A $10 MILLION contract was signed on Wednesday for the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergen-cy Management (ODPEM) to acquire a state-of-the-art geographical information system (GIS).
Companies, IBM Corporation, will provide the hardware and networking services, and Spatial Innovision, the software for the GIS.
The signing took place at the Government's Y2K Project Office, located in the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston, said a release from the Jamaica Information Service.
Minister of Water and Housing, Dr. Karl Blythe, under whose Ministry the ODPEM falls, said at the signing that the system to be installed would replace the non-compliant emergency information system now in use.
"This technology will assist ODPEM in positioning itself to handle the complex issues facing disaster management," he said, adding that it was important that Jamaica put itself in a position to gather and use information well.
Essentially, the new system will allow the disaster agency access to the type of data that will allow for more effective planning for evacuations, and identifying high risk areas.
The GIS has the capacity for capturing, storing, manipulating and analysing spatial data and a network that allows for wide area connectivity in the main population centres.
In allows for zoning of areas at risk from droughts, floods, landslides, storm surges and other hazards.
The new system will also allow Internet users access to maps and information on such matters as emergency shelters.
He said the public would benefit directly from the GIS through its 'ark Internet mapping system module which would allow access to maps and information on emergency shelters and other facilities.
The project is being financed by the international lending agency, Inter-American Development Bank.
