ODPEM Launches Hurricane Preparedness Month

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) on May 1 officially launched its Hurricane Preparedness Month under the theme ‘Disasters are a reality, make preparedness your responsibility’.

This is being done as part of efforts to heighten the country’s readiness for the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.

Focus will be placed on the education sector, against the background of children’s vulnerability and ongoing efforts within schools to strengthen their preparedness and response mechanism.

In her remarks, Senior Director for Preparedness and Emergency Operations at the ODPEM Michelle Edwards noted that the objective of the month is to promote key messages and actions in order to strengthen preparedness and response at the national level.

“We know that Jamaica is vulnerable to disasters and we have a long history of impacts from hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding and landslides. The average impact over the last 12 years is approximately three per cent of Gross Domestic Product and although it was in 2012, Hurricane Sandy, which is our latest,  is still very fresh in our minds,” Miss Edwards stated.

She noted further that the key to effective disaster management is preparedness   as this helps to minimise the impact of disasters.

“I must emphasise the need for every family to have a household disaster plan and in that plan it really will identify what are the actions to be taken by the family if the family gets separated, who is that you call, and if there is a disaster, who is to pick up the children,” Miss Edwards stated.

Businesses across Jamaica, particularly those within the education sector are being encouraged to participate in the preparedness activities during the week of May 12 to16. Support staff of the ODPEM will also be visiting selected organisations to assists with safety talks and monitoring of preparedness activities.

Other activities for the month include:  the celebration of hurricane preparedness day for schools on May 14; publication of a newspaper feature on ‘Disaster Safety Tips’ on May 11; and media interviews and programmes from May to June 2014.

Director of Safety and Security in Schools at the Ministry of Education, Sergeant Coleridge Minto noted that the Ministry was pleased that the ODPEM is ensuring that the preparation for the hurricane season is strategic.

“The Ministry fully endorses the initiatives of ODPEM and is also facilitating its team entering several schools during this month to promote/sensitize students with the various activities,” Mr. Minto said.

ODPEM has, over the past seven years, designated May as hurricane preparedness month, in an effort to heighten the nation’s awareness of the need to implement mitigation measures.