RESOURCES & SUPPORT

Essential information, emergency contacts, and support for families searching for missing loved ones.

Whether someone just went missing or you’re searching for guidance, these resources can help. We’ve compiled essential contacts, step-by-step guides, and support services to assist you during this difficult time.

If someone is in immediate danger or newly missing, call Jamaica Constabulary Force at 119 immediately before using any other resources.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

Call these numbers first in case of emergency

Cars driving through flood waters on Jamaica residential street during storm with person sheltering under tree

Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)
Emergency Number: 119

When to call:

  • Someone just went missing (within 24-48 hours)
  • The person is in immediate danger
  • You’ve found someone and need official assistance
  • To file an official missing person report

Important: Always file an official police report in addition to using Help Connect JA. We complement official channels but don’t replace them.

Call 119
Flooded Jamaica residential street with traditional homes and palm trees during heavy storm

ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management)

Emergency Number: 1-888-225-5637
When to call:

  • During natural disasters (hurricanes, floods, earthquakes)
  • For disaster-related missing persons
  • To access emergency shelters
  • For disaster relief coordination

Website: odpem.org.jm

Call ODPEM Emergency
Jamaica coastal homes on elevated decks surrounded by storm surge flooding with boats on shore

Fire Services / Ambulance
Emergency Number: 110

When to call:

  • Medical emergencies
  • Fire emergencies
  • Immediate life-threatening situations
Call 110
Kingston Jamaica residential street flooding with stuck vehicles and people evacuating homes

Help Connect JA (Non-Emergency)

  • Instagram (Fastest): @helpconnectja
  • Email: contact@helpconnectja.com
  • Website: HelpConnectJA.com

When to contact:

  • To report a missing person on our platform
  • To submit tips about someone you’ve seen
  • To update existing reports
  • General questions and support

Response Times:

  • Instagram DMs: 2-4 hours
  • Email/Forms: 24-48 hours
  • Reports posted within: 24 hours

WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE GOES MISSING

Take these steps immediately

Step 1: Contact Authorities Immediately
Hurricane-damaged yellow wooden house in Jamaica with torn zinc roof and fallen breadfruit tree in yard

Don’t wait 24 hours to report. That’s a myth. Call Jamaica Constabulary Force at 119 as soon as you realize someone is missing.

Provide:

  • Full name and nicknames
  • Physical description (height, weight, hair, distinguishing features)
  • What they were wearing
  • When and where they were last seen
  • Medical conditions or medications needed
  • Recent photo

Get a case number from the police for your records.

Step 2: Contact Known Locations
Multiple fallen coconut palm trees blocking residential street in Jamaica with scattered zinc roofing and debris

Reach out to places the person frequents:

  • Friends and family members
  • Work or school
  • Church or community groups
  • Favorite hangout spots
  • Hospitals and clinics in the area
  • Neighbors who may have seen them
Step 3: Report to Help Connect JA
Pink concrete block Jamaican house with severely damaged roof and uprooted mango tree after hurricane

Submit a missing person report through our platform:

  • Go to our Contact Page and fill out the “Report or Update Missing Person” form
  • Include a clear, recent photo
  • Provide as much detail as possible
  • We’ll post within 24 hours to our website and social media

Why report to us:

  • Reaches thousands of community members across Jamaica
  • Organized, searchable platform
  • Regular updates and visibility
  • Community tips forwarded to you immediately
  • Free service, always
Step 4: Spread the Word
Downed power lines and snapped electrical pole on wet Jamaican residential street after hurricane storm

The more people looking, the better:

  • Share our Instagram posts to your story
  • Post on your personal social media with clear photos
  • Contact local radio stations
  • Put up physical flyers in the area (with photo and contact)
  • Inform community organizations and churches
  • Reach out to the Jamaican diaspora if it makes sense
Step 5: Stay Available and Document Everything
Green wooden Jamaican house with damaged zinc roof and split breadfruit tree in muddy storm-damaged yard

Keep communication open:

  • Answer all calls and messages
  • Keep your phone charged
  • Designate a family spokesperson if needed
  • Save all tips and information receivedand family members

Document everything:

  • Write down all tips and leads
  • Keep records of who you contacted and when
  • Save all correspondence
  • Track locations already searched
  • Note timeline of events
Step 6: Take Care of Yourself
Massive fallen royal palm tree completely blocking narrow residential street in Jamaica after hurricane

Searching for a missing loved one is emotionally exhausting. Remember to:

  • Eat and stay hydrated
  • Get rest when possible
  • Accept help from friends and family
  • Don’t search alone at night
  • Reach out for emotional support if needed

SEARCHING SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY

If you’re helping search for someone

Storm-damaged Jamaican residential neighborhood with multiple houses missing roof sections and debris-filled street

Safety First

Never search alone:

  • Bring at least one other person
  • Tell someone where you’re going
  • Set a check-in schedule
  • Carry a charged phone

Search during daylight:

  • Better visibility
  • Safer conditions
  • Easier to navigate unfamiliar areas

Stay within your abilities:

  • Don’t enter dangerous areas
  • Don’t trespass on private property
  • Leave difficult terrain to trained professionals

Effective Search Techniques

Start with last known location:

  • Begin where they were last seen
  • Expand outward in circles
  • Check obvious places first (shops, bus stops, friends’ homes)

Think like the missing person:

  • Where do they usually go?
  • What routes do they take?
  • Do they have favorite spots?
  • Who do they know in the area?

Ask around:

  • Show photos to people in the area
  • Ask shop owners, security guards, taxi drivers
  • Check with neighbors and community members
  • Visit churches and community centers
Blue wooden Jamaican stilt house with hurricane-damaged zinc roof and fallen mango tree against building
Coconut palm tree fallen across Jamaican residential street with scattered roofing and leaning electrical pole

What to Do If You Find Them

If the person is safe:

  • Contact the family immediately
  • Contact Help Connect JA to update status
  • File a report with JCF that they’ve been found
  • Get medical attention if needed

If the person needs help:

  • Call 119 or 110 immediately
  • Stay with them if safe to do so
  • Provide first aid if trained
  • Wait for emergency services

If you only spot them:

  • Note the exact location
  • Note what they’re wearing
  • Note who they’re with (if anyone)
  • Note the time and direction they’re heading
  • Report immediately to family and Help Connect JA
  • Do NOT approach if you feel unsafe

SEARCHING SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY

If you’re helping search for someone

Help Connect JA provides a free platform where anyone can report missing persons in Jamaica. We review every submission with care, verify information when possible, and amplify each case across our website and social media to reach thousands of Jamaicans, both on the island and in the diaspora.

Our Promise

This is a free service, always. We don’t charge families in crisis. We don’t profit from tragedy. We simply connect people who need to find each other.

We handle everything from Hurricane disaster victims to general missing persons cases, treating each family with urgency, compassion, and respect.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES

Organizations that can help

Yellow concrete Jamaican house with severely damaged missing zinc roof sections and uprooted ackee tree
Mental Health Resources

Bellevue Hospital (Kingston)
Provides mental health services and crisis support
Phone: (876) 928-2652

University Hospital of the West Indies
Mental health services available
Phone: (876) 927-1620

National Council on Drug Abuse
Also provides mental health referrals
Phone: 1-888-991-4444

Multiple fallen trees completely blocking Jamaican residential street with downed power lines and scattered debris
Community Support

Churches and Faith Organizations

Many churches offer:

  • Pastoral counseling
  • Prayer support
  • Community search coordination
  • Meals and practical help

Contact your local church for support

Turquoise wooden Jamaican coastal house with tornado zinc roof damage and fallen Royal palm tree
Legal Support (If Needed)

Legal Aid Council
Free legal services for those who qualify
Phone: (876) 922-0491
Website: legalaidcouncil.gov.jm


Jamaica Bar Association
Can refer to attorneys if needed
Phone: (876) 922-0300

Victim Support Unit (Jamaica)

Provides support for victims and families

Services:

  • Emotional support and counseling
  • Crisis intervention
  • Victim advocacy
  • Referrals to other services

Contact: Available through JCF

Call JCF Toll Free

PREPARING FOR DISASTERS

Before Disaster Strikes

Create a family communication plan:

  • Designate an out-of-area contact person
  • Make sure everyone has important phone numbers written down
  • Establish meeting places if separated
  • Take photos of all family members (update annually)
  • Keep physical copies of important documents

Stay informed:

  • Follow ODPEM on social media
  • Know your parish’s emergency shelters
  • Have a battery-powered or hand-crank radio
  • Keep phone charged and have backup power sources

Prepare an emergency kit:

  • Water (1 gallon per person per day for 3 days)
  • First aid supplies
  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Important documents in waterproof container
  • Cash (ATMs may not work)
  • Phone charger and backup battery

During a Disaster

If you get separated:

  • Try to reach your designated contact person
  • Go to your planned meeting place
  • Stay where you are if it’s safe (don’t wander)
  • Write messages on your home/shelter if you evacuate
  • Report missing family members to authorities immediately

Communication challenges:

  • Cell towers may be down
  • Power outages affect communication
  • Roads may be blocked
  • Don’t assume someone is missing just because you can’t reach them

After a Disaster

If someone is missing:

  • File a report with JCF immediately (119)
  • Report to Help Connect JA
  • Check hospital and shelter lists
  • Visit community centers and relief stations
  • Contact Red Cross and ODPEM
  • Keep trying to reach them (phones may come back online)

Stay safe while searching:

  • Avoid flood waters
  • Watch for downed power lines
  • Don’t enter damaged buildings
  • Follow official safety instructions
Snapped electrical pole fallen across Jamaican residential street with dangerous power cables and debris
Lime green concrete Jamaican house with missing roof sections and split breadfruit tree blocking driveway

COMMON QUESTIONS

Immediately. The “24-hour waiting period” is a myth. Report to JCF at 119 right away, then submit to Help Connect JA to increase awareness.

Use the best photo you have. Any photo is better than none. We can always update with better photos later.

You can submit to Help Connect JA without displaying your contact info publicly, but we need a way to reach you with updates. For JCF reports, you’ll need to provide your information.

Adults have the right to leave, but if you’re concerned for their safety, still report it. Many “voluntary” disappearances involve danger or distress.

Posts stay active until the person is found or the family requests removal. We periodically check in with families for updates.

We’re independent but encourage all families to file official JCF reports. We share a community awareness platform that complements official channels.

You can still submit reports through our website and Instagram. We serve the Jamaican diaspora. To contact JCF from outside Jamaica, use their non-emergency numbers or contact the Jamaican embassy/consulate.

No. Help Connect JA is completely free and always will be. We never charge families to post missing persons reports or receive tips.

Report it anyway. Better to pass along a possible lead than say nothing. We’ll verify and forward to the family. Tips can be anonymous.

PARTNER RESOURCES

Organizations working to help Jamaica

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)

Emergency coordination and disaster relief
Website: odpem.org.jm
Phone: 1-888-255-5637

Jamaica Red Cross

Disaster response and family reunification services
Website: jamaicaredcross.org
Phone: (876) 984-7860-2

Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA)

For missing children cases
Phone: 1-888-PROTECT (1-888-776-8328)

GET IN TOUCH

Instagram

@helpconnectja

Website

Home

Email

hello@helpconnectja.com

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