Trelawny Municipal Corporation Employees Receive Disaster Management Training

Employees of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, as well as other stakeholders have benefited from training in disaster risk management and preparedness.

Speaking with JIS News, Disaster and Emergency Management Coordinator at the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, Dion Hylton-Lewis said the agency undertakes several disaster and emergency response training sessions annually.

“However, we carryout refresher training and awareness campaigns during the window of the Hurricane Season to keep stakeholders prepared and motivated,” Mrs. Hylton- Lewis said.

Training and public awareness activities were undertaken in partnership with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Mrs. Hylton-Lewis informed that training starts in January, which is observed as Earthquake Awareness Month, while noting that greater focus is usually given to the Hurricane Season, due to the frequency of storm events.

At the onset of the 2022 Hurricane Season in June, the Municipal Corporation organized its 2022 Disaster Management Inter-Departmental Quiz Competition, which attracted the participation of six of the Corporation’s eight departments.

These included the Planning, Poor Relief, Administration, Revenue, Trelawny Infirmary and Roads and Works Departments. The Administration department emerged winners of that competition.

Mrs. Hylton-Lewis, in her report to the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in July, said the objective of the competition was to ensure that all employees have a working knowledge of the disaster preparedness and management processes.

The quiz, she stated, required the staff to study and become acquainted with the many vernaculars and best practices used in disaster management, disaster mitigation planning, disaster management structures, as well as information on past adverse events.

Mrs. Hylton-Lewis said the competition, which was held under the theme ‘Building Capacity in the Changing Face of Disasters’, met its objectives of educating staff on matters of importance relating to the preparation for and management of disasters.

Meanwhile, several fire drills were also undertaken, which saw increased participation from stakeholders, in comparison to previous years.

“We thought that this was necessary, as it has been proven that in emergency situations, it is the strength of good habits that have best served survivors,” Mrs. Hylton-Lewis said.

Fire drills were undertaken at the Trelawny Infirmary in partnership with the Falmouth Fire Brigade.

Swift Water Rescue training held in December, was the final activity on the packed training calendar.

More than 20 fisherfolk, and other stakeholders from community-based organisations participated in the event held at the Rio Bueno in Trelawny.

Mrs. Hylton-Lewis said participants were trained to understand how rivers and flood waters work and how to recognise the hazards they bring.

Participants were also taught safety techniques for operating in and around rough sea, as well as turbulent river and flood waters.