G.O.B. says Fires Crisis is a Learning Experience  

The fire crisis relief efforts have been a partnership between government agencies, private companies and N.G.O.s. According to environmentalists, without the effort of these teams, containing these fires would have been impossible. Today, an update was provided on the situation and details were shared on how the fire relief missions were conducted. Earlier today, they told us that this experience has opened their eyes to the fact that Belize’s Disaster Risk Management Plan needs to be updated.

 

Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator

“We have already started the research to do this. We know that we are now facing multi hazard. And so actually, our plan is not just is a multi-hazard plan. We know that there are principles that must be applied to every hazard. We also know that there are things that we are we may not even be have heard of, such as the fires of this magnitude. So we are a learning organization. We are going to continue to do the research and to continue to update this plan as necessary. It is important because as we move into the next phase, We’re looking at flooding. We’re looking at other things which need that kind of attention as well. So it’s clear that we, our plans need to always be updated continuously.  In disaster management, it, we never stay still. We never write a plan and leave it there forever. It must constantly be updated and it must constantly be changed to address the needs of the times.”

 

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“If I may add, if I may add on this N.E.C. is that I think our emergency response has been test tested to the max right now, what we can consider that as the most, but I’m certainly I think we from a government standpoint, there are lessons to be learned and we take it seriously, very seriously in how to improve. So other than that, as I said earlier, is having a master plan, but also it is evolving. It is ever changing. It’s not something that you have a master plan there that’s twenty years. It’s a new era. We’re dealing with climate change is real. Nobody’s expected these kind of thing with forest fires. So now certainly it’s lessons learned and we are taking very seriously.”