If Mr Ronald Jackson, the director of Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) wanted a dramatic demonstration of the benefits of being prepared for a hurricane, he can safely choose the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). Or The Bahamas for that matter.

Pounded by 27 hours of flood rains and gusting 100 miles-per-hour winds from Hurricane Irene last week Tuesday and Wednesday, the multiple island nations – in particular, Providenciales, TCI which was the worst hit – were a textbook example of staving off the horrors of one of nature’s worst beasts.

While low lying communities and roads were inundated; trees and power lines downed, cutting off electricity supplies and homes lost roofs, for the 40-island archipelago of TCI (only eight islands are inhabited), it was not the usual story of devastation.

Instead having to confront a trail of disaster, the islands can take much satisfaction from the fruits of preparedness and effective teamwork which helped to mitigate the effects of the hurricane, proving that any disaster can be made into a triumph when a nation works together in that indomitable spirit of the Caribbean.

The same could be said of another archipelago, The Bahamas which also took a severe battering from the category 3 hurricane.

Disaster preparedness personnel and businessmen who have heavy investments in the two countries, said they reaped the benefits of designing buildings to code specification and to minise the effects of flooding, while suffering minimal structural damage.

In some cases, anything that could be moved was tied down or taken indoors. Equipment that would be necessary for the recovery process after the storm, were readied and protected. As a result, the clean-up exercise began the minute the storm allowed.

A day after the winds and rains abated, it was difficult, but for photographic evidence, to tell that a major hurricane had struck the islands. It was testimony to the resolve of the Government and people of The Turks and Caicos Islands and The Bahamas, and a model for our disaster-prone Caribbean region.

Both countries depend heavily on tourism and it was commendable to see staff from the hotels volunteering to ride out the storm with guests who could not or did not want to leave, knowing that their own homes could be flooded out or suffer structural damage.

That is the spirit that should permeate the entire Caribbean, not only during the hurricane season which runs officially from June to November, but even when there is no disaster threatening. It is the same message being spread by Mr Jackson and his ODPEM team who, despite some steady progress, are still not getting the level of traction they need in this regard.

Had the TCI and The Bahamas not heeded their disaster preparednes offices, they might now be on hands and knees begging for assistance.

Instead, they have set an example of how to tame one of nature’s most furious beasts.

Still, we are aware that many lives have been disrupted even if none was lost. We are therefore pleased to hear that the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance is working with Jamaica’s ODPEM and other Caribbean disaster-response agencies to conduct aerial reconnaissance of damage to The Bahamas islands.

The mission will focus on the worst-hit islands, enabling participating agencies to assess damage and plan relief operations.