THE Disaster Planning and Management Committee of the Manchester Parish Council has received a passing grade for its recent earthquake simulation exercise, with the parish’s disaster preparedness coordinator, Claudia Coley, saying the activity was a success.

The simulation, held on the campus of Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Mandeville, was designed to test the preparedness and response of the parish’s emergency services in the event of an earthquake.

Approximately 700 students and staff at the university, as well as personnel from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Manchester Fire Department and the Mandeville police, participated in the hour-long activity.

Coley noted that while there were some challenges, the planning was very good.

“The only problem that I saw was with the students, who did not respond to the (drill) and took it for a joke. But I think, through public education about earthquakes, the next time we should have a simulation here at NCU, it should be much better,” she said.

Coley said, meanwhile, that every sector of the society should put earthquake preparedness measures in place.

“Every business within Manchester (and) in Jamaica needs to have earthquake plans. Schools or any kind of organisation should (have) some form of preparation for an earthquake. Even at home, persons (should) take steps (and) put plans in place for the family,” she said.

District officer of the Mandeville Fire Brigade, Livingston Morgan agreed the simulation went well, noting that the activity not only revealed strong areas of planning, but brought out the weaknesses that need to be addressed.

“I trust and hope that the information garnered will help the university to put in place a proper earthquake plan, and also to look at other areas involving fire, bomb threats and any other information that might help to ensure that the populace of NCU would be safe,” he said.

“We will be working closely with the parish disaster coordinator and the management of NCU, to come in and educate the populace, giving information and tips, and conducting other drills to ensure that persons get the information (for their) safety,” he added.

The firefighter advised, too, that everyone should take earthquake drills seriously as it was not known when an earthquake might occur. “Jamaica sits in the earthquake belt and, in fact, areas in Jamaica have suffered the consequences of earthquakes. We are imploring everyone to take whatever information (they are provided with) seriously,” he said.

Vice president for student development at NCU and head of the Critical Incident Management Team, Dr Gloria Roberts, said she was pleased about the simulation activity.

“The preparation leading up to the exercise was quite traumatic however, we came through and we were quite enthralled to be told that we passed,” she said, while cautioning that “there are areas to which we need to pay attention, and we will do that even as we plan to improve our emergency situation here at Northern Caribbean University”.

Among the positives identified by the observers were the level of treatment given to the injured, including the administering of first aid and transferring people to the hospital. Areas of weaknesses were:

. the lack of intensity in the search for victims, and the methods used in dealing with casualties;

. the deficiencies in communication;

. the inaudibility of the earthquake alarm system; and

. the lack of positive responses from a number of the participants.

– JIS