The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) was established on the 1st February 1999 after category 5 Hurricane Mitch threatened Belize for five days in October of 1998. NEMO was established to prepare for and respond to Hurricanes and Flood. It has now expanded its mandate to include other hazards. NEMO is the sole Government of Belize Department and authority responsible mandated to keep Belize in a state of preparedness for any emergency that may require a national response. NEMO Department is the full-time government department responsible for the training and coordination across the public and private sector to prepare for, mitigate from, respond to and recover from disasters. NEMO is a participating state of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). NEMO embraces Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM).
Vision
A world-class NEMO, working closely with the public sector, private sector, and civil society significantly reduce risks and vulnerabilities through comprehensive disaster management (CDM) to enable sustainable development and quality of life for people in Belize.
Mission
NEMO in cooperation with the respective Emergency Management Committees, and all Public and Private Agencies, is established to preserve life and property throughout the country of Belize in the event of an emergency, threatened or real, and to mitigate the impact on the country and its people.
Composition/Organization
NEMO includes members of the Cabinet, with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson, the Cabinet Secretary, as Secretary, the NEMO Department, fifteen national operational committees (chaired by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), and Heads of Departments (HODs).
They are supported by the public sector, the private sector, and civil society, nine (9) District Emergency Committees (chaired, as appointed by the Prime Minister, by the senior Minister or Area Rep or Mayor in each district) representing Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, Belmopan, Cayo, Stann Creek, Toledo, San Pedro & Caye Caulker set up along the lines of the national operational committees. The national operational committees are:
- Education, Information Communication and Warning
- Search & Rescue
- Maritime Coordinating Committee
- Transport & Evacuation
- Housing and Shelter
- Human Resources Management
- Relief & Supplies Management
- Special Needs and Disability
- Medical Care & Public Health
- Damage Assessment & Needs Analysis
- Foreign Assistance
- Restoration of Utilities
- Mitigation, Access and Infrastructure & Works
- Environment & Solid Waste
- Economic & Recovery
Contact Information:
Contact
NEMO Headquarters, City of Belmopan,
Belize, Central America
Telephone: (501) 822-2054/0995
Emergency Line: (501) 936
Fax: (501) 822-2861/802-0874
Email: nemohqbmp@nemo.org.bz
Website: http://site.nemo.org.bz/
Supporting Members
The members are:
- Belize Red Cross,
- Public Officers,
- Chief Meteorological Officer,
- Commandant BDF, Coast Guard and the Commissioner of Police.
- Unions
- BCCI
- Any other entity or person needed to support NEMO.