WESTERN BUREAU – Sandals Royal Caribbean and Offshore Island in Montego Bay has stepped up its efforts to educate St James students on earthquakes.

Manager of environmental health and safety at the resort Annie Bailey said the move follows a survey they carried out last year, which showed that students had little knowledge of earthquakes. The resort, she said, will therefore intensify its efforts at educating students on the precautionary measures to take to prevent injury and/or loss of life in the event of an earthquake. They have visited five schools in the parish since the start of the year and will visit several others over the next couple of months.

“An earthquake is said to be the worst natural disaster, given its unpredictability. Consequently, earthquake awareness and safety information must become common knowledge, not only to adults, but also to our children,” Bailey said.

She noted that schools have in the interim been taking steps to ensure that their students be made aware of the dangers of earthquakes. The St James Preparatory School is among them.

“It was last year’s earthquake awareness session, which was carried out by the resort, that impelled me to ensure that our students were fully aware about earthquakes and safety measures,” said teacher Jennifer Campbell, who has responsibility for that institution’s environmental club.