KINGSTON, Jamaica — Telecommunications provider Flow has confirmed that its teams and systems are fully prepared for the potential impact of Tropical Storm Melissa which is anticipated to bring adverse weather conditions to the island.

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has placed the country under a tropical storm watch, forecasting strong winds, heavy rainfall and possible flooding as the system moves closer to the country.

In a statement on Wednesday, Flow said it had activated its emergency operations centre and its local crisis management team as early as Tuesday as part of its established hurricane readiness protocol.

The company is assuring customers that if service interruptions occur, measures are in place to restore connectivity as soon as it is safe to do so beginning with a damage assessment and prioritising essential services.

“Since the start of the year, we have been collaborating with key stakeholders to strengthen our business continuity systems and ensure network resilience during natural disasters. In the event of service loss, once clearance is given by ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management), our teams will be deployed to conduct restoration work,” said Danielle Savory, senior communications manager at Flow.

Flow noted that more than 60 per cent of its mobile sites are equipped with alternative power sources, providing enhanced stability and faster restoration capabilities. In addition, the company has added 13 new mobile sites over the past three months, bringing improved connectivity and data capacity to rural locations across the parsihes of St Ann, St Thomas, Manchester, St James, St Catherine, and Clarendon.

The company also noted that the underground relocation of its core network following Hurricane Beryl last year is approximately 50 per cent completed. It said progress has been made in Sandy Bay, Spur Tree, Porus and Mandeville. Flow says upon completion, the project will provide greater protection to its backbone network from storm-related damages.

As part of its mission to better serve customers, Flow will be offering special data and call plans to its prepaid mobile customers, helping Jamaicans stay connected with loved ones and emergency services throughout the storm. Customers are also encouraged to charge their devices, top up through the Topup Flow app, and keep a list emergency contacts nearby.

For emergency reports or service queries, customers may contact Flow at 1-800-804-2994 (residential) or 1-800-744-0222 (business). If customers witness any theft or vandalism of the company’s assets they are encouraged to call the nearest police station or Flow’s emergency operations centre at 876-929-9834 / 876-929-9837 / 876-920-7935.

Flow reaffirmed its commitment to keeping Jamaica connected, resilient and informed throughout the hurricane season and beyond.