Prepare while the skies are still clear

Dear Editor,

As Jamaica enters another hurricane season, one uncomfortable question must be asked: Have we truly learnt from Hurricane Melissa, or are we simply hoping that the next storm will pass us by?

The truth is that Jamaica is still not fully out of Melissa’s aftermath. For many families, recovery is not a headline; it is a daily struggle. Some are still repairing roofs, replacing belongings, rebuilding livelihoods, and trying to regain a sense of normality. Communities that were badly affected do not need to be reminded that one hurricane can undo years of progress in a single day or, more heartbreakingly, in a matter of minutes.

Yet, as time passes, national urgency often fades. The skies clear, the news cycle moves on, and many people return to the same casual attitude towards hurricane warnings. We wait until the last minute to buy water, batteries, flashlights, medication, and other essential supplies. Some ignore evacuation advice. Others assume that because they survived the last storm, they will survive the next one. This mindset is dangerous.

Preparedness cannot begin when a storm is already approaching. It must begin now, at the household, community, and national levels. Every family should know where important documents are stored; how elderly relatives will be assisted; where the nearest shelter is located; and what to do if power, water, or communication systems fail. Every community should know its most vulnerable residents. Every public authority should be asking whether shelters are ready, drains are cleared, emergency communication systems are functioning, and relief mechanisms are in place before disaster strikes.

Hurricane Melissa should have taught us that disaster preparedness is not only about government response, it is also about personal responsibility, community organisation, and public trust. Citizens must take warnings seriously, but institutions must also communicate clearly, act early, and ensure that preparedness is not reduced to seasonal speeches and annual reminders.

Even if forecasts suggest a less active hurricane season, Jamaica cannot afford complacency. It only takes one storm to cause national devastation. The question is not whether we can predict every hurricane, but whether we are prepared enough to reduce the loss of life, property, and dignity when one comes.

Melissa was not just a disaster; it was a warning. If we fail to prepare differently this time, it would not be the result of lack of information, but lack of memory.

The strongest shelter a nation can build is not made of concrete or steel, but of preparedness, discipline, and collective responsibility. Storms are inevitable; devastation is not.

When the winds return, they will not care what we intended to do, what we meant to buy, or what we planned to fix. They will test only what we actually prepared. The time to prepare is not when the storm is named, but while the skies are still clear.

Concerned citizen