Saturday, June 7, 2025-The Kingston Jamaica Stake, in collaboration with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and the Jamaica Red Cross, hosted its Emergency Preparedness Seminar at the Spanish Town Chapel.
The session began with Scripture and Prayer by Sister Julaine Smith of the Savanna-la-Mar Branch, centring on Proverbs 21:5, a verse that underscores the power of careful planning, patience, and steady effort, the very foundation of emergency preparedness. Members of the Stake, District and Mission joined both in person and online.
The Call for Readiness
President Vaughn Pinnock, President of the Kingston Jamaica Stake, opened the seminar with a compelling message on preparedness, echoing the wisdom of President Spencer W. Kimball: 'It is not enough to hope for the best; we must prepare for it.' He reflected on his own experiences with hurricanes, urging attendees to adopt a proactive attitude toward readiness, noting, 'Sometimes it is our attitude that breaks us. And I want us today to change our attitude towards preparedness.' Through biblical parables, he illustrated that preparedness is both an individual and community effort, emphasising that lack of resources should not be an excuse but rather a motivator for action.
Identifying Vulnerability & Building Resilience
Expanding on this theme, Mrs. Novia Drummonds Morgan, Regional Coordinator for South at ODPEM, emphasised that understanding vulnerability is the first step in assessing risk. She explained that capacity building, training, and disaster awareness help reduce hazards and that churches play a vital role in emergency response, offering shelter, resources, and emotional support. She stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with local disaster agencies, including parish disaster coordinators, municipal leaders, fire departments, police, and the Red Cross. Preparing communities to build back better ensures long-term resilience through education, collaboration, and strategic planning.
Law Enforcement’s Role in Disaster Response
DSP Fitzalbert Linton, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Zone 4 Commander, St Catherine North, reinforced the critical role of law enforcement in maintaining public safety, security, and emergency coordination. While police often serve as first responders, their primary role is to direct efforts, enforce safety measures, and facilitate communication between emergency agencies. He urged churches to develop structured emergency plans, ensuring members know evacuation routes, procedures, and gathering areas. By following disaster protocols and respecting law enforcement directives, communities can minimise risk and ensure an effective, coordinated response.
Fire Preparedness and Household Safety
Transitioning to fire safety, Sergeant Omere Forrester, Jamaica Fire Brigade, stressed the need for fire preparedness, urging households to prioritise fire safety despite cost concerns. He highlighted the importance of fire drills, the necessity of accessible escape routes, and the correct use of fire extinguishers using the PASS technique: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep. He reminded attendees that security measures like grilled doors and multiple locks, while protective, can obstruct emergency exits, making accessible keys and fire awareness crucial.
Emergency Medical Services & First Aid Training
Acting Sergeant Sharion Linton, Jamaica Fire Brigade, introduced the Jamaica Fire Brigade’s emergency medical services (EMS), explaining that firefighters are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to provide professional crisis response. She emphasised hospital and law enforcement coordination, clarifying that fire trucks are not used for patient transport and that EMS personnel operate within their designated jurisdictions to ensure efficient medical response.
Taking the discussion further, Ms. Audrey Mullings, Vice President, Jamaica Red Cross, highlighted the Jamaica Red Cross’s role in emergency preparedness, particularly in first aid training, disaster relief, and humanitarian support. She stressed that first aid is essential in preserving life, preventing further injury, and promoting recovery, encouraging individuals to become trained responders. Mullings also reinforced infection prevention, casualty assessment, and the need for strong community disaster readiness programs.
Welfare, Self-Reliance, & Practical Preparedness
Wrapping up the seminar, Bro. Leroye Blake, Welfare/Self-Reliance Manager, Jamaica, underscored the importance of welfare and self-reliance in disaster preparedness. He urged community leaders to review and revise emergency plans, ensuring that branches and wards maintain updated preparedness strategies. Demonstrating how to build an emergency backpack, he emphasised essential preparedness kits, including battery-powered radios, first aid supplies, canned food, blankets, and vital documents. His message reinforced that self-reliance and proactive planning are key to creating resilient communities.
Call to Action: Preparedness Begins Now
This seminar served as a powerful reminder that preparedness is not a one-time effort; it is a lifestyle. From law enforcement and fire safety to medical services and community welfare, every presenter emphasised the urgent need for readiness and action. As individuals, families, churches, and communities, we must take responsibility for our safety, engage in disaster training, and strengthen collaboration with emergency agencies.
Preparedness isn’t just about surviving, it’s about thriving in times of crisis. Now is the time to commit, develop your emergency plan, and inspire others to do the same. The future depends on the steps we take today.
Lessons Learned
'The most valuable lesson we took away from the Emergency Preparedness Seminar is that preparedness saves lives. From fire safety to escape routes, planning ensures resilience.” Patrick & Sheryl Medley, Service Mission Advisors, English-speaking Caribbean.
'There is a prevailing belief that emergency teams (police, fire, ambulance) must go where disaster hits, immediately, with no questions asked. I learned that the proper thing to do is first to check if the scene is safe. This protects the emergency team as they do their work. So, when disaster hits and an evacuation order is given, if it is not heeded, at some point, not even the emergency team can go to your rescue.' Sandra Moodie, Relief Society President, Spanish Town Ward 1
'I thought I was well prepared, but this seminar showed me that there are areas that I missed. After the seminar, I went home and made a few changes to the way I stored flammable liquids, noted which way my front and back doors opened, and started memorising emergency numbers while planning a family fire drill. This seminar has heightened my awareness not only to the impending disaster but also to the prevention and recovery of a disaster.' Lona Davis, Stake Temple and Family History Consultant, Portmore War