DISASTER RISK REDUCTION CENTRE- The Institute for Sustainable Development, University of the West Indies

The Disaster Risk Reduction Centre (DRRC) emerged out of an initiative to mobilize expertise from the University of the West Indies (The UWI) to assist Caribbean countries devastated by hurricane in 2004. Vice Chancellor of The UWI, Professor E. Nigel Harris, a few weeks after assuming office, mobilized staff from the then three campuses into the UWI’s Hurricane Relief Task Force, to respond to the passage of Hurricane Ivan through the Caribbean.  Staff with expertise in disaster management and mitigation who volunteered to participate in the relief formed the Task Force.