Residents In New River, St. Elizabeth, Take Part In Earthquake Drill

Residents of New River District in St. Elizabeth are better prepared to respond appropriately during and after an earthquake, following a community earthquake and evacuation drill in the area on Tuesday, January 18.

The exercise was conducted by the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation’s Parish Disaster Preparedness Committee as part of the national and parish activities for the Earthquake Awareness Week, being held from January 16 to 22.

The drill tested residents’ initial response to an earthquake and their first-aid capacity as well as assessed the use of community emergency resources during a possible incident.

Resident, André Hilton, who took part in the exercise, told JIS News that it is imperative that communities be drilled in safe practices for an earthquake that can strike at any given moment.

It is very important because at least you can act quickly and know what to do in the face of an earthquake,” he said.

Mr. Hilton and other residents who participated got into their safety positions in their respective households upon hearing a siren that signalled the start of the drill. At the end of the siren, community members evacuated to a marked open area while still mindful of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

“It was an important and good experience so that you can act as quickly as possible,” explained Mr. Hilton.

The New River Early Childhood Institution also participated in the day’s activities.

Principal, Carol Williams-Thompson, said the students responded appropriately to the drop, cover and hold drill.

“The measures are to go under the table, hold tight and stay under there until the shaking has stopped, and then we can assemble outside. For this morning, we were here doing the drills with our students and they [caught] on good,” Mrs. Williams-Thompson said.

For her part, Parish Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness at the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Ornella Lewis, noted that there was a great sense of participation from the community.

She indicated that the newly formed Community Disaster Risk Management group in New River was also integral in mobilising residents.

“This activity is just to encourage persons what to do during an earthquake, what they will do afterwards and also to encourage persons that, although we are in a pandemic, we have to remember there are these things that are still happening,” Ms. Lewis said.

She added that the parish will engage in other earthquake-awareness activities over the course of the week.

The day’s exercise was staged in partnership with key agencies, such as the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Also lending support were the Social Development Commission (SDC), Ministry of Health and Wellness, St. Elizabeth Health Department and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.