Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

Disaster Preparedness offices across the county of Cornwall were yesterday on high alert for the impending arrival of 'Ernesto'.

Speaking to The Gleaner, yesterday afternoon, parish managers from the five parishes said they had activated their emergency shelters and were ready to assist the public in the event of flooding.

"The agencies are prepared. We had our emergency meeting on Saturday and are using the fire station in Black River as our Emergency Operation Centre. It will be the hub of the whole operation," said Yvonne Morris, parish manager for St. Elizabeth.

"The shelters have been inspected and we have shelter managers in place and on alert. Only the residents would now need to make their preparation as an emergency advisory was sent out that, in the event of flooding, they should prepare to leave the area."

Readiness

In Hanover, the parish manager, Olga Faye Headley, reported an equal state of readiness for the more than 50 shelters in the area. Headley said the shelters in low-lying areas were on special alert and ready to take persons if they needed a place to stay.

"The Bull Bay area that will be using Esher Primary School, is on standby to receive persons should we have any tidal movements," she said. "Also, in the Lucia area, we have Lucia Primary and Infant schools. Shelter managers are there but no one has arrived yet. Other shelters are the Salt Spring House of God and Green Island Primary and High schools."

Headley also noted that the East and West Rivers were cleaned on Saturday and were in the process of other emergency drain cleaning to prevent flooding.

Parish manager for St. James, Hoarse Glaze, reported that the Western Regional Health Authority was also ready. Also on high alert, the team in Trelawny evacuated patients from the infirmary to the Hague Primary School until further notice.