Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer

Is Trelawny prepared for the upcoming hurricane season? Things are in place, according to Deonne Hylton, parish disaster coordinator of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

She reports that shelter managers are in place with most already trained and the rest to be trained this week. She adds that the contact list has been updated and a damage-assessment team is in place.

Hylton, however, notes that flood-prone areas such as Zion and some low-lying sections of Clarks Town are still vulnerable, and there is almost nothing to be done except relocation. She mentions it is unlikely that enough funding will be in place to do everything in the event of a disaster and is, therefore, imploring citizens to play their part.

Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Jonathan Bartley, says drains which are the responsibility of his council are clean, but those which are the responsibility of the National Works Agency (NWA) are in a terrible state. He cites the Moorefield drain in Wakefield and another running behind the Granville All-Age School as needing some urgent attention. The mayor adds that while the council does not have heavy-duty equipment, there are arrangements with private operators for supplying these if required, during a disaster.

Meanwhile, rains which lashed the parish on Wednesday, are showing up some challenges because many areas were flooded. So, the authorities may have their hands full this season. Up to Friday, the Moorefield drain was flooded, rendering the main road impassable. According to the mayor, this has affected about 15,000 people who have to use this road to get to Falmouth and beyond. Th route is via St. James.