Haiti, Tivoli drain ODPEM supplies
Published:Wednesday | June 2, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is working to shore up its resources, having utilised some emergency supplies after Haiti's massive earthquake in January and in the aftermath of last week's unrest in west Kingston.
Director general of ODPEM, Ronald Jackson, told journalists at a press conference yesterday that the agency's operations were focused on absolute priorities.
"In terms of emergency relief supplies, we always said we want to reach a baseline where we are able to serve between 100,000 and 120,000 persons, but we are behind that," Jackson said.
"We have been engaged during the course of the year and so we are trying to build up back that capacity," he added.
The ODPEM had deployed more than $3 million in relief resources and equipment in the immediate aftermath of the January 12 earthquake.
He said the agency has already spent $98 million in hurricane readiness but acknowledged that additional resources were needed for what is expected to be an active season.
Jackson said the agency would be joining forces with its external partners, such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, to boost its capacity.
Intervention activated
Among the ODPEM's preparatory interventions is the repair of more than 1,100 roofs that were damaged by Tropical Storm Gustav in 2008, as well as providing training in search-and-rescue operations for fire and other response personnel.
Jackson told The Gleaner that the Bog Walk gorge would be equipped with a gated real-time warning mechanism for motorists using the problematic Flat Bridge, which is often made impassable by flood waters from the Rio Cobre. It should be operational by month end.
The ODPEM boss said the aim was to reduce or eradicate dangerous and life-threatening occurrences.
"There will be two sets of gates at both ends of the gorge which will be closed once the flood line is beyond the norm," he said.
The United States-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted as many as 23 named storms for the Atlantic hurricane season. Eight to 14 of these could develop into full-blown hurricanes.
The hurricane season, which began yesterday, runs until November 30.