Hanover all but hurricane-ready

Western Bureau:

With the 2017 hurricane season already impacting the Caribbean region, Keneisha Stennett-Dunbar, the parish disaster coordinator for Hanover, says the parish is 92 per cent ready for any eventuality, with its only area of shortcoming being a shortage of equipment for its emergency operation centre (EOC).

Speaking at yesterday's meeting of the disaster committee, Stennett-Dunbar pointed out that some 55 emergency shelters have been established across the parish, all with designated shelter managers. She also noted that ongoing training was taking place among the shelter managers.

With efforts now under way to improve the committee's storage facility in the parish, Stennett-Dunbar said there was sufficient stock in place. She also said that arrangements to access goods from established businesses within the parish had been addressed.

Report

"We did a state-of-readiness report and we are at 92 per cent ready, in terms of our shelter managers being in place (and) because of the constant drain- cleaning that we have been doing over the past month," said Stennett-Dunbar. She said that despite the rainfall that they had been getting in the parish, there had been no flooding. They attribute this to their educating residents on preparedness and disaster management through an ongoing programme.

They have also established, in communities, first response teams, even to assist persons who are incapacitated.

The disaster coordinator said that the last assessment, which came up with the 92 per cent readiness report, was done in June, and was based on the criteria established by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

"There are some things, some equipment that we would need to provide ongoing and hands-on information at the EOC, during an emergency, that we do not have, and that accounts for our eight per cent deficit," said Stennett-Dunbar. "There will be no shortage of foodstuff as far as the disaster preparedness committee is concerned."