The Handbook is intended for practitioners who are experts in their own fields and who are brought together to conduct assessments of extreme events. It aims to harness knowledge around assessment of extreme events in Jamaica to strengthen not only the capacity of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) resulting in an improved reporting process, but will also increase PIOJ’s capacity to share this knowledge in an organised and easy manner with others. It aims to serve as a quick guide to the use of the DaLA methodology by stakeholders in the social, economic and environment sectors of Jamaica. The end result will be better informed decisions regarding the allocation of resources for Jamaica’s disaster risk reduction programme. The basic concepts underpinning the methodology are easily explained, and instructions for undertaking the assessment are provided through step by step procedures, quick guides, examples, illustrations and charts. The Handbook also provides some guidance on how to prepare the final report.