THE Government of Canada will provide over CA$25,000 to the Saint Lucia Amateur Radio Club to improve amateur radio coverage and communication in Saint Lucia, in the event of a disaster.
Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and an escalation in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes threaten homes and businesses across the Caribbean. These situations can have a significant negative impact on sustainable economic growth and result in loss of life. In order to respond to the increased threat of natural disasters and climate change, communities must build their resilience.
Amateur radio still plays an important role during an emergency. The Repeater System for the Saint Lucia Amateur Radio Club will provide enhanced two-way communications during normal and disaster conditions, allowing for amateur radio coverage in all communities, especially in the known high-risk areas.
Over the next four months, this project will: instal two (2) repeater systems including solar back-up power; train 90 radio operators and increase coverage for all 18 districts. The project will ensure that, in future hazard events, reliable and accurate information can be passed from communities to response teams, leading to more timely and effective assistance to those communities.
The Saint Lucia Amateur Radio Club secured support for this project through the Canada Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Fund (CCDRM), part of Canada’s CA$600 million Caribbean Regional Programme.
The Fund is designed to support Caribbean-based non-governmental organizations, community groups, and governmental agencies working at the community level to reduce risks from natural hazards and climate change.
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