• Teams respond in Jamaica

Damaris Frisk, International Emergency Services Director, talks to locals impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

Salvation Army International Emergency Services teams are on the ground in the Caribbean island of Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa hit the region last month, leaving a trail of devastation and destruction across the region.

To date, 49 people have been confirmed dead in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, with other island nations, including the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, also facing the impacts of destructive winds, coastal flooding and power outages.

Amidst immense destruction and travel difficulties, Salvation Army teams in Jamaica continue to assess damage and gather resources to aid survivors on the island after Hurricane Melissa.

Much-needed relief supplies for Hurricane Melissa relief left The Salvation Army’s Florida warehouse this week for Jamaica. United Parcel Service, a global shipping and logistics company, provided charitable shipping for humanitarian aid.

Teams have mobilised to distribute food boxes, snacks, and hygiene kits and will continue to assess needs as more information is acquired.

Food parcel preparation at the THQ warehouse packing centre is being monitored by Damaris Frick, International Emergency Services Director, and Colonel Edward Lyons, Chief Secretary, Caribbean Territory.

The Salvation Army Eastern Jamaica Division has also partnered with the Rotary Club of Kingston and Khalsa Aid to visit several communities to distribute 400 food parcels, 400 cases of water, and 400 hygiene packs to those affected and displaced.

The Salvation Army is taking decisive steps to reconnect communities in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. Communication has been one of the greatest challenges, with many areas completely cut off. Thanks to the support of Red Lightning, a humanitarian technology and logistics company, this is beginning to change.

Mike Shiffler from Red Lightning arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, on 1 November, with several Starlink satellite units, along with batteries, solar panels, and generators. These resources are being deployed across affected communities to restore internet access and enable critical communication.

The Salvation Army outposts will serve as hubs for these Starlink units, ensuring that entire communities can start communicating again. For the next few weeks, the use of these units will be free of charge. Corps will act as community communication hubs, offering scheduled times for residents to access free Wi-Fi.

The first Starlink unit was installed in All Valley, St. Elizabeth, where The Salvation Army offices also distributed food parcels to 82 households. The Salvation Army has also delivered 450 food parcels to severely impacted areas in Westmoreland, St. James, and Hanover,

Being able to communicate and access to food are critical needs for local residents who have been isolated since the storm. Once the Starlink units are no longer needed, they will be returned to Red Lightning for use in future disaster responses. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Red Lightning for their partnership and commitment to helping communities reconnect during this critical time.

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