ODPEM to test tsunami early warning system in Port Maria, St. Mary on March 19

The Office of the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will partner with several local stakeholders to test a tsunami early warning system in Port Maria, St Mary, on March 19.

The disclosure was made by ODPEM’s Regional Coordinator, Marlon Brown, at Monday’s meeting of the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce, which was held at the Casa Maria Hotel in Port Maria.

Mr. Brown said the testing of the system is aligned with CARIBWAVE, where each year, the region’s tsunami response mechanism is tested.

He said six sirens or alarms have been placed strategically in and around Port Maria.

They will go off simultaneously on March 19, indicating the occurrence of the tsunami emergency drill.

Three of the siren sites include Pagee, Castle Gordon and the Claude Stewart Park.

Mr. Brown said several of ODPEM’s key partners, including the fire brigade and the police, are being trained to ensure the day’s exercise runs smoothly.

The regional coordinator said he is hopeful that the exercise will be adopted and owned by Port Maria, similar to the system established in Old Harbour Bay in St. Catherine.