Smartphone App to share disaster alerts in partnership with CDEMA

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has partnered with Caribwatch.

Caribwatch, which was launched last week Tuesday, is a system for sharing emergency information and disaster alerts in the Caribbean via a free Smartphone Application and the supporting use of social media.

Its purpose is to enable people through the Caribbean and its Diaspora to help each other in times of crisis, by providing a hub for information and a focal point for relief efforts.

Word of this partnership was revealed by Executive Director of CDEMA, Ronald Jackson, during the Agency’s annual press conference.

“Caribwatch will help CDEMA put information out to the public, critical information we think the public ought to know. When it comes to emergency response they will be able to keep the public abreast with what CDEMA is doing,” he explained.

“One of the most important aspects before or after any event is the communication to the public. How can the public access information in a timely manner, and be kept abreast of what is going on.”

This free App will send alerts to mobile handsets with key emergency updates. In addition, it will run a feed of current disaster related activities and allows for the easy sharing of content.

“Caribwatch shows the creativity that is out there and how we can utilise these facilities to ensure that information is passed in timely manner. We recognise that our public across the region are more and more using their cell phones, the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to communicate – and we want to be able to connect with those users,” Jackson said. (TL)