Maurice Mason, Project Officer, Institute for Sustainable Development, UWI, Mona attended the 5th Canadian risk and hazards network (CRHNet) symposium held in St. Johns, Newfoundland. The CRHNet was sponsored by the Canadian Risk and Hazards Network.

CRHNet brings together everyone who has an interest in the cross sectoral, multiple dimensions of risk management and disaster reduction. The emphasis is on an interdisciplinary approach that will reach out to everyone with interests in risk mitigation and management.

The Symposium focused on three distinct aspects of risk and hazards management and emergency management namely physical science, social science and governance, policy and management. The Physical Science sessions explored the physical aspects of hazards, the processes that generate hazardous impacts and appropriate physical mitigation solutions.

The Social Science sessions highlighted the socioeconomic aspects of hazards, vulnerability and socially oriented mitigation solutions.

Governance, Policy, and Management sessions explored the development and implementation of emergency management programs including legal and jurisdictional issues, program models, and post-event analysis of a community's response and recovery.