THE PURPOSE OF THE CARIBBEAN CENTER FOR DISASTER MEDICINE
American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) has created the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine (CCDM), a center of excellence designed to foster collaboration among professionals responsible for healthcare delivery, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and medical education. The center is being developed in cooperation with Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (HMFP), a physician group that includes Harvard Medical School faculty with global disaster medicine experience.
In recent years we've seen the impact of hurricanes like Irma, Maria, and Dorian on the Caribbean region. We all understand the need to continually improve preparedness for major disasters and emergencies. After Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean in September 2017, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine began working with global experts on disaster medicine to explore ways to help islands like Sint Maarten prepare for and deal with those kinds of disastrous events.These discussions led to the creation of the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine -- based at AUC School of Medicine -- that brings in global expertise while cooperating with local and regional Caribbean authorities to understand the best way to help the region build resilience against disasters, natural or man-made.