National Disaster Management Act, no. 5 of 1998, Chapter 19.06.

This Act lays down rules for the effective management and control of disasters as well as mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies. This Act sets forth provisions on the establishment of an Agency for disaster preparedness and response and its administration, powers and duties in Part II and III, the establishment of a National Disaster Management Council and the development and evaluation of the National Disaster Management Policy in Part IV, the establishment and maintenance of a National Disaster Management Centre and a list of premises available for and suitable for use as shelters during disasters by the Agency in Part V, the duties and obligations of public officers in Part VI, the designation and delimitation of specially vulnerable areas for the purposes of mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and emergencies and the preparation, evaluation and approval of draft special area precautionary plans in Part VII, the conditions for the threatened disaster alerts in Part VIII, the application of treaties which St Kitts and Nevis is a party to in times of disaster emergency in Part IX, the funding of the Agency, the establishment of a reserve fund and other financial provisions in Part X, and the procedures and principles of disaster hazard inspections, the Regulations for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act, offences and penalties and other miscellaneous provisions in Part XI. The National Disaster Management Policy relating to the management, control, mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters shall be developed and evaluated by the Agency, in consultation with the National Disaster Advisory Committee.