The Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID) is an initiative sponsored by six organizations that decided to join efforts to ensure the compilation and dissemination of disaster-related information in Latin America and the Caribbean.

These organizations are:

• Pan American Health Organization - Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

• International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR/UN).

• Costa Rica National Risk Prevention and Emergency Commission (CNE).

• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

• Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America (CEPREDENAC).

• Regional Office of Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

   

Background: the DDC

In 1990, the Pan American Health Organization established the Disaster Documentation Center (DDC) in San José, Costa Rica. Its purpose was to facilitate access to technical documentation on disasters to professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean. The DDC is locate at the premises of the Costa Rica National Emergency Commission (now National Risk Prevention and Emergency Commission -CNE). The CNE provided space at no cost and covered some operating costs.

In 1994, the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) became a sponsor of the DDC through its Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Secretariat. The DDC thus enlarged its projection to other sectors and disaster-related disciplines.

The Center focused its activities towards the achievement of two major objectives: compilation and analysis of existing documentation, and distribution -free of charge- of bibliographic and audiovisual material to professionals, public and private institutions, researchers, disaster-related organizations and agencies across the Latin America and the Caribbean Region.

During the "Regional Strategy for Disaster Information Meeting", hosted by the Costa Rica National Risk Prevention and Emergency Commission in February 1997, several organizations committed to the expansion of the DDC and established CRID as a co-ordination and inter sectoral collaborative platform for disaster information management.

CRID objectives

• Improve compilation, processing and dissemination of disaster-related information, offering quality information services to a wide range of users in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region.

• Strengthen sub regional (Central America, South America and the Caribbean), national and local capacities to establish and maintain disaster information and documentation centers.
  

• Promote the use of electronic technology for the provision of information services.

• Contribute to the development of the Regional Disaster Information System.

Vision

The Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID) is recognized by our users as an Information Center leader specialized in disasters and health, thanks to the abilities and commitment of our staff and to our technological capacity that generate processes of excellence in the analysis of contents.

Mission

To promote the development of a prevention culture in the Latin American and Caribbean countries through the compilation and dissemination of disaster-related information, and the promotion of co-operative efforts to improve risk management in the Region.

Values

1. Leadership: Is the ability to be visionaries, to set up defiant goals, to inspire confidence and develop capacities that would make the difference in the society, promoting a culture of prevention in disasters through the management of information at regional level.
   
   
2. Reliability: Is generating security and credibility in us, in others and in our entity, with the truthful supplying of information based on the control of processes, commitments and objectives.
   
   
3. Team work : Is the culture of being effective working together to reach our objectives generating permanence and growth.
   
   
4. Focus to the client: Is investigating, understanding and committing to the needs of our clients, not only internally, but externally, generating an attitude of service that looks for the satisfaction of the client based on results.
   
   
5. Commitment: Is going further than the simple duty, is transcending, and being faithful to the treatment in the performance and efficient fulfillment of our tasks.
   
   
6. Excellence: Is the search of the maximum qualification granted to the clients through a consistent focus towards continuous improvement of the services, processes and the performance based on the competences of each organization’s individual.
   
   
7. Integrity: is acting in congruence with the principles of transparence, justice and reliability on ourselves, our clients and our partners working on ethic standards.  

Services and Products

• Technical support to a number of users in searching disaster information through traditional and electronic means.

• Publication and distribution of specialized bibliographies on disaster related issues.

• Internet access to a broad collection of documents and to other information sources.

• Technical advice and training on disaster information management to information centers.

• Elaboration, edition and distribution of training material.

• Massive distribution of public and technical information (bulletins, bibliographies, etc.).

• Organization of informative stands and participation in specific activities.

• Coordination with other institutions involved in the field of disaster information management.

• Prepare and manage projects intended to implement, strenghten and manage disaster information.

• Creation of specialized CDs containing disaster related information such as bibliographies, full texts, websites on disasters and institutional contacts, among other. áfica, textos completos, fuentes de información existentes en Internet, contactos instituciones, entre otros)

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