Infirmary Staff Praised for Heroic Safeguarding of Residents During Hurricane Melissa
Employees at the island’s infirmaries are being praised for their efforts in safeguarding residents during the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28, which ensured that no injuries or deaths occurred at these facilities, including those most adversely impacted.
Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says their decisive actions are a testament to staff proactiveness and the meticulous planning and dialogue between local municipalities and agency partners.
Notable among these is the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, where frontline workers were lauded by the Minister for moving vulnerable residents out of harm’s way as floodwaters rose and a roof was torn away.
During a visit to the facility on November 27, where Ministry officials and other relevant agencies participated in cleanup activities, Mr. McKenzie recounted that several employees had lost their homes and were being accommodated within the facility.
He shared that he was “reduced to tears on my first visit after Hurricane Melissa had passed, realising what could have happened if not for the decisive actions of the infirmary team.”
“This was an act of heroism. No praise is too high for these staff members who went the extra mile to safeguard Jamaica’s most vulnerable,” the Minister stated.
Mr. McKenzie pointed out that Hurricane Melissa’s impact extended beyond St. Elizabeth, noting that infirmaries in Trelawny, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Ann and St. James also sustained damage, with facilities submerged and roofs torn away in several locations.
He credited the rapid relocation of residents at the Trelawny Infirmary as a turning point that likely averted a monumental disaster for the coastal town, which was grappling with extensive flooding and structural challenges.
The Minister pointed to the wisdom of preparedness and early action, noting that evacuations and protective measures began days before Hurricane Melissa’s landfall, illustrating effective pre‑storm planning and inter‑agency coordination.
Mr. McKenzie said the post-hurricane national response would be coordinated and broad-based, a point reinforced by officials from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the Social Development Commission (SDC), who joined him to spearhead recovery and infrastructure‑strengthening efforts
“This coalition signals a coordinated national effort to clean-up, rebuild, and strengthen infirmary infrastructure against future storms,” the Minister added.
Meanwhile, Mr. McKenzie said that Jamaica will expand technical capacity to assess infirmary infrastructure and implement improvements, underscoring a national push toward safer, modern facilities.
He noted that the disaster underscored the need for stronger building codes, enhanced disaster planning, and the proactive relocation of at‑risk structures nationwide.
Minister McKenzie also emphasised Jamaica’s capacity for rapid and compassionate action in the face of natural disasters, urging continued investment in modernisation, preparedness and community collaboration to safeguard vulnerable populations.
“As Jamaica rebuilds, we must translate these hard-won lessons into stronger, safer infirmaries and a more resilient national framework for future storms,” he said.
He added that the Government plans to maintain inter‑agency coordination and strengthen community partnerships to ensure swift responses in any future emergencies.
