Summit highlights caribbean disaster preparedness and collaboration to strengthen resilience

“Caribbean Strong: Building Resilience with Equity” will take place on February 27-March 1, 2019, at the Sheraton Hotel and Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The three-day summit focusing on disaster preparedness in the Caribbean region is co-sponsored by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust and the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

The event’s keynote speakers will be Richard Besser, MD, MPH, CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who is the former acting director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ABC News’ former chief health and medical editor, and Georges Benjamin, MD, who is Executive Director of the American Public Health Association.

In addition, prominent local, national and international speakers will participate in panel discussions and breakout sessions on a variety of disaster medicine and preparedness topics including:

• Medically Fragile Populations
• Infrastructure, Transportation Access and Power
• Education and Training for Community Resilience
• Public Health
• Institutional Response and Resilience
• Population Mental Health

On Day 3 summit participants will work on identifying actionable goals and objectives for the response, recovery and preparedness segments of the disaster cycle.

The summit will also feature poster presentations, an exhibit hall and numerous opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing. Papers selected for presentation will be included in the Journal of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, which will be available in hardcopy at the event.

For more information or to register, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caribbean-strong-building-resilience-with-equity-registration-51591509594. Information for exhibitors can be found here: https://prsciencetrust.org/caribbeanstrong/#exhibitors, and details for those interested in sponsoring the event can be found here: http://prsciencetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Sponsorship-Proposal-Caribbean-Strong.pdf.

Current members of the Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health are eligible for a discounted registration fee. Click here for details.

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About the Society

The Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. aims to evolve a discipline around disaster medicine and public health. The society’s goal is to improve global health security, with the involvement and development of global health professionals and others who are involved in responding to and or managing significant events. The mission of the SDMPH is to advance and promote excellence in education, training and research in disaster medicine and public health for all potential health system responders based on sound educational principles, scientific evidence and best clinical and public health practices.