Schools and Public Institutions Across St. Elizabeth Engaged in Earthquake Preparedness Exercises

Schools and public institutions across St. Elizabeth have been actively engaged in a series of earthquake preparedness activities as Jamaica observes Earthquake Awareness Month throughout January.

The initiatives are designed to improve readiness, build community resilience, and reduce the risk of injury during seismic events.

Acting Parish Disaster Coordinator at the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Rasha Lloyd, noted that the exercises commenced last week and have already reached several schools across the parish.

These include Nain High School, B.B. Coke High School, Junction Early Childhood Institution, and Holland Primary School, among others.

On Tuesday (January 20), Ms. Lloyd and a team from the Municipal Corporation, alongside representatives from the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), continued earthquake drills at Barbary Hall Primary and Infant School, Newell High School, and Sandy Bank Primary School.

“Overall, [everything, based on] the observation from last week until now, [has been] good,” she remarked.

Ms. Lloyd noted, however, that several critical areas still require attention. She explained that the ongoing electricity outage affecting portions of St. Elizabeth following Hurricane Melissa has complicated the use of alarm systems designed to signal emergencies during drills.

She added that in some cases where alternative alarms were employed due to the electricity outage, the signals were not always clearly communicated to students and staff, which created uncertainty during the drills.

“However, there’s always room for improvement, as there were some common mistakes in the procedure that is supposed to be done… the duck cover and hold. Some persons are really not doing that properly. Also, the persons who tend to brace in the door jam, that is not being done properly also. So, they need to tighten up on those areas,” Ms. Lloyd outlined.

She, nonetheless, indicated that the activities will continue across the parish and encouraged schools to conduct earthquake drills beyond January.

Support for the initiative also came from the JFB’s Corporal Dwight Campbell, who is attached to Fire Safety Prevention and Investigation.

He told JIS News that while most schools were familiar with the basic safety procedures, he observed some improper execution of safety measures.

Corporal Campbell also noted that several students and staff were without essential medications, including asthma inhalers, during the drills.

“As a coordinator, we are hoping that we can broaden the awareness and prepare our citizens [in the event] we experience an earthquake,” he stated.

Acting Senior Teacher at Barbary Hall Primary, Nateisha Powell-Douglas, emphasised the importance of following correct earthquake procedures.

She stated that proper execution can significantly reduce the risk of injury and stressed the importance of up‑to‑date information to ensure both students and staff know how to respond during an earthquake.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Principal of Newell High School, Audrey Ellington.

“It’s very important for the safety of us all. With so many persons in one location, it would be good for us to be observant and to deal with the drills… for the safety of everyone,” she said.

The programme is set to continue with scheduled visits to Ballard’s Valley Primary School, Lititz Primary and Infant School, and St. Elizabeth Technical High School on January 27.