St. Elizabeth Disaster Preparedness Committee Activates Emergency Operations

The Disaster Preparedness Committee for St. Elizabeth has activated emergency operations to identify the most affected areas to dispatch immediate resources.

Parish Coordinator for Disaster Preparedness at the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Ornella Lewis, told JIS News that the focus is on identifying communities with the greatest need and efficiently allocating relief support to the citizens.

She outlined that the initial assessment has revealed significant damage to homes, livestock and farms in areas such as Junction, Southfield, Malvern, Treasure Beach, Barbary Hall, Newcombe Valley, Calabash Bay, Short Hill, Flagaman, Santa Cruz and Warminster, among other communities.

“These are the areas we will be focusing on first, and then based on the assessment, that will allow us to make decisions in terms of where and what resources will have to be prioritised and how those resources are dispatched,” Ms. Lewis indicated.

“This support will come in the form of relief supplies, care packages and more,” she pointed out.

International partners and local Foundations have also reached out to offer aid, according to Ms. Lewis, noting that the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation is taking a leading role in coordinating these partnerships and overseeing the overall response.

Various agencies are also actively contributing to the recovery and response efforts. Among these are the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Jamaica Red Cross, Social Development Commission (SDC), St. Elizabeth Health Department, Jamaica Fire Brigade and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) as well as political representatives.

“I’m grateful for the support we are receiving from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), as they’re also in the field assisting us with the damage assessment. Of course, there is also the support from our parent ministry, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development,” Ms. Lewis said.

During the height of Hurricane Beryl on July 3, more than 100 persons sought refuge in shelters across St. Elizabeth.

Out of 27 activated shelters, 14 were occupied.

Ms. Lewis said this highlighted the extensive preparations made to ensure public safety.