Go-Jamaica Weather Watch

Dwayne Mcleod, Gleaner Staff Reporter

While Hurricane Dean threatened to devastate parts of the island, residents of Port Royal in Kingston were left with one less source of help as the communities fire station was without the presence of a single fireman.

Port Royal is officially deemed a flood prone area and as such residents were urged to evacuate, however, residents told The Gleaner that they would rather remain in close proximity to their homes and their contents.

Residents claimed that it was common practice for the firemen to desert them in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Dean.

“Di fireman dem gone eno, dem nuh normally stay when storm a come,” said one resident.

Photo by Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer: this man was one of several residents who took over the Port Royal fire station.

They, however, confessed that there had been numerous efforts by the relevant authorities to ensure that they evacuated the community. “Is only bout eight or nine people gone a di shelter, everybody else seh dem nah leave,” one resident explained. 

“We’re safe and covered by the grace of God, leave and go where?” another resident asked.

Upon visiting the area, residents were seen occupying the fire station’s parking spaces with their personal vehicles, a move which they said was simply in the best interest of safety.

“A we lock di place, we have di key so we jus using the space fi secure some a di car dem,” said Mikey, a 20-year-old resident who was seen giving parking instructions.

A lone officer seen stationed at the Port Royal Police Station said residents were asked to leave the community and with that being the situation, they could not demand the services of the firemen.

One of the firemen who was relocated as a precautionary measure to the York Park Fire Station on Orange Street in Kingston, said they would have stayed if the decision had been left to them.

“If it was our say, to be honest quite a few of us would have stayed because Port Royal is a nice place with some nice people,” said the firefighter.

He, however, added that based on the fact that residents were warned to desert the area, it should not be such a big issue.

Feedback: dwayne.mcleod@gleanerjm.com