DR Lyndon Brown is only three months into his new job as head of the island’s Earthquake Unit, but he is determined to get Jamaicans to take the entity’s work seriously — and in their own best interest.

“I intend to use applied research to make people understand the linkages between construction and seismology. I also want to make sure that it is understood that we live in a very active seismic zone so at all times we must be prepared for an earthquake,” he told Environment Watch.

Already, the geophysicist is making a go at realising his objectives, with the help of his six-member team at the small unit — currently housed inside a University of the West Indies, Mona, Physics laboratory.

“We have done lectures to different sectors within the construction industry (and are) preparing handbooks. (Also), the event in Haiti has definitely brought home to a lot of people the effect of earthquakes and our level of preparedness,” said Brown.

On January 12, a magnitude-7.0 earthquake hit Haiti, killing over 100,000 people and leaving millions more in desperate need of food and a home.

The soft-spoken Brown said it was now past time for all Jamaicans to take the work of the Earthquake Unit seriously and recognise just how valuable it is. Government, for one, he said, needs to provide the $5-million it needs to purchase the first three of 12 units that form part of a digital network to properly capture and analyse data from and/or about earthquakes.

“It is important that this type of (comprehensive) monitoring is done since development depends on it. The whole growth of the country depends on proper infrastructure and buildings that are built to code,” said Brown, who previously worked as an engineering geology lecturer at the University of Technology. “Without that kind of data (such as that produced by shake maps that show where tremors are likely to occur), we can’t (inform building codes). The whole development and resources of the country are linked to proper data.”

At the same time, he urged Jamaicans to take the prospect of a big earthquake occurring here seriously and end practices which could put them at great risk if there is a massive earthquake — the most recent one occurring on the island in 1993, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale.

“(People) need to pay attention to safety guidelines by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. They (also) need to assess their building to see if they can withstand an earthquake (and) seek professional assistance in assessing their structures. If you’re about to start new construction, make sure the quality is obtained from professional engineers,” he told Environment Watch.

Meanwhile, Brown — who enjoys, among other things, reading, hiking and tennis — said he is loving his work at the unit, which has responsibility to monitor seismic activity in the region, especially events that take place in Jamaica.

“It has been very interesting,” he said. “Events in the region have made the job eventful so far. I like it; it has been very interesting. It allows one to contribute to issues that are very important to development and urban planning, land-use patterns, etc.”

The unit also collaborates with various entities to do research on seismology and applied geophysics. In tandem with researchers from the University of Texas, they do research on paleoseismology (the examination of geologic sediments and rocks for signs of ancient earthquakes) and ongoing solar mapping of the Kingston Harbour.

They are also doing some trenching along fault lines in order to date tremors to determine frequency and thus, when there is likely to be repeat earthquake events.