St. James confirmed its position as the leading parish in disaster management with the launch of Jamaica’s first Disaster Information Database System (DIDS) by the St. James Parish Council on Thursday.
“St. James is certainly leading the way. I think St. James is one of the Council’s that have linked in quiet nicely with our strategic programming direction” according to the director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) Ronald Jackson.
In an effort to increase awareness among the local authority on disaster preparedness and management, Jackson is seeking to encourage other local authorities across the island to replicate this system for efficiency in case of a natural disaster.
Meanwhile, the ODPEM director general was keen to reveal that the greatest challenges that the country faces during a natural disaster is culture.
“We have a very good model, our problem is culture and resources. The difference between Cuba, Ireland and us is that they follow through. Disaster management has a link with the environment, economics, social and political. Our various elements are unaligned and we need to work to get them aligned ” Jackson noted.
The Disaster Information Database System (DIDS) was created to improve the management of shelters and resources during a disaster in the parish.
This system provides a list of emergency shelters, contact lists, hazard information and standard forms and can be accessed through St. James Parish Council website which is www.stjamespc.org/content/home.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
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