Virginia first responders are in Jamaica, helping communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded.
The Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team has been in Jamaica for about a week. Spokesman John Morrison said the destruction is “catastrophic,” with massive trees knocked down and roads washed away, making logistics a constant challenge.
“It’s really an immense amount of destruction,” Morrison said. “Not to mention all of the homes and businesses that have been destroyed.”
Currently, the team is going into some of Jamaica’s hardest hit communities to assess their needs and help deliver life-saving aid, including medicine, food and water. But the people living there have shown remarkable resilience.
“The people that live here in these cut-off communities have sort of rallied around each other and helped build back their community together,” Morrison said. “It sort of gives you a different perspective when they just say, you know, we’re just glad to be alive.”
He added the kindness of residents has been amazing.
“We’re walking around asking what we can do, and they’re offering us their limited supplies of food and water, because they’re so thankful to see us. It really is a heartwarming experience,” Morrison said. “It makes you a little emotional when that happens.”
This marks the team’s second international hurricane deployment, following Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019. Though prepared for a two‑week mission, Morrison said they will stay in Jamaica as long as their help is needed.
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