Preparation for Irene began 19 years ago after Hurricane Andrew wreaked havoc on The Bahamas

Hurricane Irene and being prepared

Front Porch

By Simon

If Hurricane Irene imagined she would meet The Bahamas unprepared, she was mistaken.  Having swamped virtually the entire archipelago, the massive, powerful and slow-moving storm met the country generally prepared for her assault.  In her wake there is a spirit of gratitude by many, especially that there was no loss of life.

Still, Irene left behind significant damage to homes, businesses and other private property, government offices and vegetation, devastating some Family Island settlements.  Cat Island, Acklins and Crooked Island, Mayaguana, Long Island and parts of San Salvador, Rum Cay, Exuma, Eleuthera and Abaco have been adversely impacted.

Foreign observers tracking Irene’s path through The Bahamas may have learned a few lessons about Bahamian geography and why it took the hurricane several days to traverse the country.  They may have learned about an archipelago of many island groups, an expanse approximately equal to that on size of the distance from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago.

The Weather Channel and weatherman Al Roker, with Bahamian roots, gave television viewers a tour through the Islands of The Bahamas as Irene’s fury battered the various island groups.

Fortuitously, the hurricane’s easterly turn mostly spared the country’s larger population centers of New Providence and Grand Bahama.  A direct hit on the former would have more adversely impacted the country and its capacity to respond to the needs of other islands.  Grand Bahama, still struggling with the aftermath of natural and economic storms, avoided another blow it could ill afford.

Preparation for Irene began 19 years ago after Hurricane Andrew wreaked havoc on the country, causing devastation in some Family Islands.  Andrew was a wake-up call from the complacency and somewhat false sense of security into which The Bahamas was lulled after avoiding major hurricanes for some years.

Irene’s assault coincided with the anniversary of Andrew’s onslaught on the country soon after the FNM and Hubert Ingraham won office in 1992.  Nineteen years later, the country is better prepared for such natural disasters because of pivotal decisions made back then.  One of the more consequential was the creation of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The creation of NEMA spurred a significantly improved culture of disaster preparedness by government and non-governmental organizations.  Despite some glitches, the timely and professional response by many government agencies and NGOs was greatly in evidence when tested by Irene.

RESPONSE

In broadcast statements before and after Irene hit, the prime minister assured Bahamians, residents and visitors, that the government’s preparedness and response mechanisms were fully in place.  Following the hurricane, Ingraham briefed the country on the multiple teams dispatched throughout the country to assess the damage and recovery needs.

The prime minister also thanked various agencies.

“I want, in particular, to commend the Department of Meteorology for the timeliness of its weather information; the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force for their continuous presence throughout the storm; and, our emergency health teams who commenced emergency operation on Wednesday ahead of the arrival of the hurricane and who remained on duty throughout,” he said.

“The Ministry of Health has given every assurance that all community health clinics around the country have adequate supplies of medications and that they will continue to be properly and adequately supplied in the weeks and months ahead.”

He continued: “Reaction teams from the Ministry of Public Works, the Department of Environmental Health Services, the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force moved expeditiously to clear main public thoroughfares in New Providence even before the ‘all clear’ was given by the Department of Meteorology – and they are especially thanked.

“The Department of Environmental Health Services mobilized 20 garbage trucks on New Providence in advance of the hurricane to collect household garbage.  An additional 12 independent truckers were also engaged to collect bulk waste throughout the island of New Providence.

“I am advised that the team re-mobilized at 2 p.m. on Thursday, providing assistance to road-clearing exercises.  The team also responded to individual calls where roofs of homes were damaged as a result of trees falling.  Today, 40 teams were mobilized to continue clearing the main road arteries in Fox Hill, Bain and Grants Towns, Kennedy, Malcolm Road and in the city.”

The archipelagic nature of the country means that the logistical and organizational demands of disaster preparedness and response are unique and more complex than that of a single land mass such as Barbados.  Yet, the central government in Nassau has to respond to the challenges posed by urban centers and Family Island settlements.

These logistical and organizational challenges play to the incumbent prime minister’s strengths as demonstrated in his effective management during various hurricanes, including in lessons learned and responses implemented.

Prime Minister Ingraham has spoken of how global warming may spawn more intense storms and hurricanes, and rising sea levels especially in low-lying countries such as ours.  These things all pose complex challenges in terms of hurricane preparedness and mitigation efforts.

CENTER

Towards this end, in addition to providing NEMA with various technological and other resources, the Ingraham administration is nearing the completion of a state-of-the-art command center for the agency on Gladstone Road.

There is a three-pronged strategy to provide the northern, central and southern Bahamas with warehouses storing emergency supplies that can be made quickly available to these sectors of the country.  New Providence already has such a facility, with others planned for Grand Bahama and Inagua.

Improvements to the defence force base in Inagua and the creation of a new base in Ragged Island augment the capacity to respond to major storms and hurricanes; so will infrastructural improvements such as the installation of extensive drainage systems in parts of New Providence, especially in flood-prone areas.

Irene’s dismantling of the temporary tent housing the downtown straw market offers some lessons.  Among them: be prepared.

Some vendors who complained of the destruction of their goods left in the market during the hurricane wondered what the government might do to compensate their loss.  This included a potential loss of sales because some vendors indicated that they could not afford to miss a day’s work as a result of goods damaged or destroyed.  In essence, taxpayers should finance their irresponsibility.

A fellow straw vendor offered a to the point response noting that not only did vendors have enough time to move their goods, she also suggested that they should have been prepared for a rainy day.  Fortunately, straw vendors will soon have a new market.  Yet, many of them will continue to moan and complain because of new guidelines that will be put in place for the market.

And many who have whined incessantly about certain roadworks may get a better sense of why such extensive drainage systems are being put in place along with placing various utilities underground.  It’s not just the surface of the new roads that will enhance the quality of life of Bahamians and residents: so will the upgraded potable water system, bringing with it significantly enhanced water pressure through the extensive piping underground.

Even in the midst of significant national challenges and having weathered a major hurricane, there are many things we should be grateful for.  More of us might remember this the next time we overindulge our knee-jerk appetite to whine and complain while ignoring positive developments.

Those developments will prepare us for other hurricanes as well as the future just as the creation of NEMA left us better prepared when Irene threatened virtually the entire archipelago.  With lessons learned, we can continue to improve our disaster preparedness and response systems.  With a twist on an aphorism of Louis Pasteur, “Fortune favors the prepared country.”

Aug 30, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

...it was 'truly remarkable' that no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of Hurricane Irene - says Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham

PM says it is 'truly remarkable' that no lives were lost in Irene

tribune242





8pm - Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said it was 'truly remarkable' that no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of Hurricane Irene.

He addressed the nation in a taped television address at 8pm Friday evening to provide information regarding the storm damage and advise on what efforts will be taken to help those most affected by the dangerous storm.

In all, he advised that 1,016 people spent the storm in hurricane shelters. 156 of them in New Providence, 860 elsewhere in the country.

Assessment teams comprising Cabinet Ministers and public officers are being dispatched to all affected communities Saturday.

"The first of those departing for Cat Island tomorrow will, in addition to Ministers, include representatives from NEMA, the Department of Social Services, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), The Water and Sewerage Corporation, Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Bahamas Telecommunications Company, Bahamas National Geographic Information System (BNGIS) Unit, the Department of Meteorology and members of the Royal Bahamas Police and Royal Bahamas Defence Forces," said Mr Ingraham.

A flight will also take three Defence Force officers to Cat Island, Acklins and Crooked Island Saturday morning laden down with food, blankets, sheets, pots and tarps.

He intends to personally visit affected Family Islands starting Saturday, including Grand Cay, Green Turtle Cay and Murphy Town, Abaco as well as Cat Island, Exuma, Inagua and other islands in the Southern Bahamas where he expects to spend at least two days.

In New Providence, where most of the damage was limited to fallen trees, branches and other debris, 40 teams from the Department of Environmental Health Services were mobilised on Friday to clear major arteries that were blocked.

Both DEHS and Ministry of Works also sent out crews on Thursday even before the all clear was given. Most of the clearing work should be completed by the end of Saturday and the verges will be cleared by Monday.

"Preliminary indications are that serious structural damage was sustained by Government offices, clinics, schools, police stations, and other infrastructure facilities including public docks in Coopers Town and Moores Island, Abaco and in George Town Exuma as well as to private dwellings and businesses in some Family Islands notably in Acklins, Crooked Island, Cat Island, Mayaguana, Exuma and some communities in Abaco.

"Most other island communities have reported varying degrees of damage to private homes, businesses, farms, fishing boats and churches. Roofs of homes, and other building sustained damage in Mayaguana, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Cat Island, Long Island, Eleuthera, Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, Exuma, Abaco, Grand Bahama and New Providence."

Some hotels and beaches in Exuma were damaged and hotel properties in New Providence and Paradise Island also experienced some minor damage.

The Prime Minister said there were reports of flooding in parts of Cat Island, Exuma, Mayaguana, San Salvador, South Eleuthera, North Long Island, Freeport at Queen’s Cove, the Fishing Hole Road and West End, Rum Cay, Central Abaco (Murphy Town) and "in low lying areas of New Providence, in particular at Lady Slipper Avenue off Soldier Rd and at Trinidad Avenue in Elizabeth Estates and to a lesser extent at the usual places prone to flooding."

The Bahamas has not been left alone to finance all the repairs that are going to be necessary. "Even before the storm had departed our waters offers of assistance have been received from the Government of the United States of America, from private sector friends of The Bahamas around the United States and from our sister Caribbean state, Jamaica whose Defence Force will fly a reconnaissance flight over Inagua tomorrow," he said, "The Caribbean Development Bank today advised of availability of an Emergency Relief Grant of up to US $200,000 and soft loans if required."

The Prime Minister advised that the storm will likely create some financial setbacks for the country, but he said the Government will focus on "on creating every opportunity for greater economic recovery, with particular emphasis on job creation. We will continue to provide social support where necessary, so that those most affected can receive the relief they need"

August 26, 2011

tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

Hurricane Irene wreaks havoc in The Islands

Irene wreaks havoc

By KRYSTEL ROLLE
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

Hurricane Irene started its exit from The Bahamas last night, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

While New Providence and Grand Bahama were spared the full force of the storm, many Family Islands, particularly the southeastern and central islands, were pummelled, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported.

The center of the storm passed over Eleuthera and Abaco for much of yesterday.

Power lines and telecommunications lines went down in some islands as the category three storm roared across the archipelago.

But no loss of life or injuries were reported.

Damage on Cat Island, Rum Cay, Crooked Island, Acklins and Mayaguana is expected to be in the millions of dollars, as hundreds of homes, churches, other buildings and infrastructure were either damaged or destroyed.

According to NEMA reports, all the islands were impacted in some way.

In New Providence, fallen trees and damaged roofs constituted most of the damage.

In Lovely Bay, Acklins, 90 percent of the settlement is reportedly gone, according to NEMA.

“House roofs and several homes [were] blown away.  Power lines and trees went down in the roads, and the shelter’s population increased,” said a NEMA statement.

Communication on that island was limited yesterday.

Meteorologist Godfrey Burnside said the Automatic Weather Station in Arthur’s Town, Cat Island, recorded gusts of 140 miles per hour around 2 a.m. yesterday, and Moss Town, Exuma, recorded gusts up to 127 miles per hour.

“That is significant and that is why you hear all the damage taking place,” Burnside said.

Just over two inches of rain had fallen at Lynden Pindling International Airport at 9 a.m. yesterday, and more was expected.

NEMA said it received reports that 40 houses received major damage in the communities of Betsy Bay, Pirate Wells and Abraham’s Bay on Mayaguana.

Concerns were also expressed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police John Ferguson in reference to three people detained at a police station there, NEMA said.

On Cat Island, hurricane force winds brought down scores of power lines and left the island without any form of telecommunication, NEMA reported.

NEMA also received reports that the administrator’s home in north Cat Island lost its roof.

Areas in Arthur’s Town and Dumfries flooded.  The roof of the police station in Arthur’s Town was blown off and police vehicles were flooded.  St. Andrew’s Church also lost its roof, NEMA reported.

In Rum Cay, which is home to about 100 people, NEMA received a report that homes have major damage, roads are impassable due to fallen trees and the bridge in Port Nelson is lost.

According to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC), residents in most islands with the exception of Inagua — where power was restored to the majority of customers — continued to experience outages up to last night due to controlled power station shut downs or downed power lines.

NEMA said at least one school was damaged on Crooked Island.

The school in Colonel Hill lost its roof and two classroom blocks.  Additionally, St. John’s Baptist Church and several other buildings also lost their roofs.

That island experienced winds around 120 miles per hour, according to NEMA.

Long Island Administrator Jordan Ritchie said the main concern was flooding in Clarence Town.

However, a number of homes and St. Paul’s Anglican Church received roof damage.

Meantime, Central Eleuthera Administrator Chrisfield Johnson said based on initial reports, Eleuthera fared relatively well.

“So far we haven’t had loss of life.  There is some structural damage to buildings but we haven’t done an assessment so we don’t know the extent,” he told The Nassau Guardian yesterday evening.

It was still too dangerous to go out, he said.

“The only thing that remains is to do an assessment of the environment,” Johnson said.

“There is a tremendous amount of debris on the roads.  Our first priority is to clear the streets, so we’re putting together a team of workers to clear the streets to give us access.”

He said he would determine the severity of the impact of Irene sometime today, when he expects to be able to conduct a door-to-door assessment.

NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell said NEMA is still determining how it will access the affected islands, as transportation may be limited over the next few days.

NEMA is expected to release a more detailed statement on the damage caused by Irene sometime today.

Aug 26, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

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

Bahamas Blog International