Charlestown, Nevis—October 13, 2025— The Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD) commemorated the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) under the global theme “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.” The observance included the official launch of the Disaster Community Communications Ambassadors (DCCA) program and a dynamic outdoor community outreach held at the Memorial Square, Charlestown.
The Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD), in collaboration with the Disaster Community Communications Ambassadors (DCCA), hosted the event. It featured inspiring remarks from the Honourable Spencer Brand, Minister responsible for Disaster Management; Mr. Brian Dyer, Director of NDMD; and Mr. Jacob Munakwa Ngumbah, Deputy Director and visionary behind the DCCA initiative.
The outreach activities enhanced the visibility of the Disaster Communications Ambassadors (DCA), while also highlighting NDMD’s ongoing Hurricane Awareness Drive, Multi-Hazard Awareness Campaign, and Parish-by-Parish Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. Collectively, these efforts reinforce the island’s holistic approach to preparedness, communication, and resilience-building.
A Government Committed to Strengthening National Resilience
In his remarks as the Minister with responsibility for Disaster Management, Hon. Spencer Brand reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to funding resilience through education, infrastructure, and communication.
“The DCCA Program directly tackles the challenge of misinformation,” Minister Brand said. “It builds a network of trained communicators from schools, churches, and community groups. These communicators will serve as trusted voices before, during, and after disasters,” Hon. Spencer Brand remarked.
Hon. Brand commended NDMD’s leadership team for their foresight and called on all Nevisians to invest in preparedness and people-centered resilience.
A New Era in Disaster Communication Governance
NDMD Director Mr. Brian Dyer described the DCCA program as “a new era in community-centered disaster governance.” He emphasized that it trains and equips community members to become frontline communicators. These trained individuals are capable of countering misinformation and connecting communities with lifesaving updates. he remarked. According to Mr. Dyer, the launch of the Disaster Communications Ambassadors (DCA) marks NDMD’s direct response to the global call to “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.”
Investing in People: The Foundation of Resilience
In his feature address, Deputy Director Jacob Ngumbahh described the launch as a milestone in Nevis’ communication governance. He introduced the Jacob Ngumbah Model of Integrated Disaster Communications Governance, a seven-pillar framework: Policy, Database & Research, Message Formation, Marketing & Creativity, Public Relations, Telecommunications, and the Incident Command System (ICS).
Ngumbah emphasized that “resilience is not built from the top down, but from the community up,” adding, “communication is not a luxury; it is a lifeline.”
Mr. Ngumbah stated, “The DCA program is about investing in people so that preparedness becomes a mindset, not just a department.” In alignment with the IDDRR 2025 theme, Mr. Jacob Ngumbah remarked, “When we fund communication, we fund resilience; and when we invest in resilience, we save lives.”
Community Engagement and Parish Representation
The launch featured remarks from the five Parish Leads representing St. Paul’s (Mrs. Marva Morton-Parris), St. John’s (Ms. N. Roma Munsie), St. George’s (Ms. Uta Taylor), St. James’ (Mr. Delroy “Ras Iroy” Pinney), and St. Thomas’ (Ms. Faith Bertie).
The event closed with the Ambassadors’ Pledge, symbolizing their commitment to serve as “the voices of preparedness and the face of community confidence.”
Outdoor Outreach
Immediately following the launch, Disaster Community Communications Ambassadors joined the NDMD Communications Unit in an outdoor outreach at the Charlestown Memorial Square. They engaged citizens with interactive quizzes, hurricane preparedness tips, and demonstrations aligned with NDMD’s 12-hazard Multi-Hazard Calendar and the 2025 Hurricane Awareness Drive.
Building a Legacy of Communication Governance
The Disaster Communications Ambassadors Program enhances NDMD’s goal of strengthening disaster communication in Nevis and the Caribbean, following the Sendai Framework and emphasizing empowerment, participation, and community strength.
