HMS Trent completes her Hurricane Melissa mission in Jamaica but stays in region

HMS Trent has completed her operation in Jamaica to help repair devastating storm damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.

At the end of October, the most potent storm to ever hit Jamaica caused massive destruction across the island, with the Royal Navy patrol ship sailing to the northern coastline to support stricken communities there.

The Portsmouth-based vessel – carrying life-saving aid and specialist personnel, including engineers – focused on helping restore vital public services.

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Their priority has been to repair Falmouth Hospital and Falmouth All Age School – for primary and secondary age children – while also carrying out damage assessments on health centres, such as GP surgeries, advising on what repairs need to be made. 

Particular focus has been on the hospital, where the Crisis Response Troop – a 76-strong team of disaster relief experts from 24 Commando Royal Engineers – helped replace seven roofs, including on the laundry room, dentist and kitchen, which had been completely blown off by Melissa.

The engineers rebuilt the structural skeleton of these buildings, covering them in a special tarpaulin to protect them from the elements while proper repairs are made. 

Marine engineers from Trent and the Crisis Response Troop then worked with local authorities to restore water supply to the hospital – fixing water drums and pipes, before tackling boilers, laundry driers and air conditioning units.

Marine Engineer Leading Engineering Technician Naomi Pearmine, from the Isle of Wight, said: "We've been working with some of the local engineers, working on the hospital's boilers to get them back up and running, ultimately getting doctors and nurses in the best position to help the local community.

"Anything we can do to make their lives easier is worth doing."

Sailors were brought ashore, 24 at a time, to clear rubble and clean wards, making the hospital suitable to be used as a forward operating base and to pave the way for the creation of a field hospital.

The children's ward was fully cleared, as well as post-surgery areas, while sailors also mopped up the kitchen, with it now almost ready for food preparation again.

Trent's Medical Officer helped assess medical supplies, seeing what could be salvaged and what needed to be disposed of.

Using the ship's sea boats, sailors brought 120 aid boxes ashore, filled with hygiene supplies. 

Meanwhile, at the school, almost every room was cleared and cleaned, with children expected back in their classrooms at the end of this month. 

HMS Trent will now continue her patrols of the Caribbean, supporting British Overseas Territories and carrying out counter-narcotics operations.