The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) with approval from the Ministry of Finance granted approximately five million two hundred Jamaican dollars to the Meteorological Service to upgrade its Enterprise Doppler Graphics Environment (EDGE) software. This upgrade will now place the Meteorological Service in a better position to provide the required surveillance in support of the country’s early warning system.

At the official handing over ceremony held yesterday at the ODPEM’s office the Chairman of the ODPEM Hon. Danville Walker along with the Director General of the ODPEM, Mr. Ronald Jackson and Acting Director of the Meteorological Service, Mr. Jeffery Spooner were all on hand to participate in the presentation of the cheque.

The Hon. Danville Walker said that this donation is an act of support to the Meteorological Service who is one of the critical players in preparing the country for a potential disaster. He added that despite the government of Jamaica being cash strapped the upgrade of the EDGE Software will also allow the agency to deliver on its mandate.


Mr. Jeffrey Spooner stated that, “This will allow the agency to fully utilize the Doppler Radar and further enhance our capabilities to pinpoint exact feature locations, such as the eye of the hurricane and it will also be able to analyze rainfall intensities and potential flash flooding.” He added that this donation shows the continued support between both agencies and thanked the ODPEM for the support in obtaining this well needed upgrade.

The funds donated from the ODPEM were approved from the Ministry of Finance and taken from the National Disaster Fund.