Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

EXCEPT FOR a rush on supermarkets by persons seeking to stock up on non-perishable food supplies, candles, batteries and other emergency items, most persons in western Jamaica appeared unperturbed even as Tropical Storm Sandy drew close to the country.

But this was not the case for an elderly woman, who was observed picking up large quantities of biscuits, bulla and other baked products in Montego Bay.

"I can't follow the young people who are trying to fool themselves into believing that nothing is going to happen," the elderly woman said.

"There is a saying that young bird don't know storm, so they don't know what to look out for."

A grade-five student from Farm Primary School, in St James, is one 'young bird'.

'No storm is coming'

"No storm is coming ... they always say storm coming and nothing don't happen. I wanted to stay at school but the principal said that we are to go home," the student said.

In the meantime, Mayor of Lucea Shernett Haughton and her disaster-management team were on full alert as of midday. According to her, all their shelters are ready and shelter managers and supplies in place, should they be impacted by the storm.

"We have our shelters ready and our shelter managers are in place ... we have food, fuel, clothing and all the other supplies we need," said Mayor Haughton.

"We are ready to open our shelters at short notice and, in addition, we have our monitoring teams in place to work alongside the National Works Agency should the need arise."

In regard to areas such as Chigwell, which has a long history of being cut off by floodwaters in periods of sustained showers, Mayor Haughton said that area will be closely watched and if the need arises, plans are in place for the emergency evacuation of residents.

'We have our shelters ready and our shelter managers are in place ... we have food, fuel, clothing and all the other supplies we need.'