The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will be observing Earthquake Awareness Week (EAW) 2012 from January 8 to 14, 2012 under the theme “Earthquakes can strike anywhere, anytime. Be prepared there are no signs.”

 

This annual event is aimed at increasing the general awareness and encouraging Jamaicans to implement more active earthquake preparedness measures to effectively reduce our risk to this unpredictable hazard.

 

For 2012 the ODPEM has strategically partnered with a number of public and private sector entities some of which include the Jamaica Council of Churches, the Ministry of Education, the Jamaica Library Services, Parish Councils, Media Houses and the Sandals Royal Resort.

 

This Sunday the ODPEM is encouraging all churches islandwide to participate in observing the EAW 2012 in each service. This will be done through reading or promoting the ODPEM’s Director General’s message which was published in both the Gleaner and the Jamaica Observer newspapers on Tuesday January 4, 2012. The message is intended to inform Jamaicans about the importance of preparing for an earthquake and further promote the methodology of Drop Cover and Hold (DCH). The ODPEM is also encouraging other denominations that worship on Sundays to also partner with us in observing and promoting the message.

 

During the week the ODPEM team will be traveling to a number of parish councils islandwide to lend its support to promote earthquake awareness through presentations, exhibitions and earthquake drills. In addition, the ODPEM in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Library Services has requested that schools and libraries islandwide erect an earthquake theme exhibition within its institutions during the week.

 

In December of 2011 the ODPEM began preparations for EAW 2012 by conducting an intensive earthquake ensitization session which included approximately thirty participants from public and private sector entities. The objective of the session was to train trainers within each entity in an effort to impart the information to their respective

stakeholders during EAW 2012.