Hurricane proof your roof
WROC, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Office of Disaster Preparedness came together in 2007 after Hurricane Dean to implement a sustainable roofing project as well as relief and training to farmers and other vulnerable community groups.
Residents from eleven communities in St. Thomas, Clarendon and St. Catherine were participants in a two-day Sustainable Roofing project in January and February . On the first day they were taught the theory of preparing roofing strong enough to withstand hurricane force weather. On the second day, homes which had lost their roofs were repaired as a part of the training programme.
In feedback, participants later told us that they were learning skills that would not only protect the community from future hurricanes. Residents learnt roofing skills which they can use to fix their own roofs and that of neighbours, providing future employment as well.
The workshop was coordinated by WROC Livelihoods Officer Nkrumah Green and exposed residents to best practices training in roofing.
WROC is grateful to the HEART/NTA, which, through
instructor Dalston Gilroy, provided technical assistance , and Stephen Hodges, consultant engineer for the WROC/UNDP project.
With the help of these technicians, several roofs were also fixed as a part of the training project.
This included the one-room house of 32 year old Rose Murray of Botany
Bay, an unemployed mother of five children. Her roof was to completely replaced after it was damaged by hurricane Dean.
WROC, in association with the UNDP also produced the booklet, 'Hurricane Proof your roof' which has been distributed to participants in our programme and which is also available for sale to others who need it at a minimal cost.
The booklet was conceptualized as a part of WROC's disaster mitigation and sustainable development effort.
Hurricane Proof Your Roof, is intended to reduce the cost and impact of hurricanes on the homes and livelihoods of Jamaicans by teaching householders how to have their roofs repaired effectively. The booklets also share best practices in roof repair.
Yet another objective of our Sustainable Roofing project was tap into community interest in constructions skills and channel this interest into the training of young men and women towards skills certification through HEART/NTA.
Several programme participants, including women, were also chosen for advanced training in roofing by the HEART NTA.
Hurricane Proof Your Roof represents a true partnership between the community, the private sector (engineer Stephen Hodges) , government (HEART/NTA)and the international community - represented by the UNDP. We again say thanks.
The information provided through training and the booklet will facilitate a sustainable response to future disaster and also lessen the likelihood of economic devastation when these occur.