NWC ramps up preparation for 2026 hurricane season

The National Water Commission (NWC) is ramping up preparation for the upcoming 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, drawing on major lessons learned from the severe impact of Hurricane Melissa in 2025, to strengthen the agency’s resilience and response capacity.

Acting Vice President of Operations at the NWC, Herman Fagan, highlighted at a recent JIS Think Tank that, based on the commission’s experience with Hurricane Melissa, steps have been taken to improve backup power systems across the network.

“A number of our facilities were out. What we have done going forward, and in preparation for the new upcoming hurricane season, is to ensure that most of our facilities that serve a wide section of our customers have generators,” Fagan noted.

He added that existing generator units are also being upgraded and properly tooled.

“So, in the event of a disaster, we are able to restore services in a more efficient and a more serious manner,” he said.

Fagan also emphasised the growing role of technology in the Commission’s preparedness strategy, particularly the use of drones for rapid damage assessment.

“It has enabled us to do our assessment in a much faster time. We have already had several formal drone trainings for our line staff, and we'll be expanding on the usage of drones in the different regions,” he said.

He added that the technology is particularly valuable in assessing infrastructure in difficult terrain, including mountainous areas that are not easily accessible on foot.

“In the event that we have any disaster… we are able to do our assessment very quickly,” Fagan stated.

Meanwhile, Vice President of Enterprise Development & Performance Monitoring, NWC, Glaister Cunningham, underscored the importance of planning and communication, noting that the NWC has both a business continuity plan and a hurricane plan.

He pointed to communication as one of the most critical lessons emerging from Hurricane Melissa.

“No plan works without the ability to communicate… because if you can't get through to the people who are to effect the plans, it slows everything down to a halt,” he emphasised.

He expressed gratitude to Jamaica’s telecommunication providers and their partnerships, including the use of satellite support, which enabled communication to be restored relatively quickly following Hurricane Melissa.

Radios acquired by the NWC through the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will serve as another mechanism to strengthen communication going forward.

These combined measures are aimed at improving service restoration times and strengthening overall resilience ahead of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins on June 1.

- JIS News 

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