The National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) is moving to strengthen disaster preparedness at the community level with the rollout of additional District Disaster Command Centres across Antigua and Barbuda.

The centres, constructed from 20-foot storage containers mounted on concrete columns and fully outfitted for operations, are designed to decentralize disaster coordination and improve communication within vulnerable communities. According to NODS, nine containers have already been acquired and are being positioned in districts across the country. The long-term goal is to establish a command centre in each of the 17 disaster districts, including Barbuda.

Officials say the initiative will enhance local resilience by giving communities greater capacity to plan, coordinate with key stakeholders, and manage on-the-ground response activities during emergencies.

A model for the expansion is the command centre built for the St. John’s Rural East District, located on Hawkins Drive in Cassada Gardens.

Opened on June 22, 2023, the facility now serves as the operational base for the district’s Disaster Committee and provides a dedicated space for meetings, training, and strategic planning.

“Having a dedicated command centre allows NODS to have a wider scope of getting directly to those persons affected, conduct targeted training, and have a permanent place of operations,” said NODS Director Sherrod James.

The project is being supported through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Country Directed Fund.

NODS is also working closely with the Ministry of Works, the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), and other key agencies to bring the additional centres into full operation.