By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
The two forecasters on duty at Lynden Pindling International Airport on the morning a deadly tornado hit Freeport two weeks ago, knew of the approaching severe thunderstorm activity before 8 a.m., but both failed to act on the information until it was too late, according to a closely-guarded report that reveals the details of an investigation into the matter.
In fact, when the tornado struck, killing three Freeport Container Port workers after 11 a.m., the duty forecaster in Nassau was literally out to lunch, even though that forecaster had been advised at 6:50 a.m. by the senior meteorological officer who worked the night shift that the worrisome weather system was moving toward Grand Bahama, the report indicates.
Not too long after beginning the 7 a.m. shift, the morning forecaster was able to deduce that the severe weather system would be over Grand Bahama by at least noon.
But that was apparently still not enough to prompt the forecaster to prepare a warning.
At about 7:30 a.m., the two forecasters on duty discussed the day's weather situation; however, "neither discusses the severe weather approaching Grand Bahama with each other, although each was aware of its possible impact on Grand Bahama later that morning."
According to the report, at the start of the 7 a.m. shift, the met office's lightning detection system was not working because the duty forecaster did not know how to restart it. The report shows it was eventually restarted by the second forecaster who had worked that morning.
In the minutes and hours after the tragic scene unfolded in the nation's second city, there was "widespread panic", according to Director of Meteorology Arthur Rolle, who wrote to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment Ronald Thompson.
"Forecasters at the Department of Meteorology tracked the system using modern technology such as a lightning data network, a Doppler weather radar and satellite imagery," Rolle wrote.
"Unfortunately, no warning was issued by the department until just before noon for residents in the threatened areas. This oversight is unforgivable.
"The protocol for the issuance of warnings is that the director be informed before dissemination, or in his absence, the senior deputy director. Furthermore, the Ministry of the Environment should be informed simultaneously. The protocol was not followed. This resulted in widespread panic."
Rolle further wrote, "I would like to state emphatically that professionalism was not displayed during this episode. This is a clear indication of why the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requires meteorological personnel to be retrained."
He further advised that an urgent meeting would be called to apprise forecasters of the protocol.
"There will be some shuffling of staff," Rolle also wrote.
While the director advised that protocol was not followed on the morning of the deadly tornado, one of the two forecasters on duty at the time said in the report, "I am not aware of any protocols in place to issue severe thunderstorm warnings. I issue them when I see red (red echoes on the Doppler Weather Radar display.)"
The director, however, has attached to the report a presentation by him dated May 19, 2006, which states, "Before dissemination, all information from news items to warnings must be brought to the director's attention, or in the absence or unavailability, the senior deputy director or one of the deputy directors."
The attached presentation does not stipulate when a warning should be issued, however.
In a memo to Director Rolle on March 29, the day of the tornado strike, Deputy Director Basil Dean wrote, "We have equipped our weather forecasters with modern Doppler radar and a lightning detection network. Hence, it is inexcusable that a warning was not issued earlier."
In the report, nine forecasters and met department staff provided a detailed account of what they did on the morning and afternoon of the fateful day.
A 'synopsis of the event', which was prepared by Senior Deputy Director Trevor Basden, states that at about 10 a.m. at the Climatology Section in Oakes Field, a meteorological officer observed that severe weather would affect Bimini, Grand Bahama and Abaco.
"She alerts some in the Climatology Section on the results of the model runs, but does not contact the Forecast Office," the report states.
"Sometime after 11 a.m. a Bahamasair pilot enters the Forecast Office (at the airport) and requests a briefing for a flight to Grand Bahama.
"[The duty forecaster] used the Miami radar to bring his attention to the severe weather approaching Grand Bahama and went online and noted the 11 a.m. Freeport International Airport observation.
"Because of her previous analysis and this observation, indicating heavy thundershowers with thunderstorm clouds in all quadrants, this should have prompted [the duty forecaster] to call [the met officer who was operationally in charge of the Forecast Office that day] to begin the preparation of a severe weather statement.
"Unfortunately [the duty forecaster] then leaves to get something to eat."
The report states that a call from Administrator Don Cornish in Grand Bahama to Deputy Director Basil Dean prompted a sequence of events that provoked [the two met officers on duty] to prepare a severe weather statement.
"By such time the adverse weather had already arrived over Grand Bahama and reports of tornadoes were being received," the report says.
"However, the issued warnings remained valid for Grand Bahama until they were lifted at 5 p.m.
"Further to all of this, the directorate was not informed of the impending severe weather or that a severe weather statement had been prepared. The forecasters and observers are the 'watchmen at the gate' to inform the directorate of significant weather conditions that require a news item or a warning."
According to the report, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Deputy Director Jeffrey Simmons, who has responsibility for the Forecast Office, was mainly at the department's Oakes Field headquarters in a budget preparation meeting with the director.
Basden wrote, "Due to the breakdown in protocol, the director was not informed of the issuance of the initial severe weather statement. However, when the information was received from Deputy Directors Simmons and Dean, the director went into damage control and reports were furnished to Mr. Ronald Thompson, permanent secretary, Ministry of the Environment."
The meteorological officer in charge of the Forecast Office on March 29 stated that he left the office at 2 p.m.
He said he was at home at 2:38 p.m. when the director called him on his cell phone and stated he wanted a report as to why the warnings were issued so late.
After informing of his call from the director, the forecaster stated in the report that he was not aware of any protocols in place to issue severe thunderstorm warnings.
The director stated in the report that he did not know of the severe weather affecting Grand Bahama until his return from lunch at about 2 p.m. That's three hours after severe weather was reported there and many more hours after it was spotted making its approach.
Rolle said he received a call from Permanent Secretary Thompson who informed him of the deaths of two to three people in Grand Bahama and wanted a report.
"He (Thompson) also stated that Minister [Zhivargo] Laing was concerned about it," the director stated.
He said this is when he ordered the met officer who had been in charge of the Forecast Office that morning back to work.
Rolle said he received a report from that forecaster at 3:30 p.m. and sent it to the permanent secretary.
The report into the events in the Department of Meteorology on March 29 is being viewed by top government officials and disciplinary action is expected to follow.
April 12, 2010
thenassauguardian
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Showing posts with label Grand Bahama tornado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grand Bahama tornado. Show all posts
Monday, April 12, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Bradley Roberts - Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman raises National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) concerns after Grand Bahama tornado
By MEGAN REYNOLDS
Tribune Staff Reporter
mreynolds@tribunemedia.net:
THE National Emergency Management Agency has come under fire for its failure to effectively issue warnings and respond to the Grand Bahama tornado on Monday.
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Bradley Roberts has raised concerns about NEMA's lack of resources in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands as well as insufficient training and systems in place to prepare for and respond to dangerous weather in the future.
The tornado that struck Grand Bahama at around 11.30am on Monday claimed the lives of three maintenance workers who were trapped in a 400 ft gantry crane that came crashing down and was submerged in the water at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).
Several others were injured and witnesses said they had little or no warning to seek protection from the storm.
Warnings:
Although weather warnings were issued in South Florida early Monday morning, and a meteorological observer in Grand Bahama alerted a forecaster at the Met Office in Nassau to issue a public tornado warning for the island, a breakdown in protocol meant the warning was not issued.
Environment Minister Earl Deveaux maintains the staff responsible will face consequences for the breach.
However he maintains the port was aware of the severe weather approaching and a warning would not have changed the devastating outcome.
"No warnings or lack thereof could be blamed for the horrible and fatal consequences," Dr Deveaux said.
"All of us are deeply affected by the fatal and destructive events."
Now Mr Roberts has detailed further actions that he says should have been taken to minimise the tornado's impact on Grand Bahama.
He said NEMA should have immediately posted public warnings, closed schools, appointed an incident commander to oversee a search and rescue operation and damage assessment.
A hotline and public information centre for those affected should have also been established, as well as a counselling service and crisis information centre, Mr Roberts said.
According to the PLP chairman, NEMA thrived under the PLP administration as it accelerated the development of a national emergency plan and invested in a number of intensive training on damage assessment and emergency response.
Programmes:
However the organisation has since suffered under the FNM as programmes were not sustained and there has been no national training for three years, he said.
Mr Roberts further laments the lack of NEMA offices in any of the Family Islands where there should be establishments and people in place to provide an emergency response.
Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell did not respond to these allegations before The Tribune went to press.
However Mr Roberts ultimately holds Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham accountable when NEMA falls short.
"As a result of this government's petty partisan policies and its commitment to destroy 'Christie programmes', NEMA was a total failure to the people of Grand Bahama during their hour of need," Mr Roberts said.
"A day later the above mentioned plans have still not been done or even started; this is indeed a classic case of a disaster within a disaster.
"The people of Grand Bahama must hold Mr Ingraham and the FNM government accountable for its failure to provide all the safety mechanisms to ensure mitigation against lost of life, property and unnecessary grief and suffering."
April 01, 2010
tribune242
Tribune Staff Reporter
mreynolds@tribunemedia.net:
THE National Emergency Management Agency has come under fire for its failure to effectively issue warnings and respond to the Grand Bahama tornado on Monday.
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Bradley Roberts has raised concerns about NEMA's lack of resources in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands as well as insufficient training and systems in place to prepare for and respond to dangerous weather in the future.
The tornado that struck Grand Bahama at around 11.30am on Monday claimed the lives of three maintenance workers who were trapped in a 400 ft gantry crane that came crashing down and was submerged in the water at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).
Several others were injured and witnesses said they had little or no warning to seek protection from the storm.
Warnings:
Although weather warnings were issued in South Florida early Monday morning, and a meteorological observer in Grand Bahama alerted a forecaster at the Met Office in Nassau to issue a public tornado warning for the island, a breakdown in protocol meant the warning was not issued.
Environment Minister Earl Deveaux maintains the staff responsible will face consequences for the breach.
However he maintains the port was aware of the severe weather approaching and a warning would not have changed the devastating outcome.
"No warnings or lack thereof could be blamed for the horrible and fatal consequences," Dr Deveaux said.
"All of us are deeply affected by the fatal and destructive events."
Now Mr Roberts has detailed further actions that he says should have been taken to minimise the tornado's impact on Grand Bahama.
He said NEMA should have immediately posted public warnings, closed schools, appointed an incident commander to oversee a search and rescue operation and damage assessment.
A hotline and public information centre for those affected should have also been established, as well as a counselling service and crisis information centre, Mr Roberts said.
According to the PLP chairman, NEMA thrived under the PLP administration as it accelerated the development of a national emergency plan and invested in a number of intensive training on damage assessment and emergency response.
Programmes:
However the organisation has since suffered under the FNM as programmes were not sustained and there has been no national training for three years, he said.
Mr Roberts further laments the lack of NEMA offices in any of the Family Islands where there should be establishments and people in place to provide an emergency response.
Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell did not respond to these allegations before The Tribune went to press.
However Mr Roberts ultimately holds Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham accountable when NEMA falls short.
"As a result of this government's petty partisan policies and its commitment to destroy 'Christie programmes', NEMA was a total failure to the people of Grand Bahama during their hour of need," Mr Roberts said.
"A day later the above mentioned plans have still not been done or even started; this is indeed a classic case of a disaster within a disaster.
"The people of Grand Bahama must hold Mr Ingraham and the FNM government accountable for its failure to provide all the safety mechanisms to ensure mitigation against lost of life, property and unnecessary grief and suffering."
April 01, 2010
tribune242
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The National Development Party (NDP) Demands “Full And Frank” Disclosure On Safety Protocol At The Freeport Container Port (FCP)
By Karissma Robinson:
The National Development Party (NDP) is calling on the government and Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) to provide a full and frank disclosure about safety protocol at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).
Hutchison is a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL).
In a press statement released yesterday, the NDP insisted that the type of work conducted at FCP puts its employee’s lives at a great risk on a daily basis.
Three Container Port workers were killed and 11 injured on Monday after a powerful tornado ripped through Grand Bahama, toppling a crane two of the workers were in.
"We want a full and frank disclosure as to safety protocols that were in place at the site and on the island to reduce this risk for the protection of workers. We want to know whether protocols were followed by the relevant authorities," the release said.
The NDP also expressed its condolences to Grand Bahamians.
According to initial reports, one of the cranes could not be stabilised due to the high winds and heavy rain.
As a result, that crane crashed into another creating a domino effect.
One of the toppling cranes crashed to the ground where some persons were conducting maintenance.
FCP CEO Gary Gilbert, as well as FCP Director Godfrey Smith sent out their condolences to the families of those employees who were killed. They also offered the company’s prayers for the full and complete recovery of those workers who were injured and are currently being treated at the Rand Memorial Hospital.
At least three tornadoes touched down in the Freeport area between midday and 1:00 p.m. leaving behind uprooted trees, scattered debris, damage homes, and vehicles.
The report came just before a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for the island warning of possible heavy rainfall, hail, heavy flooding, frequent lightning and funnel clouds.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, along with the National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest and Social Development Minister Dion Foulkes made a special trip to Grand Bahama yesterday to get a first hand look at the damage.
March 31st, 2010
jonesbahamas
The National Development Party (NDP) is calling on the government and Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) to provide a full and frank disclosure about safety protocol at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).
Hutchison is a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL).
In a press statement released yesterday, the NDP insisted that the type of work conducted at FCP puts its employee’s lives at a great risk on a daily basis.
Three Container Port workers were killed and 11 injured on Monday after a powerful tornado ripped through Grand Bahama, toppling a crane two of the workers were in.
"We want a full and frank disclosure as to safety protocols that were in place at the site and on the island to reduce this risk for the protection of workers. We want to know whether protocols were followed by the relevant authorities," the release said.
The NDP also expressed its condolences to Grand Bahamians.
According to initial reports, one of the cranes could not be stabilised due to the high winds and heavy rain.
As a result, that crane crashed into another creating a domino effect.
One of the toppling cranes crashed to the ground where some persons were conducting maintenance.
FCP CEO Gary Gilbert, as well as FCP Director Godfrey Smith sent out their condolences to the families of those employees who were killed. They also offered the company’s prayers for the full and complete recovery of those workers who were injured and are currently being treated at the Rand Memorial Hospital.
At least three tornadoes touched down in the Freeport area between midday and 1:00 p.m. leaving behind uprooted trees, scattered debris, damage homes, and vehicles.
The report came just before a severe thunderstorm watch was issued for the island warning of possible heavy rainfall, hail, heavy flooding, frequent lightning and funnel clouds.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, along with the National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest and Social Development Minister Dion Foulkes made a special trip to Grand Bahama yesterday to get a first hand look at the damage.
March 31st, 2010
jonesbahamas
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)