‘To be forewarned is to be forearmed’
IT WAS the writer and philosopher George Santayana who said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” Jamaica needed not be impacted by the events of the 2017 hurricane season to have learnt valuable lessons.
The meteorologists have predicted a mix of activities for the 2018 Hurricane season; from active to slightly below active. While we are cognisant of the fact that an active season could spell challenges for the Atlantic Basin, it only takes one tropical cyclone in the active or inactive period to severely impact our island home.
We acknowledge that there is much to done and, we do believe in the old saying ‘To be forewarned is to be forearmed’.
It is with this in mind that we have designed and developed the National Hurricane Preparedness Campaign. Here our sole purpose is to provide you, the population, with the most accurate information in a most efficient and timely manner. We will communicate with you on every media available. The ODPEM will come to your parish, your community and into your homes.
The World Bank Natural Disaster Hot Spots Report rates Jamaica as the country third most exposed to multiple hazards in the world. Some 87.7 per cent of the population is in areas at risk from three or more hazards. One of the ‘three’ is in the group called hydrometeorological events.
Your national disaster office is committed to assisting you to managing the current hurricane season and beyond. We ask for your partnership.
Despite the best effort of the team which I have the privilege to lead at this time, without your complementary action we will not succeed; we need your due diligence in preparation for the possible onslaught of a tropical cyclone.
The ODPEM invites you to pay attention to credible local sources of news, conform to the instructions of the national agencies with responsibility for your safety and protection, and take every reasonable precaution to prevent injury to your person and that of your loved ones.
Disasters happen. Be prepared! MAJOR CLIVE DAVIS DIRECTOR GENERAL