ODPEM to Test Readiness of Education Sector for Earthquakes

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will on Thursday (January 26) test the readiness of the education sector for a major earthquake, at a simulation exercise slated for the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.

Senior Director for preparedness and emergency operations at ODPEM, Horace Glades, said given the density of the education population it is important that ongoing sensitisation sessions are held to address “the critical concerns within that sector and how we are going to deal with the response at the schools, and the role of the Ministry of Education."

He was speaking to JIS News on Tuesday (Jan. 24), during the National Earthquake and Tsunami Simulation Exercise for the tourism and transport sectors, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

The event was attended and supported by a wide cross section of agencies, including tourism interests, security personnel and firefighters.

Mr. Glaze told JIS News that the exercise examined “the critical things going beyond the quake itself, to look at the supporting mechanisms that are needed, what role the Ministry of Tourism plays, how do the hotels respond, what are the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Transport, looking at our international airports, ground and sea transportation."

He said the response by the attendees was encouraging as indicated that they fully understood their role, if a disaster were to strike.

Since the start of the year, ODPEM has been conducting a number of simulations and workshops, focused on crucial sectors and agencies, to examine their disaster response mechanisms. The aim is to assess plans, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and measure the effectiveness of response and recovery to major emergencies/disasters.

Activities continue on February 8 with a tsunami drill in the Old Harbour Bay community, which will test the national tsunami warning protocol.

Come February 15, ODPEM will be spearheading an all-island earthquake drill to look at community response systems to disasters. “We will have a designated location within the eastern part of the country where the epicenter of the earthquake is focused,” Mr. Glaze informed.

By Garfield L. Angus, JIS Reporter