Manchester Prepared for Earthquake Week

An exhibition at the local parish library, special talks, and a workshop will be part of the activities that are scheduled to mark Earthquake Awareness Week in Manchester.
Earthquake Awareness Week is being observed from January 13 to 19 under the theme: ‘For Safety’s Sake be Ready for the Next Earthquake’.
Speaking to JIS News, Parish Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness, Claudia Coley noted that, “The week as you know runs from the 13th but we intend to carry on with some programmes right to the end of the month so we begin with the display at the Manchester Parish Library on Monday the 14th and this will remain in place until February, schools as well as the general public are invited to come and make use of the information that is provided,” she said.
Ms. Coley explained that the idea of highlighting the realities associated with the impact of earthquakes came out of Jamaica’s 1907 experience with this natural disaster.
“History indicate that the whole of Kingston was devastated by this tragedy and so even if it was not so long ago we do need to recognise that a major earthquake can happen at any point in time and as such Jamaicans are encouraged to plan ahead for any future occurrences,” she said.
The Parish Coordinator pointed out that visits would also be made to a number of communities during the month.
“We will be going into schools like the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf to make presentations too and simulations, we will be staging on the 25th a special workshop at Cecil Charlton Hall for early childhood institutions, which will focus on how to develop a proper disaster plan,” she informed.