducing risks to minimize loss of life, economic disruption, and damage to the environment and property, particularly for vulnerable populations. Additionally, this Act encourages the active involvement and participation of all sectors and stakeholders, including public, private, and civil society organizations, at every level, with a special focus on local communities.
This Act lays down provisions on the development of a National Comprehensive Disaster Management Policy; the establishment and functions of the National Emergency Advisory Council; the establishment of committees charged with particular responsibilities in relation to the preparedness for, mitigation of, response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters; the establishment, powers and functions of the National Disaster Management Agency; the powers and duties of the Director of the Agency; data collection on all aspects of disasters and disaster risk management including pandemic, hazard, vulnerability, climate change risks and other disaster risk information; guidance on prevention and mitigation of the risk of disasters; the establishment and functions of the National Emergency Operations Centre; the establishment of a list of shelters and provision of basic utilities; the functions and powers of the hazard inspectors; the establishment of the Agency Fund; the establishment and functions of the District Disaster Management Committee; delimitation of specially-vulnerable areas and development of special area precautionary plan for the mitigation and prevention of disasters in a specially vulnerable area; disaster risk financing; the obligations of persons involved in disaster management; reporting on damage assessment after a disaster; the development of National Multi-Hazard Alert System and declaration of disasters; and offences and penalties.
The main objective of the National Disaster Management Agency is to enhance a comprehensive disaster management system by facilitating and coordinating the development and implementation of integrated disaster management systems in Grenada. The Director of the Agency shall be responsible for preparing a National Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy, containing (i) measures for the prevention of disasters and mitigation of hazard vulnerability and risk; (ii) measures to be taken for the integration of risk reduction and mitigation in development plans and projects, nationally and sectorally; and (iii) measures to be taken for disaster preparedness and capacity building to effectively respond to the threat of a disaster or an emergency.