Christopher Thomas/Gleaner WriterWESTERN BUREAU:The St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) says it is stepping up efforts to ensure businesses in the parish have appropriate disaster management and emergency plans in place for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, now under way.At a press conference on Thursday addressing the parish’s preparedness, Vernon said that St James’ recovery from Hurricane Melissa last October has informed its approach to future risks.“Learning from Hurricane Melissa, we have to increase the sensitisation within the corporate sector, because we find, most times, the government agencies are doing their bit but businesses are not necessarily held to account where their disaster management and evacuation plans are concerned,” said Vernon. “We will be checking these businesses to ensure that they have their necessary plans in place, which is also a requirement under the Disaster Risk Management Act.”“The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry [MBCCI] is actively working to encourage their businesses to formulate and implement disaster and evacuation plans with the support of our disaster unit, and to designate businesses that will lead in the restoration of supply chains and fuel distribution,” he added.Vernon noted a rise in the use of Airbnb-style accommodation since Hurricane Melissa, and said the corporation must identify suitable locations to house displaced persons in the event of another storm.St James was among the parishes hardest hit when Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica last year, with significant damage reported across several communities. Of the parish’s 65 emergency shelters, 55 are now deemed ready, with capacity for roughly 3,000 people.For the current hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast eight to 14 named storms. Between three and six are expected to reach hurricane strength, with one to three potentially intensifying into major hurricanes.Vernon stressed that disaster readiness is particularly critical given western Jamaica’s role as an economic hub. He said the parish stands ready to respond should the Emergency Operations Centre be activated.“We are highly exposed to Atlantic hurricanes and other natural disasters, with a history of significant impacts on infrastructure, tourism, and vulnerable communities,” he said. “The 2025 hurricane season, culminating in the direct landfall of the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, resulted in widespread hotel closures, as well as impacts on health centres and emergency shelters, fire station and police station damage, water, telecommunication, and power system disruptions, and the displacement of thousands of residents.”“Where our shelters are concerned, we have ramped up shelter inspection, plus psychosocial support integration, and we have started a more practical discussion on the use of the Montego Bay Convention Centre for extreme emergency in terms of utility and infrastructure. The lessons learned from Hurricane Melissa have integrated into every response area, from communications redundancy to equitable aid distribution,” he added.christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com