Jamaica

More documents

Recommendations

Info

A~M.~,A3. . Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Military Installations Up Park Camp, Kingston Other installations at: main JDF Base has 1,200 ft. airstrip* New Castle, Port Antonio, Port Maria, Moneague (has airstrip 1,200 ft.), Mandeville, Montpelier (has 1,200ft. strip), Montego Bay (located at old airport). 3.5 Communications Local citizen's band (CB) clubs, mobile radio units of the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, and the Fire Brigade, and the <strong>Jamaica</strong>n Defense Force radio network will be the principal alternate communications media if normal telephone communication fails. CB clubs are organized throughout the island and have been integrated into the individual Parish disaster plans. The following is a list of clubs and the parishes in which they operate. Phone numbers and addresses of contact persons for each club are on file at ODP. Western Star CB Assoc. - Westmoreland, Hanover Citizen Band Operators of Portmore - Portmore, W. Kingston POTCOM - Portland, St. Thomas Western CitizensBand Assn. - St. James, Trelnwny, Hanover Eastern Citizens Band Assn. - St. Thomas St. Elizabeth Citizens Band Assn. - St. Elizabeth Spanish Town CB Radio Assn. - St. Catherine SECOM - St. Mary & St. Ann Linstead CB Assn. - St. Catherine Central Citizens Band Club - Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon Clarendon CB Club - Clarendon Citizens Band Radio Assn. (CIBRA) - Westmoreland North East St. Elizabeth CB Assn. - St. Elizabeth Mountain Range CB Assn. - E. Kingston, Harbor View, St. Thomas The Public Works Division maintains an island-wide communications system to track their equipment in the field. A complete list of stations, repeaters, and call numbers is on file at ODP. The Fire Brigade operates on a frequency of 158.775 mhz (VHF) from its base station in York Park, and through nine substations, as well as a number of mobile units in the Brigade's vehicles. The Traffic Department in Kingston also has a comprehensive system which operates on frequency 169.255 (T) and 173.725 (R) and connects the Mayor with the principal corporate offices through substations and mobile units. 30
' JAMAICA : 3. Disaster Pteparedness and Assistance <strong>Jamaica</strong> Telephone Company has developed a set of procedures for hurricane emergencies (a copy is on file at ODP), and Jamintel Company Ltd., the international telephone company, has prepared Guidelines for Disaster Emergency Contingency Planning. The plans focus on restoring the notwork following a disaster. ODP Communications System - DP presently operates both a CB system and a VHF tjystem from its base at Devon Road. Staff vehicles are equipped with a VHF through which they maintain communication with headquarters while in the field. ODP has placed CB radios in the major hospitals in order to be able to communicate with the emergency health care personnel 24 hours a day. (Unfortunately, to date this system has not proven reliable because the radios, viewed as valuable property, have been locked up after normal working hours, to prevent their theft. This renders "emergency" the communication system inoperable during non-business hours.) ODP will soon acquire several single-side band (SSB) radios, selfcontained portable units which will be distributed around the island to establish a nationwide 3mergency communications net. SSB radios are the most reliable communications medium during emergency situations when other repeater dependent systems (including the JDF's) can fail. Parish Disaster Communications Systems As a permanent and regular part of each Parish Disaster Plan, the local CB radio club runs a test of the emergency communications system at a set time one day each week. The CB net has a range of between 5 and 15 miles depending upon the terrain, weather, and time of day. The parishes are also exploring the creation of other alternate communications systems. Working through local youth groups, several parishes are recruiting owners of motorcyoles and mopeds to serve as emergency couriers during disaster situations. These small vehicles can more easily traverse blocked roads than larger cars or trucks, and can therefore carry messages between a disaster site and the national relief center. 3.6 Road Clearing and Construction The Directorate of Maintenance in the Ministry of Construction (Works) is responsible for maintaining the roads throughout the island. The Directorate operates 67 stations or substations with seven regional headquarters: Savanna-la-Mar, Montego Bay, Mandeville, Richmond, Spanish Town, and two in the Kingston-St. Andrews Corporate area. Equipment is concentrated in the areas of greatest traffic density and use, but is less than adequate in all stations. At any one time, at least 60 percent of the equipment is out of service. 31
Page 1 and 2: Jamaica A Country Profile 1983 Offl
Page 3 and 4: JAMAICA: A COUNTRY PROFILE prepared
Page 5 and 6: JAMAICA. Contents CONTENTS Acknowle
Page 7 and 8: JAMAICA 1. General Information 1.5
Page 15 and 16: JAMAICA2. Disaster Vulnerability, :
Page 17 and 18: JAMAICA'' 2. Disaster'.Vulnerabilit
Page 19 and 20: JAMAICA, 2. Disas er Vulnerability
Page 21 and 22: JAMAICA2. Disaster Vulnerability Da
Page 23 and 24: JAMAICA . Disaster Vulnerability 2.
Page 25 and 26: JAMAICA 2. Disaster Vulnerability W
Page 27 and 28: JAMAICA 3. Disaster Preparedness an
Page 29 and 30: -JAMIC:3. Disaster Preparedness and
Page 31 and 32: JAMAICA 3.' Disaste r Preparedness
Page 33 and 34: *JAMAICA Diaster s3. Preparednessla
Page 35: JAMAICA 3. Disaster Preparedness an
Page 39 and 40: JAIAICA 3. Disaster Preparedness an
Page 41 and 42: JAMAICA' 3. Disaster Preparedness a
Page 43 and 44: JAMAICA 3.0 Disaster Preparedness
Page 45: JAMAICA .Bibliography RalphXN. Fiel

Jamaica

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?