St. Elizabeth Gets Post-Hurricane Relief Support from American Emergency Response Entity
By: , July 15, 2024
Photo: Okoye Henry .
Mayor of Black River and Chairman of the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Solomon (third right, standing), and other representatives of the Corporation are joined by My Medic Training + Response President, John Lyon (third left, standing), and his team during the handover of equipment on Thursday (July 11) to aid post-Hurricane Beryl relief efforts in the parish.The Full Story
Post-Hurricane Beryl relief and recovery efforts in St. Elizabeth have been bolstered with the donation of essential tools by My Medic Training+ Response, a United States-based organisation specialising in emergency first-aid response support.
The provisions, inclusive of chainsaws, drills, buzz saws and hygiene kits, were presented to the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation during its sitting in Black River on Thursday (July 11).
Mayor of Black River and Corporation Chairman, Councillor Richard Solomon, who received the supplies, expressed gratitude for the timely gesture.
He noted that the tools will be integral to the immediate response efforts and future disaster preparedness, adding that “we are going to put them to great use”.
The Mayor indicated that fluctuating telecommunication networks have hindered effective communication, further complicating recovery efforts in St. Elizabeth which he said is also currently grappling with widespread power outages.
He, however, commended the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for its ongoing efforts to expedite. electricity restoration across the breadbasket parish.
“Based on information that we would have gotten thus far, they indicated that they are still doing assessments and they’re looking at areas [where] they can restore [electricity and telecommunication] right away,” Councillor Solomon pointed out.
My Medic Training + Response President, John Lyon, informed that the organisation initially planned a training mission in Jamaica but swiftly pivoted to provide humanitarian assistance following the hurricane.
Mr. Lyon, a former United States (US) Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica, noted that while the hurricane’s impact on the island was severe, it could have been worse if the system’s path had shifted.
He had high praises for Jamaica’s improved disaster preparedness, which he believes mitigated further potential damage.
“We’re going to continue to support with donation here. You (Jamaica) just tell us what you need,” Mr. Lyon stated.
My Medic Training + Response plans to continue supporting Jamaica with ongoing donations and training initiatives.
They aim to collaborate with the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) and Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) on first-response training to enhance the country’s capacity to handle future emergencies.
The international community has rallied to support Jamaica’s post-hurricane recovery efforts.
Organisations, such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Medical International Corps, are conducting assessments in order to provide relief assistance to St. Elizabeth.