P a g e 1 Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Haiti: Hurricane Matthew Emergency Appeal Operation no. MDRHT013; Glide no. TC-2016-000106 Date of issue: 6 October 2016 Date of disaster: 1 October 2016 Operation manager (responsible for this EPoA): Omar Point of contact: Dr. Marie Marcelle Cauvin, Robinson, Emergency Response Coordinator; email: General Director of Haiti Red Cross Society (HRCS); omar.robinson@ifrc.org email: mm.cauvin@croixrouge.ht Operation start date: 3 October 2016 Overall operation budget: 6,852,515 Swiss francs Number of people affected: 1,000,000 people (Based on the population of areas that will be impacted by the hurricane) Expected timeframe: 12 months Number of people to be assisted: 10,000 families (50,000 people) Host National Society: The Haiti Red Cross Society has 660 volunteers trained to assist the affected population in WASH, Health, Search and rescue, first aid. Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners actively involved in the operation: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross Society, Dominican Red Cross, French Red Cross, German Red Cross, Italian Red Cross, the Netherlands Red Cross, Spanish Red Cross and Swiss Red Cross. Other partner organizations actively involved in the operation: The Haitian Department for Civil Protection (DPC) This emergency appeal operation is a preliminary plan from the Haiti Red Cross Society for 6,852,515 Swiss francs with a start-up loan of CHF 565,000 from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support immediate life-saving activities as well as the deployment of surge support to the National Society. A Revision will be made as the situation evolves and further information from assessments are made available. A. Situation analysis Description of the disaster Click here to view the detailed budget and here for contact details On 22 September, a tropical wave formed in the far eastern Atlantic. On September 27, winds gained strength and it was designated as a tropical storm, increasing to winds of 60 mph (95 km / h) on 28 September, leading to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) initiating advisories for Tropical Storm Matthew at 15:00 GMT that day. The storm continued to strengthen and three days later, on 1 October, Matthew was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane before it weakened back to a category 4. Matthew is considered as the strongest hurricane of the 2016 season. A category 5 tropical cyclone Photo 1. Strong winds and heavy rainfall in Jacmel, South-East Department. Haiti.
P a g e 2 has not formed in this area for nine years. The Government of Haiti has issued a Red alert and officially requested humanitarian assistance. Based on the Situation Report no. 3 issued by the Haitian Department for Civil Protection (DPC), the effects from Hurricane Matthew are still ongoing throughout the country. The government has been evacuating vulnerable communities and deploying police officers to support in these evacuation activities. The main bridge connecting Port-au-Prince with southern departments has collapsed. Many coastal towns are partly flooded by sea with 11 towns in the south are already reported flooded. Ten out of 12 hospitals are still functioning at normal capacity. Ambulances and 500 medical personal are functioning at national level. Of concern is the decision of The Ministry of Agriculture to release the water of the damn in the Artibonite river in order to prevent damage to the dam which will certainly cause further flooding down the river in Bas Artibônite.. The airports of Port Prince and Cap Hatien remain closed until 6 October. Schools were closed throughout the country on 3 and 4 October. 1,300 collective centres throughout the country were opened to house up to 340,000 people. Many evacuation centres have zinc sheets on the ceiling, which likely could not withstand the strong winds (140 miles per hour) of the hurricane. The DCP has reported the following preliminary figures for people in collective centres per department, as per 5 October. Departments No. of people in collective centres Grand'Anse 3,600 Nippes 2,621 Nord-Est 6 Ouest 4,982 Sud 1,734 Sud-Est 2,680 The Government has activated the National Emergency Plan, the National Emergency Operation Centre (COUN Centre d Operation d Urgence National) and regional emergency operation centres (COUD Centre d Operation d Urgence Departemental). Telecommunications in Haiti have become more difficult due to the lack of electric power and damage to both the electric and telecommunication grids. There is concern about whether elections will be held on Sunday October 9 th, since many people will still be in shelters. There is also fear of possible disturbances in the areas affected based in previous experiences (in 2008, broke out protests in reaction to the insufficient response). Summary of the current response Overview of Host National Society In order to be prepared to support the population affected by Hurricane Matthew, the Haiti Red Cross Society (HRCS), as an auxiliary to the public authorities, has strengthened its response system in the departments most likely to be severely impacted by the hurricane, which include: Sud, Grand Anse, Nippes, Sud-est, Ouest and Nord-Ouest; with the IFRC s support, it also developed its contingency plan. The HRCS, with support from the IFRC and other movement partners, identified emergency non-food relief items, health, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion, as well as shelter as the initial priority sectors to support the affected population. Preparedness actions have been undertaken by the National Society, and relief items have been pre-positioned at the branch level in preparation for the impact of Hurricane Matthew. HRCS has already undertaken the following actions: 1. Update of National Society s stock: a. HRCS volunteers and personnel have been involved in the setup of the National Society s stock b. Stocks have been pre-positioned in the following departments: Sud 500 families Grand Anse 500 families Bas-Artibonite and Haut-Artibonite areas 1,000 families Ouest 1,500 families 2. HRCS teams, including National Intervention Team (NIT) members, the IFRC and PNS personnel are already deployed to the possible areas of impact:
P a g e 3 a. Grand Anse b. Les Palmes c. Nippes d. Nord- Ouest e. Sud f. Sud-Est- It is also important to note that the HRCS has extensive experience responding to large-scale disasters. Since the 2010 earthquake, the National Society has responded to emergencies such as the cholera outbreak from 2010 through 2016, the chikungunya outbreak in 2014 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Photo 2. Coordination meeting between HRCS and American Red Cross on 3 October for preparedness actions in face of Hurricane Matthew. Source: American Red Cross. Overview of Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in country The Haiti Red Cross Society is supported by eight Red Cross Red Crescent Partner National Societies (PNSs) in the country. In addition, the IFRC is supporting and coordinating with the National Society to respond better to this crisis and ensure that all identified needs are met. The IFRC maintains constant communication with the Haiti Red Cross Society through its country cluster office and with the regional office for the Americas in Panama through the Disasters and Crises Preparedness, Response and Recovery (DCPRR) department. Movement coordination The Haiti Red Cross Society, with support from the IFRC and the ICRC, coordinates with the eight PNSs in country on emergency prevention, preparedness and response activities; in keeping with the IFRC and HRCS s main objective of providing a coordinated, rapid and effective response in the management of vulnerable people in serious humanitarian situations. In addition, the IFRC is carrying out information and coordination meetings to update Movement and external partners on the current situation and to coordinate support. Activation of global response tools including a HeOps (head of operation) and a Field Assessment Coordination Team (FACT) is ongoing. The IFRC has issued a preliminary Regional Intervention Team (RIT) alert in order to identify available resources to be mobilized if required. The PNSs have also shared information on the availability of regional stocks, delegates and other available resources to support the response. The IFRC developed a micro-site to share available information on Hurricane Matthew: https://app.klipfolio.com/published/ec77978d9513651515591847f84e4e61/hurricane-matthew Overview of non-red Cross Red Crescent actors in country At the national level, the Haiti Red Cross Society is working closely with the government to support its humanitarian actions with people affected by disasters. The HRCS is an integral part of the National Disaster Management System (SNGRD Systeme National de Gestion des Risques et Desastres), and has responsibilities assigned within the system both at the national and departmental level. Close collaboration and coordination of actions with the Department for Civil Protection and other international partners is ongoing. The Movement has collaborated well with international humanitarian actors, including the in country United Nations (UN) system. In response to Hurricane Matthew, the United Nations Office for the Coordination if Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) indicated the deployment of a United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team to Haiti; additionally, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) deployed experts to support the Haitian Ministry of Health on preparedness actions.
P a g e 4 Needs analysis, beneficiary selection, risk assessment and scenario planning The HRCS has been working in collaboration with the government to identify intervention areas. The Sud, Grand Anse, Nippes, Sud-est, Ouest and Nord-ouest departments were selected given they are expected to be hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew. Even though comprehensive damage and needs assessment information is not yet available, emergency health and care, psychosocial support, water and sanitation and shelter have been identified as key needs based on the estimated impact on the country together with population density, risk-prone areas and experience from previous in-country operations, the HRCS areas of expertise and the Movement support in country. Figure 1. Departments of Haiti and trajectory of Hurricane Matthew. Among Haiti s most pressing needs, regardless of the type of disaster, is health. According to PAHO/WHO, Haiti has 10.848 million people, 15 per cent are under 15 years old of age. Haiti presents an annual rate of population growth of 1.3 per cent (which is high in comparison to other countries in the region), with a total fertility rate of 2.9 children per woman. The maternal mortality ratio reported until 2013 and estimated to 2017 is one of the highest in the continent, one of the related factors, it may be that only 67 per cent of the population receive prenatal care and only 50 per cent have hospital births. Life expectancy is lower than in other regional countries (63 years old); it also presents one of the highest mortality rates in children for the region (59 per every 1,000 deaths) 1., In addition, only 65 per cent of the urban population and 48 per cent of the rural population have potable water. While only 34 per cent of the urban population and 19 percent of the rural population have basic sanitation. Hence, cholera and vector-borne diseases are among the biggest challenges faced in Haiti; flooding caused by the hurricane could worsen the situation, which is all the more alarming when coupled with the fact that an increase in cholera cases has been reported. The last epidemiological update from the Pan American Health Organization (12 September 2016) reports 26,799 cases and 242 deaths due to cholera, which exceeds the figures notified for the same period in 2014 and 2015. In response to the outbreak, the HRCS has implemented cholera prevention interventions since the outbreak in 2010, and it continues working in this sector. 1 Source: http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=36275&itemid=270
P a g e 5 With regard to ETV Vector Borne Diseases, malaria is one of the major trends in the area. However, since January 2016, an outbreak of Zika has been present in the country with 2,960 cumulative cases until the last week of September and a confirmed case of congenital syndrome associated with Zika. Until 15 June, WHO reported 22 suspected cases of Zika in pregnant women. Furthermore, in October 2016 a case of Mayaro fever 2 was detected in Haiti. While trends cases of ETV have gradually decreased some territories in the Caribbean, including Haiti, (See bulletin VE, Ministry of Health), the conditions generated by Hurricane Matthew and the challenges of Haiti in surveillance systems and epidemiologically response can lead to sudden increase in these diseases. Furthermore, when implementing the response, it is important to take into account the consequences of this kind of disaster on the mental health of the people and the psychosocial support processes of the communities; in addition, there are very vulnerable communities in the country that would have special needs in health, like persons living with disabilities (this number increased after the earthquake in 2010), children, the elderly and persons living with noncommunicable diseases. Beneficiary selection: With technical support from the IFRC, the HRCS will select beneficiaries based on the key principles of impartiality, neutrality and humanity. In addition, the beneficiary selection process will follow the Code of Conduct guideline for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in disaster relief. Lastly, in compliance with the IFRC s Gender Policy and pledge on non-discrimination and respect for diversity, the operation s beneficiary selection process will be sensitive to socially or economically-disadvantaged and excluded groups, and will consider the issues of disability, gender, age, and minority during the selection process. Beneficiary selection criteria common to all sectors: The initial selection criteria presented below are common to all areas of work: Households headed by women, i.e. widows, divorced or separated women without income; 2 Mayaro virus disease is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen endemic to certain humid forests of tropical South America. The disease is similar to dengue, with a rapid onset of fever, aches, headache, retro-orbital pain, dizziness, arthralgia, and generalized and often debilitating joint swelling. The disease follows a self-limiting course of, three to five days and is non-lethal; however, arthralgia may last for weeks or months.
P a g e 6 Households that have not been beneficiaries or recipients of any substantial assistance from the government and other organizations; Households with person(s) with disabilities and other socially excluded groups; Households with few available coping mechanisms and that are structurally vulnerable to shocks; Households from vulnerable occupational groups and marginalized populations. Risk Assessment: In general, humanitarian interventions in Haiti do not encounter major risks due to security or access issues. However, different local situations could trigger civil unrest and disrupt relief activities. Moreover, the legislation on NGOs, which is currently being developed, may hinder the delivery and response capacity of international actors, particularly at the departmental level, where state authority and service delivery are weaker. Preliminary scenario planning takes into account the estimated impact on the country based on population density, risk-prone areas, previous operations carried out in the country, the HRCS areas of expertise and the Movement support in country. Once detailed damage and needs assessments are carried out further adjustments will be made to the planned response efforts. B. Operational strategy and plan Overall objective The overall objective of this operation is to ensure that people affected by Hurricane Matthew in the Sud, Grand Anse, Nippes, Sud-Est, Ouest and Nord-ouest departments receive appropriate assistance in a timely, effective, and efficient manner; and that they are provided with the necessary support in order to recover with increased disaster resilience. The immediate response efforts will focus on the sectors of relief, health and care, hygiene promotion, water and sanitation and shelter. Proposed strategy The forecast models suggest Hurricane Matthew will principally affect the departments of Sud, Grand Anse, Nippes, Sud-Est, Ouest and Nord-Ouest, with have a combined population of approximately 1 million people. The HRCS has pre-positioned non-food items (water, sanitation and hygiene promotion [WASH] and health relief items) and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for sensitization around health promotion, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion. In addition to its sector-based divisions, as part of the National Disaster Management System, the HRCS branches will support search and rescue and emergency response. The National Society will focus on the following immediate actions: 1. Health: First Aid Psychosocial support activities Epidemic control activities, which will take into account communicable diseases risks in the country and be complementary to ongoing actions carried out by the National Society and supported by Movement partners. 2. Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion: Actions will focus on hygiene promotion including the printing and distribution of materials on hygiene promotion (posters, brochures, etc.); household water treatment and safe storage; epidemic control for volunteers in areas where cholera is present; and the pre-positioning and distribution of non-food items for 10,000 families. Additionally, the following items will be procured and distributed: 10,000 personal hygiene kits for men, women and children Aqua tabs for 10,000 families 20,000 buckets (2 per family) 20,000 long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets (LLITNs) (2 per family) 20,000 Jerry cans (2 per family) 10,000 cleaning kits (1 per family) 3. Shelter, Settlement and Non-Food Items: Shelter tool kits and tarpaulins will allow families to build emergency shelters and protect themselves. The provision of construction materials to families whose homes were damaged will allow them to start the rebuilding process during the recovery phase while providing them with technical support on safe building practices through trained HRCS staff and volunteers.
P a g e 7 Households are likely to suffer the loss of household items and kitchen utensils as such; the Red Cross will provide affected households with kitchen sets. In its role as Shelter Cluster Convener, the IFRC will establish and advocate for legal and technical minimum standards, both for formal and informal settlements, to ensure that the humanitarian response and reconstruction process do not undermine tenure security. Subject to a decision from the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) on cluster activation, the IFRC is planning to deploy a four-member shelter coordination team to support the government of Haiti on the coordination of the shelter sector for a period of four months. It will also deploy a housing, land and property (HLP) advisor, whose technical support would enable the following: Coordination and coherence for the shelter response and protection of affected people s rights Work with community members, including landowners, local organizations and municipalities, to understand existing complexities in tenure arrangements, land conflicts and the primary causes of insecurity, particularly for the urban poor Address inequality and insecurity and avoid prolonged displacement, urban land grabbing and forced evictions by prioritizing the most vulnerable members of affected communities Advocate for the inclusion of informal tenants, instead of just owners, as beneficiaries of the government s financial assistance for housing repair and reconstruction. Clarify the regulatory norms for the construction of temporary shelter. Built the capacity of stakeholders, through technical assistance and training, to recognize the impact of HLP rights on their programmes and to ensure that the response community facilitates the recovery of communities and does no harm. Damage to livelihoods is expected after the passage of the storm. The HRCS and IFRC teams will carry out more detailed assessments to assess detailed needs in terms of livelihoods and establish an appropriate intervention strategy. Based on the successful Beneficiary Communication experience after the Earthquake, actions will focus on rolling out Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) initiatives in support of the operation, recognizing that communities affected by the hurricane need immediate and actionable life-saving information and should be engage in guiding and shaping the response, measures will be put in place to enhance community and local government participation and improve programme accountability to communities. The National Society will use appropriate communication channels to disseminate important information and participate through community engagement and communications systems to address: whether assistance is appropriate and contextualized, and to engage communities in design of early recovery assistance. These communication channels will utilize existing cultural and traditional systems and processes, such as radio, participatory activities and other innovative means such as mobile phone technology to capture feedback from beneficiaries to be linked to respective programme sectors for analysis and follow up. IFRC will initiate and support the discussion with the National Society on how best to mobilize community engagement and accountability within the relief and early recovery activities. The overall proposed strategy will be revised if required after the deployment of teams and the completion of the damage and needs assessments. Operational support services Human resources This emergency appeal will support the initial activities implemented by the HRCS in the field, together with the deployment of IFRC surge support from its regional office for the Americas and Haiti cluster office. This includes the mobilization of a head of emergency operations and Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) members made up of a team leader as well as specialists in health, water and sanitation and shelter. Based on the assessments, more teams could potentially be deployed to support the relief operation. Planned deployments can be seen in the IFRC microsite; adjustments to the deployments and alerts are expected based on the evolution of the situation and needs. Current deployments and alerts for Haiti are as follows: Movement partner PIRAC IFRC Assignment Disaster manager Disaster manager
P a g e 8 IFRC American Red Cross Canadian Red Cross Society Netherlands Red Cross Canadian Red Cross Society German Red Cross Canadian Red Cross Society IFRC IFRC Head of Operations FACT Team leader FACT Deputy team leader FACT WATSAN FACT Health FACT Shelter RIT Communications IDRL Movement Coordination FACT PMER FACT Livelihoods ERU - Logistics Logistics and supply chain Logistics activities aim to effectively manage the supply chain, including mobilization, procurement, customs clearance, fleet, storage and transport to distribution sites in accordance with the operation s requirements and aligned to IFRC s logistics standards, processes and procedures. The operation have mobilized a HeaOps and they are requesting a FACT Logistics to support, this will be the surge capacity to support the Country-cluster office. Additionally, PADRU Team have send RIT alerts for all the specialties, to be on call. Significant logistical support will be required in order to fulfil the objectives of this operation, notably in terms of fleet and procurement. A senior logistics officer is based in Haiti as part of the IFRC cluster office. The Haitian Red Cross has 6 warehouses around the country, plus the main one in the Port Au Prince, no additional space for storage is foreseen. After 2010 earthquake, the NS kept more than 2,000 families worth in stock, for emergency response, that was transferred to its ownership in 2015. The Quitus for importation of goods has expired and the HRCS is working to request a new one, but during emergencies the government will activate the corresponding procedures. As part of the preparedness activities, the National Society has mobilized during the last days its stockpile of relief items -for a total of 3,000 families- across several locations within the country: the central warehouse in Port-au-Prince and branches in Ouest, Fort-Liberté, Cap-Haitien, Cayes, and Grand Anse. It will be used for the immediate response phase. In order to coordinate the additional relief items needed and the contributions from the different IFRC partners, a mobilization table updated and shared on a regular basis. It will be used to avoid duplications and advocate to fill gaps of products. As the local supply chain might have been significantly impacted, regional and international sourcing will count with the support of IFRC Logistics specialists (primarily from the Regional Logistics Unit in Panama, but backed-up by the global network of the Logistics Management department). All procurement related to this appeal will follow the IFRC s standards procurement procedures. It includes, in case of assistance delivered via Cash Transfer Programmes, ensuring that tender and selection service providers is done as per IFRC CTP Standard Operating Procedures. A tender process has been launched for a charter transport service to Haiti from Panama, whenever the Airport is reopened and the first needs are defined. IFRC s real-time regional stockpile level in the Americas is available at: http://www.ifrcgls.org/stockreport. It includes the following items ready for dispatch from Panama: hygiene kits, buckets, mosquito nets, jerrycans, shelter tool kits and tarpaulins. Information technologies (IT) The costs of communications (telephone cards, phone bills coverage etc.) are included in the operational support budget. There is a functioning IT department at the HRCS s headquarters. however, IT support will be required for the regional branches. Information management
P a g e 9 The HRCS will set up an integrated database dedicated to a common vulnerability analysis, monitoring process and evaluation. The regular production of newsletters and the maintenance of a website will facilitate the development work of all stakeholders and further strengthen inter-sectorial coordination. Communication Public communications support to this operation will ensure that humanitarian needs are highlighted and the achievements of the operation are well-profiled through proactive public information that integrates the use of IFRC online platforms, media relations activities, audio-visual production and social media engagement. Primary target audiences will include regional and international media, partner national societies, peer organizations as well as donors and the wider public. Specifically, public communications activities will include: Proactive media relations activities targeting international media based in Haiti and regional hubs to position IFRC/Haiti Red Cross as primary references for the media, particularly around milestones in the emergency response and recovery operation. Production of news-related content for promotion via IFRC online platforms including; news stories, blogs and beneficiary case studies Engagement with social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook to maximize visibility of the Red Cross Red Crescent response and promote fundraising Production of audio-visual material including photographs and video material for distribution to National Societies and the media Production of multimedia material to support fundraising activities Regular production of communications materials including factsheets and key messages to support National Societies communications efforts and fundraising activities Facilitation of field visits by media and National Society communications teams. The operation will include a communications officer to support all related activities. Community Resilient and Disaster Preparedness: It is critical that communities are better prepared to mitigate, and respond to, future disasters. Selected communities will be supported with community-based risk reduction activities. Furthermore, all recovery interventions will aim at building community resilience towards in light of future disasters, with community-based risk reduction embedded within all programs. Integrated community-based risk reduction projects will be designed which support community efforts to increase their own disaster resilience and allowing them to better withstand the impacts of disasters. As part of this strategy a Disaster Risk Reduction Campaign for community resilience will be developed in order to build awareness within communities focusing on disaster risk reduction. As soon as the conditions are established, an impact analysis will be carried out in order to identify specific needs for community preparedness and risk reduction, generate lessons learnt and document good practices. Additionally, an assessment is planned to address future risks and vulnerabilities, existing capacities and needs for improvement and strengthening community resilience.. Adaptation and revision of some tools will be included in the Action Plan of National Society using the Flood Modules and tools for Community Early Warning Systems. Community Engagement and Accountability Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) is based on the principle that communities affected by disasters are themselves, uniquely positioned to contribute to prevention and response measures. Red Cross experience demonstrates that the efficiency and effectiveness of any emergency operation can be greatly enhanced by prepositioned or rapidly-deployed systems that allow two-way communications and sustained dialogue between those affected up in disasters and those who seek to assist them. In this sense CEA is also an important component of early-warning systems and disaster preparedness.
P a g e 10 The CEA approach recognizes that people affected by disasters are not 'victims' but a significant force of first responders who need to be engaged as part of the overall response effort. It recognised that their recovery, their future, their lives and livelihoods at stake. CEA is therefore a pivotal platform upon which disaster-affected communities and aid agencies can collaborate and exchange information to promote partnership, understanding and, above all, a fully accountable and effective response and recovery operation. CEA is the process of and commitment to providing timely, relevant and actionable life-saving and life-enhancing information to communities (information as aid). It is about using two-way communication channels to listen to community needs, concerns, feedback and complaints, ensuring they can actively participate and guide the Movement s action and community resilience approaches in general (accountability to communities). The main aim of the communication and engagement efforts is to ensure community understanding, engagement, ownership and implementation of programs, measures through effective social mobilization, communication and engagement interventions. The four components that make up the CEA approach will be put in place during the operation: 1. Information as aid: providing information as a form of aid. 2. Behavior and social change communication: using innovative approaches to drive positive behavior and social change in communities. 3. Accountability to communities: building better accountability to communities into programs and operations. 4. Advocacy: ensuring people s feedback advocating for community needs. Media platforms such as radio, TV, social media and mobile phones can communicate preventive, life-saving and riskmitigating information rapidly and efficiently to crisis-affected communities on a large scale. This proposal will support The Haitian Red Cross to engage community critical actors that can help to enhance the impact of the operation. The Community engagement and accountability focal point: This role will use the lessons learned from other operations in the region and globally. This focal point will also coordinate and develop a national communications and community engagement campaign and strategy. Furthermore, he/she will work closely with other related sectors as health and water, sanitation and hygiene promotion to ensure quality of all the information. Security In order to mitigate risks, the National Society will rely on its volunteers who are well-known and accepted in the communities where they work. The HRCS is well recognized by both the government and the community for its work and its neutrality, making it possible to work during times of emergencies. The HRCS s President will have the ultimate responsibility for the safety of staff and volunteers during the implementation of the plan of action. Clearly established security regulations and protocols have been developed and will strictly adhered to. Planning, monitoring, evaluation, & reporting (PMER) The HRCS, with support from the IFRC, will be responsible for PMER and accountability to the donors. The HRCS s role will be to ensure timely and accurate information for vertical and horizontal accountability. The IFRC PMER team in the field will support the operation to develop a monitoring and evaluation system. Together, the HRCS and the IFRC will develop: A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan defining all the indicators, their purposes and the audience for all of the collected data. Update reports as the situation evolves and activities take place A comprehensive indicator tracking table to monitor project implementation. Periodical operations updates A final evaluation will be carried out at the end of the operation Field visits will be undertaken to verify the effectiveness of operational activities. The distribution of relief items will be carried out exclusively by Red Cross staff, who will reach the final beneficiaries personally. The operation report will provide accurate data on the distribution, and narrative and financial reports will be produced according to HRCS/IFRC requirements. Administration and Finance
P a g e 11 Transfers will be made on the basis of the provisions in the letter of agreement to be signed between the National Society and the IFRC for the implementation of the project. The IFRC, through the Department of Finance, will provide all the operational support for the implementation, review, validation of budgets, bank transfers, and technical support to the National Society and also on procedures for the justification of expenditures, review and validation of invoices for operational progress. Due to the HRCS s current state of affairs, namely its significant financial indebtedness, the risk associated with managing the whole of the operation directly by the National Society is considered to be significant. In order to meet the needs of the beneficiaries in these difficult times, the following accountability and financial management methods will be put in place: i. The procurement of goods will be managed through the IFRC Logistics staff member in the country while all transfers to suppliers would be made through the IFRC s Americas regional office in Panama. ii. Certain expenses incurred by the National Society directly will still need to be transferred to the HRCS in various tranches, which will carry a heightened level of risk. Those expenses will be implemented by the branches and divisions under the guidance of the headquarters and in accordance with the National Society s pre-existing internal financial management and administration, thereby ensuring the accountability of the National Society in its entirety. The management of the emergency appeal will be supported by the IFRC in regard to transparency and fair administration.
P a g e 12 C. DETAILED OPERATIONAL PLAN This Emergency Plan of Action aims to provide immediate support to the Haiti Red Cross Society to conduct response actions after the impact of Hurricane Matthew. The Plan of Action will be amended based on the evolution of the situation and the information generated through damage and needs assessments. Health & Care Needs analysis: According to the characteristics of the emergency, the first consequences in the health of Haitian communities will be injuries and in some cases trauma that require medical attention. The provision of services will likely be impacted by possible damage to health facilities. Additionally, the collapse of health structures would cause difficulties in the support to those people living with medical conditions who will need additional support. Haiti has many public health challenges. The country has faced an increase in the number of cholera cases during 2016 and Zika, along with the associated neurological consequences is also present. This situation could worsen due to the hurricane given the impact on hygiene and water conditions in the affected areas. Psychosocial support needs will also increase, depending of the consequences of the hurricane. The impact of a hurricane and its consequences, sociologically and economically may generate additional fear and anxiety. Thus, this operation includes activities under this intervention sub-sector. Population to be assisted: The operation will target at least 50,000 people (10,000 families) in the most affected departments. Target population will focus on the most vulnerable persons, including children, pregnant women, elderlies, people living with disabilities and chronic diseases, and people in shelters. Emergency Phase OBJECTIVES Outcome 1: The immediate risks to the health of affected populations are reduced. Output 1.1: Target population is provided with first aid services INDICATORS # of people in the IFRC catchment area who can access appropriate health services # of people reached by First Aid services Activities Months 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Procurement and deployment of first aid kits (100 units) Procurement and deployment of personal protection equipment to the volunteers Support the training of the volunteers in the provision of first aid (training) Provision of first aid to beneficiaries Output 1.2: Psychosocial first aid and psychosocial support activities are provided to people affected by the impact of Hurricane Matthew # of people reached by psychosocial support
P a g e 13 Reproduction and printing of information on stress management and coping mechanisms Provision of psychological first aid Implementation of psychosocial support activities (managing stress, strengthening coping mechanisms, preventing violence in shelters) Provision of psychosocial support to volunteers Output 1.3: Epidemic prevention measures carried out in areas affected by Hurricane Matthew n of people reached with water and vector borne diseases prevention activities Reprinting of Information Education Communication (IEC) materials on epidemic control Household and shelter visits to sensitize and develop prevention activities to decrease the risk to communicable diseases Develop a community mobilization strategy to decrease the risk of communicable diseases Procurement and provision of condoms (100,000 units) to the community to reduce transmission of HIV and STI s Water, sanitation and hygiene promotion Needs analysis: Although damage and assessment information is still not available, it is expected that the hurricane will cause wide-spread flooding causing damage to household and increasing the risk of water and vector-borne diseases. Population to be assisted: The operation will target at least 50,000 people (10,000 families) in the most affected departments. OBJECTIVES Outcome 2: Immediate reduction in risk of waterborne and water related diseases in targeted communities for at least 10,000 families. Output 2.1 Continuous assessment of water, sanitation, and hygiene situation is carried out in targeted communities INDICATORS # of households reached through WASH interventions. a) # of site assessments carried out and shared Activities Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Conduct training for RC volunteers on undertaking water, sanitation and hygiene assessments
P a g e 14 Conduct initial assessment of the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in targeted communities Continuously monitor the water, sanitation and hygiene situation in targeted communities Coordinate with other WatSan actors on target group needs and appropriate response Output 2.2 Distribution of hygiene-related goods (NFIs) which meet Sphere standards to at least 10,000 families in areas affected by Hurricane Matthew # of households provided with a set of essential hygiene items Activities Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Procurement of protection equipment (gloves, masks, goggles, plastic suit, rubber boots) Procurement of 10,000 buckets of 14 litre capacity (1 per family) Procurement and prepositioning of 10,000 hygiene kits Procurement of 20,000 long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets (2 per family) Procurement of 10,000 jerry cans (2 per family) Procurement of 10,000 cleaning kits (1 per family) Procurement of aqua tabs for 10,000 families (3 per person per day per 30 days =4,500,000 units) Distribution of non-food items to affected communities Provide training to the population of targeted communities on safe water storage and on safe use of water treatment products Monitor treatment and storage of water through household surveys and household water quality tests. Output 2.3: Hygiene promotion activities which meet Sphere standards in terms of the identification and use of hygiene items provided to the target population. n of people reached by hygiene promotion information Production and printing of Information Education Communication (IEC) materials focused on hygiene promotion (at least 10,000 brochures or flyers) Distribution of hygiene promotion materials to the most vulnerable households Output 2.4 Adequate sanitation which meets Sphere standards in terms of quantity and quality is provided to the target population. n of households involved in one or more environmental sanitation interventions according to context Training of HRCS volunteers on vector control activities Carry out surface disinfection in affected households Cleaning of drainage systems Shelter and Settlement Shelter Coordination
P a g e 15 Needs analysis: IFRC has the global mandate for Shelter coordination in natural disasters. The Shelter Cluster in Haiti was deactivated in May 2015 and it is expected to be reactivated in response to Hurricane Matthew to ensure a coordinated response across the sectors. Subject to a decision from HCT (Humanitarian Country Team) on cluster activation, the Shelter Cluster will deploy a team of initially four staff members to support the government Haiti and in-country shelter partners in the coordination of the shelter sector for a period of three months. The deployments will build on capacity built by the shelter sector within Haiti for disaster preparedness and coordination in the years following the Haiti earthquake. The team will be comprised of the coordinator, information manager, technical and Housing Land and Property advisor. In addition to supporting shelter sector coordination and ensuring appropriate information for operations and decision making, the team will assist in the coordination of technical standards, the implementation of appropriate immediate shelter interventions and assist in the planning for gaps in the shelter and settlements sector as required and requested by the government. Population to be assisted: The overall caseload of the humanitarian shelter response OBJECTIVES Outcome 3. The shelter response of humanitarian actors is strengthened through enhanced leadership, coordination and accountability. Output 3.1: Timely, predictable, and widely accessible shelter coordination services are provided to humanitarian shelter actors. INDICATORS A coordinated and strategic response plan according to humanitarian minimum standards adopted by actors in support of Government Shelter actors working together without duplication of services The provision of timely information for decision making and operations Support service delivery of humanitarian shelter actors Support the development and implementation of the shelter strategy Output 3.2: Shelter coordination services in Haiti provide a platform to integrate Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Law into the shelter response of humanitarian actors. # of shelter actors incorporating DRR and Disaster Law elements into their technical advice and shelter programming Monitor and evaluate the humanitarian shelter response Support advocacy on behalf of the Cluster Strengthen national capacity in preparedness and contingency planning Emergency phase Needs analysis: Immediate relief and emergency shelter are clearly priorities as families have been displaced after their houses were damaged or destroyed. This operation will therefore support provision of non-food items, including kitchen sets as well as emergency shelter items such as tarpaulins and toolkits. Population to be assisted: 10,000 families OBJECTIVE Outcome 4: The immediate shelter and settlement needs of the target population are met INDICATOR # of families that receive shelter solutions, materials or tools
P a g e 16 Output 4.1: Essential non-food items are provided to the target population. # of families provided with kitchen sets Activities Week / Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mobilize volunteers and provide orientation on distribution protocols. Identify, register, verify and mobilize beneficiaries for relief Distribute non-food items to 10,000 households Monitor and report on distributions. Output 4.2: Target population is provided with emergency shelter assistance # of families received emergency shelter Activities Week / Month 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Identify and mobilize volunteers and staff to support the operation and provide orientation on revalidation process and distribution protocols. Distribute emergency shelter Kit to 10,000 Families Select and register, beneficiary s households that will receive shelter assistance Prepare and disseminate beneficiary and stakeholder communication (including Feedback and Response Mechanism) Contextualize technical guidelines for the construction of emergency shelter Provide technical orientations for volunteers and beneficiaries in the construction of emergency shelter Monitor and report on distributions and evaluate assistance Recovery phase Needs analysis: Damage to shelter and adjoined sanitation facilities, is significant, although the total numbers will be obtained after assessments. It will be necessary to support those whose houses have been damaged to get back to their houses by providing them with assistance to repair or rebuild applying building back safer. Shelter assistance has health benefits because it will contribute, in part, towards reducing the risk of some diseases because inadequate shelter exposes people to the elements which can in turn increase health risks.. Recovery shelter interventions will comprise of cash contributions and technical assistance for repair and rebuilding. This will be supported with awareness raising on building back better and safer principles. At this stage, the scope and package has not been fully defined although a tentative budgetary provision has been made. The shelter programme will be detailed in the revised plan of action which will be issued after detailed assessments. Ensure support to overcome regulatory barriers in an environment with complicated tenure and land issues, and rebuild regulations and recovery politics. The IFRC in its capacity of Shelter Cluster Convener has a key role in establishing and advocating for legal and technical minimum standards, both for formal and informal settlements to ensure that the humanitarian response and reconstruction process do not undermine tenure security. Population to be assisted: Detailed assessments will be undertaken to select the people and specific communities to be assisted
P a g e 17 OBJECTIVE Outcome 5: The target population has durable and sustainable shelter Output 5.1: Durable shelter that meets agreed standards is provided to at least 300 families INDICATOR # of families provided with sustainable shelter # of families received durable shelter Identification of communities and specific beneficiaries in coordination with local government authorities Identify households that will receive shelter repair and rebuilding assistance, revalidate them eligibility, and register them as beneficiaries Provide the selected households with orientation on the programme, the distribution process, and guidance on building back better and safer principles Hiring of technical experts and support staff Construct model houses in selected localities to demonstrate safer construction techniques and to provide beneficiaries with visual demonstration on how to build back better and safer. Provide training to the local labour force on safer construction Provide 300 households with shelter rebuilding materials, technical guidance and labour support (Cash transfer programming will be considered) Undertake regular monitoring to ensure that households receiving support to repair or retrofit their houses and households that receive support to rebuild have completed construction using building back safer principles and that cash instalments are in accordance with the conditions specified in the Beneficiary Pledge Agreement Conduct evaluations Output 5.2: Orientation/awareness raising sessions on safer shelter provided to target communities # of families received orientations Conduct training for volunteers and staff so that they can better support and monitor implementation of shelter activities in communities Using IEC materials developed by the shelter cluster, raise awareness of how households targeted by shelter interventions can improve their houses to be safer against future disasters Output 5.3: Ensure support to overcome regulatory barriers in an environment with complicated tenure and land issues, and rebuild regulations and recovery politics # of families received orientations Training on HLP for judges, prosecutors and civic lawyers Assist in the process of regularization of tenure by assisting affected families to obtain formal