Prime Minister Bruce Golding (left) gets an update on the preparations for Gustav from Richard Thompson, deputy director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. The prime minister was on a tour of the agency's Camp Road office in Kingston yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

The nation's disaster emergency agencies remained on full alert yesterday as the country was placed on a tropical storm warning as Gustav, moving slowly across the Caribbean Sea, was downgraded from a Category One hurricane.

At 8 o' clock last night, the centre of Gustav was located about 65 miles south of Guantanamo, Cuba. The storm was packing winds of 75 kilometres per hour and was edging toward the west at 11 kilometres per hour.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) convened individual strategic planning meetings, and kept in touch with each other to ascertain the best plans, as Gustav is expected to dump showers on the island.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding visited the Camp Road office of ODPEM to get an update on preparation plans.

Ronald Jackson, ODPEM's director general, said resources had been deployed to northeastern and western parishes. Emergency supplies, including cots, blankets and water containers were sent to Portland, St Mary, St Ann, Westmoreland, Hanover, Trelawny and St Thomas.

"We are constantly monitoring the path of the storm and refining plans for welfare and shelter operations and evacuation," said Jackson.

At the JDF, Major Mahatma Williams said disaster preparedness plans were activated and, as necessary, emergency operations would be implemented.

Equipment ready

The army has fuelled its vehicles, including aircraft and heavy-duty equipment, to assist in case of search and rescue operations.

Yesterday, many consumers shopped for hurricane-essential items.

"We have to be prepared," said Phyliss Bennett, who was among shoppers at Azan's Supercentre in Cross Roads, St Andrew.

Khaleel Azan of the supercentre said customers were purchasing lanterns, flashlights, candles and batteries.

ODPEM emergency numbers 928-5111-4