Working in the eoc

A Publication of the Communication and Customer Services Department ... Paving the way Volume 53 Issue 78 December 2025 A Volunteer’s take on EOC operations that was taking place islandwide. Issues such as the number of blocked roads, fallen trees, flood It is not often that staff members are mandated areas, fallen utility poles etc. were reported on, so or asked to volunteer their services. In the information was at hand to ad decision making. case, however, of the National Works Agency’s The information facilitated regular updates to Emergency Operating Center (EOC), it is a regular inform team members and others as to what occurrence when the country is put on alert. The areas had been cleared up or if teams had been EOC in those times become the nerve centre of all deployed to the areas of interest. This information operations and response. As the entity responsible was also shared in summaries with the relevant for Jamaica’s main road network and a crucial authorities, who kept the island and news media first responder, it is the Agency’s responsibility to in the loop about the NWA efforts. ensure that all issues that have an adverse impact of the island’s road network be recorded, resolved Honestly, the initial thought was ‘why should I be and publicized. mandated to work when we also have our families and home to tend to or secure?’ but eventually the Before, during and after the passage of first ‘why’ turned to ‘why not?’ Yes, it is a sacrifice, but category 5 hurricane to hit island – Hurricane when we realize how everyone’s effort contributed Views from Hurricane Melissa ... pg 12-13 Melissa, 34 members of staff were called upon to a much bigger picture. When I saw the extent of to work in the EOC. There were nine volunteers. the damage the western part of the island endured Shani Green-The Internal Audit department’s The group was comprised of managers, technical my heart was remorseful of even the thought of Shy yet Shining Star ... pg 14-15 officers and ancillary staff. Even Kitchen Staff, who not wanting to help in any way possible. ordinarily are not members of Team NWA were on board. After it was all said and done, the understanding of the need of individuals who were severely affected Working in the center itself essentially involved placed into perspective ‘the why’ A home in Johns Hall, St. James hangs cliffside as Hurricane Melissa causes major landslides in the community, marooning hundreds. See more ‘Views from Hurricane Melissa on pages 12-13 taking telephone calls from affected residents or Watsapp text/calls from NWA personnel in the “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in field. The information was recorded electronically. the service of others.” This allowed the agency to see in real time all - Mahatma Gandhi 2 ROADSTER Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 ROADSTER 19 Hurricane Melissa Record rainfall impacted sections of Montego Bay ... continue from page 18 Mayhem: Strongest hurricane on record to ever hit Jamaica In late October 2025, Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica with unprecedented force, leaving a trail of devastation across the island — particularly in the western region of our country namely in St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Manchester, Trelawny, and St. James. What began as a tropical storm rapidly intensified into a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane before landfall, bringing sustained winds of up to 295 kilometres per A section of the Fairfield intersection onto which hour which equates to 185 miles per hour and storm the Barnett River overflowed, leaving mounds of surges of up to 4 meters which is about 13 feet in debris and garbage several feet above the road. height. The Barnett Street Bridge, a critical crossing, was stormwater flows far exceeding their design return Of Jamaica’s total population, about 1.5 million people designed for a capacity of 155 cubic metres per periods. were affected by the storm’s winds, flooding, and second, with overtopping at 245 cubic metres per overall infrastructure loss including damage to homes, second. The 500-year return period flood far exceeded The old arch bridge upstream of Barnett Street Bridge schools, places of business by this unprecedented Manager, Communication and Customer Service Stephen Shaw (centre) these capacities. The Jamaica II and SCS Hydrograph partially blocked waterflow and reduced hydraulic natural disaster. The Pan American Health show colleagues elements of the Disaster Management Application (DMA) hydrologic methods (2010) estimated the 100-year efficiency. Organization (PAHO) estimates that around 191,000 to capture accurate information. return period discharge at 954 cubic metres per second buildings were damaged island-wide, displacing tens of and 776 cubic metres per second, respectively. Both Mud and Debris: as one of the worst-hit areas. The historic parish’s thousands of households. The Jamaica Public Service capital of Black River, the very first town in Jamaica to were exceeded by the storm event. The widespread mud and silt originated from hillside Company Limited (JPSCo.) was working overtime as have received electricity and have a fully motorized car erosion, riverbank scour, and disturbed soils in the upper more than half the island initially lost electricity and roving their streets, after the hurricane the town of Black watershed. Following the flood event, many persons telecommunications, with restoration efforts ongoing River was totally unrecognizable. Establishments that Storm Surge & Return Periods: pointed fingers at the work being done to construct for weeks after Hurricane made landfall. contributed to the once vibrant capital including court The National Hurricane Center forecasted storm surge the Montego Bay Perimeter Road. The project is being houses, banks, food outlets, furniture stores and places managed on behalf of the government by Stanley Jamaca The National Works Agency (NWA) along with the Office heights of 3–4 meters, exceeding the 100-year return of entertainment were now reduced to rubble. Up to of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management period Maximum Likelihood Estimate (MLE) of 2.2 Engineers (SJE) Consultants. The company armed with 90% of buildings were reported damaged according (ODPEM) worked in tandem during the passage of to the United Nations Development Programme. Not metres and the 99% confidence limit of 2.7 metres for the information regarding, wind, water, storm surge hurricane Melissa and even in the aftermath to inform the Montego River mouth (Smith Warner International, and mud flows has sought to rebuff this notion. It has even the NWA parish office situated on High Street the Jamaican public of latest statistics concerning road 1999). Surge effects extended up to 1 kilometre inland, cited the unprecedented levels of rainfall, coupled with was not spared during Melissa’s wrath, taking the roof blocks due to down powerlines, scoured roadways, filling drainage systems and creating backwater the hydraulic weaknesses at the Montego River Bridge of the building with her. landslides, breakaways among several other damage effects that increased flood levels. The communities as major contributors to the flooding. to the roadway caused by the hurricane across the island. Over 385 roads were reported to the NWA by Following the aftermath, the team from Communication of Catherine Hall and Westgreen fall well within the 1 citizens of damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. and Customer Service got an opportunity to visit kilometre space. “The ongoing MBPRP realignment of the Montego sections of our island and the devastation witnessed River did not cause or significantly worsen the flooding. While all parishes experienced Hurricane Melissa nothing came close to what they saw in St. Elizabeth. Infrastructure Overwhelmed: The river channel was constructed to design, and no to some extent, St. Elizabeth was Ground Zero of The unprecedented winds and rain had a devastating abnormal flooding was observed upstream of the Destruction. Though the hurricane battered much of More than 4.8 million tonnes of debris littered the impact on the existing drainage channels, dykes, new bridge. However, incomplete scour protection western and southern Jamaica, St. Elizabeth emerged corridors in St. Elizabeth. The team observed beds, and bridges. These were overtopped and breached by contributed to localized erosion,” the company said. continue on next page 18 ROADSTER Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 ROADSTER 3 Hurricane Melissa Mayhem: Strongest hurricane on record to ever hit Jamaica ... continue from page 2 Record Rainfall Impacted While touring St. Elizabeth Manager, Communication and Customer Service Stephen Shaw (In frame) paused to conduct a tour with the media about the damage sustained in the parish. sections of Montego Bay – Melissa’s wrath felt by the residents of the western city machine to conduct soil testing A passerby points to the damage Hurricane Melissa did to the NWA’s parish office Scenes from Parottee, St. Elizabeth after Hurricane Melissa dressers, washing machines, toys, zinc pieces, items Schools were heavily affected. Out of about 1,010 A section of the road through the Catherine Hall community that left homes and vehicles damaged of clothing and other materials, once valued and public schools in Jamaica, around 721 were damaged, valuable, now blocked main and community roads, with many classrooms losing roofs, flooding, or On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa, the most rainfall at Dumfries and Kempshot stations in the upper farms, and access to essential services including suffering structural damage. This forced schools to powerful hurricane in Jamaica’s recorded history, made Montego River watershed exceeded 300 mm (12 inches) clinics, hospitals, schools were now inaccessible. Of the close or operate on limited schedules while repairs landfall along the southern section of Jamaica. More in 24 hours. At Dumfries, the 24-hour rainfall total (316 hardest communities hit in the parish was the capital were underway. After weeks of recovery work, most particularly the Melissa touched down between St. mm) exceeded the 100-year return period (201 mm) by Black River, Santa Cruz, Lacovia, Luana, Holland and schools have now reopened, although some are still Elizabeth and Westmoreland and meandered across St. 115 mm, corresponding to approximately a 300-year Parottee. In Parottee, a once vibrant fishing village with using rotation schedules or temporary arrangements to James. The hurricane brought record-breaking rainfall, return period event. self-sufficient residents was now cut off physically from ensure students can learn safely. catastrophic winds, and severe storm surge, resulting the rest of the parish. There was now a huge gaping ‘lake’ in unprecedented flooding, especially in the Catherine At Kempshot, the 24-hour rainfall total (331 mm) was that separated one side of the community to the other. Shelters and basic needs became a priority after the Hall community. equivalent to a 50-year return period storm. Rainfall Livelihoods now totally destroyed amid the strongest natural disaster. In the days following the hurricane, intensity peaked at over 52 mm/hour, aligning with the ever recorded hurricane in Jamaica’s history leaving nearly 15,000 Jamaicans were staying in emergency The community of Catherine Hall is located just off timing of flood onset in communities. tens of thousands of residents displaced, not only in St. shelters because their homes were unsafe or destroyed. the coast of Montego Bay and is just outside of the Elizabeth, but across the island. Over time, the government and partners who have River Discharge & Return Periods Montego River flood plain. Stormwaters that impacted pledged to help the country recover worked to reduce this space can be traced back to communities as far as The Montego River hugs a section of the communities. Along with the physical and mental toll on residents the number of shelter occupants, and by mid-December Dumfries in the East Central section of St. James and The Montego River’s peak discharge during Hurricane living here in Jamaica and the diaspora, the economic fewer than 1,000 people remained in shelters in western Kempshot in the South. The Water Resources Authority Melissa was estimated at 2,132–2,653 cubic metres toll could not be left out. Damage across sectors parishes as families moved toward longer-term housing does monitoring of rainfall in these areas. The numbers per second, consistent with a 500‑year return period could totaled US $8.8 billion dollars, which equates to solutions. Recovery work is ongoing and focused on reported give a fairly good idea as to why the Catherine (Jamaica II method). These peak flows were 13.8–17.1 roughly J$1. 42 trillion dollars, affecting agriculture, essentials. Aid agencies from local and overseas and the Hall/Westgreen communities were so badly impacted.times greater than the Barnett Street Bridge’s 155 tourism, and small businesses — especially in parishes United Nations have been helping with food supplies, cubic metres per second design capacity—equivalent that supply food and employ thousands, namely ST. safe drinking water, health services, and emergency Findings with Return Periods - Extreme Rainfall & to 1,275%–1,611% above capacity, fully explaining the Elizabeth which is dubbed the ‘breadbasket’ of Jamaica, support to families most affected. Looking ahead, Return Periods: rapid overtopping of both the bridge and the adjacent adding to the already crippling food security issue that rebuilding and working together are key as we seek to Based on the numbers shared with the ROADSTER, roadway. has been brewing. recover and recover stronger. continue on next page 4 ROADSTER Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 Volume 53, Issue 78 | December 2025 ROADSTER 17 Hurricane Melissa Quacy McIntosh National Works Agency’s Employee of the Year ... continue from page 16