McKee: Situation in Jamaica is “Getting Desperate, Getting Dangerous”

Former Green Beret and Congressional candidate in Alabama’s 1st District Joshua McKee continues to work in Jamaica, assisting with relief efforts after Hurricane Melissa devastated the island nation last Wednesday..

McKee has been on the ground with Project DYNAMO since late last week, organizing the evacuation of Americans trapped by the storm and assisting the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) and local responders with Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.

ALPolitics.com spoke with McKee early Monday afternoon about the growing urgency of the situation:

“Right now, what we've got is Americans that are at resorts that have no food, water, power or communication. So, they can't notify people that they're still here or need help. What Project Dynamo is doing is we are canvassing those resorts to try to locate them and get them out as quickly as possible. In addition to that, we've had governments reach out to us, offering us a ship with helicopters to get assets in quickly, where our team skill set is able to do that,” McKee said.

“So, between coordinating that, trying to get the port back up and running, and their operations going, it's a hectic area over here. People are becoming desperate. They’ve gone five days without food and water.

“In order for us to get LZ set up, the JDF has informed us it'll be five additional days for every LZ. That's 10 days of people without food and water. It’s becoming desperate. It’s getting dangerous. So, we've got to get Americans out as quickly as possible,” he concluded.

One of the major problems stranded Americans have been facing is not that commercial flights can’t land at the airport, but that they can’t be processed to leave. All of the airport’s scanners, computers and other equipment are down, with no anticipated date of restoration being known. 

Thus far, according to McKee, the only Americans who’ve been evacuated from the Montego Bay Area have been through flights organized by Project DYNAMO.

One of the things McKee and the other teams will be doing is assessing a nearby port and assisting in getting it back in operation. The government of Bermuda has offered a ship and helicopters to assist, as soon as the port is open.

Another difficulty is that now, five days after the storm, efforts are switching from SAR to body recovery. In one location alone, McKee said there were 20 people missing and presumed dead.

The JDF has asked Project DYNAMO teams—many of whom are ex-special Forces, to helicopter into cut-off areas and set up landing zones (LZs) for aid drops. Unfortunately, as McKee said, it will be five more days after the LZs are set up before aid can be delivered—making for at least ten days for these areas to be without food, water, power or other resources.

As the time without food and water increases, people are becoming increasingly desperate. This is complicating relief efforts, as relief teams are now requiring police escorts to protect the teams and their supplies.

Supplies are coming into Jamaica, but they are not being effectively distributed, other than through Project Dynamo and groups like it.

Other members of Project Dynamo are coming to work the relief efforts. North Carolina Congressional candidate Adam Smith, another former Green Beret who served with McKee, is only one of many Veterans joining in.

Congressman Barry Moore’s (AL1) office continues to assist with arranging flights over Cuban airspace to and from Jamaica.

While relief efforts are proceeding as fast as possible, and the goal of Project Dynamo is first and foremost to get Americans out, the costs are mounting. The cost for every flight is around $4,000. And, as every Alabamian knows from our own hurricane and tornado experience, there are NEVER enough supplies when the destruction is as bad as Melissa brought to Jamaica.

Those wishing to donate should go to ProjectDynamo.net.

Founded during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in 2021, Project DYNAMO is an international search, rescue, aid and assistance 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Florida with worldwide operations. The primary objective of Project DYNAMO is to provide assistance to those impacted in disaster areas and conflict zones throughout the world. Notably, Project DYNAMO conducted the first air-rescue missions from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control, and has negotiated the release and exfiltrated numerous Americans from captivity and false imprisonment.

McKee, a Bronze Star recipient and 25-year Army Special Forces Veteran is currently running for Congress in Alabama’s 1st Congressional District. For more information on Joshua McKee, visit his campaign website, McKeeForCongress.com. For his latest updates, including from Jamaica, follow him on Facebook, X or Instagram.

Barry Moore, Alabama’s most conservative legislator, currently serves as the Representative for AL1. Moore is running for the U.S. Senate, to fill the seat vacated by Tommy Tuberville. For more information on Barry Moore and his Senate campaign, visit BarryMooreForAlabama.com or follow him on X, Facebook, Truth Social or YouTube.