St Catherine emergency personnel on standby for bad weather

Shelter managers and other personnel in St Catherine are on standby for the impending inclement weather with the parish’s Disaster Risk Management Committee ready to activate its emergency plan if necessary.

This comes after the Meteorological Service Division indicated that a tropical depression has formed over the central Caribbean Sea and is expected to bring rains and winds to Jamaica.

Committee chairman Roogae Kirlew said that all systems are in place in the parish.

"We have engaged all the relevant agencies, our 62 shelter managers have been trained, and shelters are ready to be utilised. Emergency supplies are in place and all principals of schools have been notified and are on standby," Kirlew disclosed.

He noted that the Disaster Risk Management Council has scheduled a meeting for 1 pm today to determine if emergency operation centres are to be activated by tomorrow.

Kerlew said the early warning system in Old Harbour has been tested and is fully functional.

In Portmore, Mayor Leon Thomas has expressed a similar state of readiness citing a comprehensive evacuation plan where Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses are used to transport persons who might be affected by flooding to emergency centres.

"Our 17 shelters with the managers are on standby to move on short notice, supplies are in place and all principals of schools that will be used as shelters have been notified, "Thomas said.

- Ruddy Mathison

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