CDERA

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) is a regional inter-governmental agency established in September 1991 by CARICOM to be responsible for disaster management. There are presently sixteen participating states; the Cayman Islands has applied for membership.

CDERA's main function is to make an immediate and coordinated response to any disastrous event affecting any participating state, once the state requests such assistance.

Other functions include:

• Securing, collating and distributing information on disasters affecting the region;
• Mitigating or eliminating as far as possible, the consequences of disasters affecting participating states;
• Establishing and maintaining on a sustainable basis, disaster response capabilities among participating states; and,
• Mobilizing and coordinating disaster relief from governmental and non-governmental organizations for affected participating states.