GER³’s Global Response Team has been working across western Jamaica to provide rapid assistance to communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa. In just two weeks on the ground, the team has established local partnerships, launched critical response activities, and delivered support to some of the island’s hardest-hit communities.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, bringing catastrophic winds, flooding, and storm surges. Homes, schools, and hospitals suffered significant damage, while debris blocked roads and restricted access across much of the west of the island. An estimated 30,000 people were displaced by the storm, and 66% of the population remained without power.
In its first days on the ground, the GER³ team met with community members and local nonprofit organizations to identify areas where assistance was most urgently needed. In Treasure Beach, GER³ formed a partnership with the Breds Foundation and quickly identified debris clearing as a critical priority.
Within four days, GER³ established a cash-for-work team made up of 11 local residents, many of whom had been left without work or unable to attend school because of the hurricane. The program is helping clear debris from the community while putting money directly into the hands of families and individuals affected by the storm.
To date, the team has cleared more than 33,000 cubic feet of debris and completed more than 300 cash-for-work hours.
The team is now working to restore beach access for local fishermen, support boat repairs where possible, and improve conditions for uninsured small businesses. GER³ plans to continue debris-clearing operations in Treasure Beach while expanding its response along Jamaica’s west coast in the coming weeks.
Clearing Treasure Beach’s main community beach has also supported wider relief efforts. Once the area was accessible, the Jamaican Coast Guard was able to use it as a distribution point for reaching isolated coastal communities and delivering critical aid to affected families.
GER³ has worked closely with several organizations during the initial phase of the response. The Breds Foundation, a Treasure Beach nonprofit providing education, sports, and environmental programs, has been a vital local partner in launching GER³’s response.
GER³ has also collaborated with Disaster Arborist Response Teams (DART) UK, a disaster-relief organization that provides specialist arborist and tree-clearing services, equipment, and training in disaster-affected communities. Both organizations have played an important role in helping GER³ rapidly establish operations and deliver assistance where it is needed most.
Alongside immediate debris-clearing activities, GER³ is conducting assessments for early recovery and repair programs in Hilltop, Spruce Grove, Parottee Bay, and Bull Savanna. These assessments are focused on identifying needs related to homes, schools, and emergency shelters.
GER³ will continue to share updates as its Hurricane Melissa response develops.
