Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (formerly known as the ODIPERC or Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Relief Coordination) is the Jamaican disaster preparedness coordinating body, which is responsible for preventing and reducing impact of hazards. It also coordinates responses to inter-island disasters with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency.^[1]

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

Agency overview
Formed	July 1980 (1980-07) (as Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management) 1993 (as Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management)
Jurisdiction	Government of Jamaica
Employees	60 (2007)
Website	www.odpem.org.jm

History

On June 11, 1979, the Tropical Depression One brought intense flooding to Jamaica. Recognizing the need for a disaster preparedness and relief organization, the Government of Jamaica established the ODIPERC in June 1980 to provide relief and prepare Jamaica for future disasters.^[2][3][4]

In 1993, the name ODIPERC was made into a statuary body and was renamed to ODPEM.^[2][3][4]

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