The teams are dispatched after the request has been made by the affected utility.

In order to be eligible for relief assistance or to benefit from training and education under the programme, each participating utility pays an annual fee of US$2000 to the Hurricane Fund.

In keeping with the provisions of the CHAP, the CARILEC Secretariat will once again stand ready to co-ordinate any requests for relief assistance received from member utilities. Staff will finalize all overseas travel arrangements for the emergency teams of Linesmen who will be involved in the restoration of transmission and distribution systems after a hurricane or a similar natural disaster in the country.

CARILEC is in the process of finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CDERA aimed at establishing mechanisms for collaboration in disaster and emergency management activities. Areas of collaboration include: disaster preparedness, disaster relief assistance, training and education and information sharing.

CARILEC intends to convene in collaboration with the Caribbean Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), a roundtable discussion involving personnel responsible for disaster management in member utilities will be held in Saint Lucia on 4th April. The main objective of the round table is to review provisions in the existing CHAP with respect to disaster preparedness planning, relief assistance, training and education and information sharing. Participants will be required to evaluate the effectiveness of CHAP and to make specific recommendations for improvement.

The CHAP document sets out the guidelines for the responsibilities of the various parties.