MORE than 100 youths were recently educated in disaster prepared-ness, as part of the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force’s annual camp held in Portland.

The camp was hosted at Fruitful Vale Primary School in the parish last week, just over a month into the new hurricane season, which promises between 12 and 18 tropical storms.

“The aim of the camp is to train the cadets to be able to manage disasters from wherever they are. They will be attached to various shelters (and) are a part of the Preparedness and Emergency Response Corps,” said camp commander and training officer Major Johnathan Lamey.

He said the community was chosen to host the camp due to its close proximity to the Blue Mountains, through which an earthquake fault line passes, making the area prone to tremors. The fact that the area has rainfall year round, putting some residents at risk of flooding, was another reason for the choice.

“As a matter of fact, a community now called New Eden was actually washed away in years gone by. It was Old Eden before, but now they have resettled and it is now New Eden. But that’s how bad it (the rains) can be,” Lamey said.

Residents of Fruitful Vale, Bloomfield, New Eden and Shrewsbury are fully supportive of the camp and are actively involved. Eseme Nolon, who lives adjacent to the camp site, for example, made her home available to the cadets for use to carry out simulated emergency responses and preparation drills.

“The more we got involved in the community, the more persons we got out. Our first meeting had like three residents at the four different schools, but after they realised our purpose, we got 26 — teens, senior citizens and kids. You could see the delight in their faces,” said warrant officer class two Adrian Palmer of St Mary High School.

The 18-year-old student was one of 117 cadets, ages 13 to 20 years, who participated in the week-long camp. They were chosen from various high schools across not only Portland, but also St Ann and St Mary.

The cadets, all of whom were housed in just under 100 tents in Fruitful Vale Primary’s school yard, were elated at having the opportunity to educate the members of the community about various disasters and how to prepare for them while having what some refer to as ‘tough’ fun.

Captain Charnele Condappa, 17, also of St Mary High, said she had found the experience of the camp rewarding. Not only had it given them the opportunity to learn while at the same time pushing them to find their strengths and weaknesses, she said it had taught them to

help others — in this case with disaster preparedness.

“We won’t give up our life for another, but we will think about the life of another,” Condappa said.

Private Gavin Buckley echoed her sentiments.

“I enjoy this camp very much, training and stuff. Even in the bushes last night that was really fun, but very informative as well,” said Buckley, 16, of Titchfield High.

Meanwhile, the cadets gave Environment Watch a first-hand look at what they had learnt of functioning in a disaster, simulating a rescue operation in an earthquake. Despite being at the camp for less than a week, they showed mastery of, among other things, the fireman, chair and two-man lifts, as they went through the drill.

At the end, while they admitted the camp was no ‘walk in the park’, given the rigorous training and strict rules, the cadets were agreed that they wanted to return.