As the old saying goes: “Yuh neva see smoke without fire.” In other words, there are always context and reasons for behaviour and happenings.

The reluctance of people in vulnerable communities to leave their homes for presumably safe shelters ahead of incoming tropical storms and hurricanes has been like a recurring decimal down the years.

We have heard of inadequate security in communities among reasons. Such concerns are often driven by memories of people returning to ransacked, vandalised homes following criminal activity in their absence.

Now we are reminded by Port Royal residents of another difficulty — their security at the shelters and what they perceive as an absence of care by those in charge.

Mr Michael Henry, president of the Port Royal Fisher Folk Friendly Society, was brutally frank as he explained residents’ objection to leaving their homes in the coastal community to seek shelter elsewhere in the event of Tropical Storm Melissa’s arrival over coming days.

Said he: “The places where they [authorities] are putting the Port Royalists during the storm… are not conducive. They don’t really care about the people. It’s just mouth talk with no action behind it, and then families are at risk. We experienced it …”

There are allegations of girls being raped at shelters in times past and of people having to walk back to distant Port Royal from the shelter at the National Arena in St Andrew, apparently forgotten by those in charge.

We hope and trust that, notwithstanding such bad experiences, residents of low-lying communities — including Port Royal — at risk of sea surges and flooding will see the wisdom of finding safer ground ahead of the incoming storm.

Let’s make no mistake, Tropical Storm Melissa, which experts say will become a major hurricane, poses extreme, mortal danger.

Yet, the message from Port Royal residents couldn’t be clearer. Those responsible for moving people from their homes to shelters must do all that’s possible to ensure safety and relative comfort.

To the extent that such a thing is even possible during a hurricane, the security forces should strive to monitor vacated communities and homes.

And when the emergency is over, people in shelters should be returned to their communities safely and efficiently.

For all Jamaicans, much was learnt from the passage of Hurricane Beryl off the island’s south coast in July last year.

Hence our appreciation of assurances from utility companies, including electricity provider Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), National Water Commission, and telecoms providers that they are well-prepared for Melissa.

It’s a matter of record that the JPS, in particular, attracted criticism from all quarters because of perceived woeful ill-preparedness ahead of Beryl.

This week, JPS President and CEO Hugh Grant assured us that, with the lessons learnt from Beryl, the electricity provider has radically transformed itself to deal with whatever comes.

Portfolio Minister Daryl Vaz, so critical of JPS last year, tells us he is satisfied that the company is now “being proactive”, though he warned against inefficiency and short cuts.

That’s all good.

But while we look to leadership at all levels to show the way at this time, people in their homes and communities must take responsibility to protect themselves, families, and neighbours in the best way they can.

Ultimately, that’s the bottom line.