Disaster Risk Management Act, 2015 (No. 1 of 2015).

This Act establishes as a body corporate the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, which shall: (a) advance disaster preparedness and emergency management measures in Jamaica by facilitating and coordinating the development and implementation of integrated disaster management systems; and (b) institute measures as may be necessary for mitigating disasters. The Minister shall appoint a Director-General for the Office. The Act also establishes a National Disaster Risk Management Council. The provisions of the Second Schedule shall have effect as to the constitution, functions and procedures of the Council. The Act requires the Director-General to prepare at least every five years a draft National Disaster Response Coordination Plan and requires a Parish Disaster Committee for each parish to be constituted.
The Act furthermore, among other things: define duties of local authorities; allows the Minister to establish Municipal Disaster Committees for each Municipality and Parish Disaster Committees to establish Zonal Disaster Committees; provides for declaration of disaster areas by the Minister; allows the Director-General to prepare a special area precautionary plan for the mitigation and prevention of disasters in a designated specially vulnerable area; provides with respect to a National Alert System for Jamaica; establishes a National Disaster Fund; grants regulation-making powers to the Minister.