Belize Coast Guard Prepares for 2019 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season

Lieutenant Gregory Soberanis of the Belize Coast Guard led an informational session to discuss the Coast Guard’s state of readiness for the 2019 Atlantic Basin hurricane season.

Lt. Gregory Soberanis, Belize National Coast Guard

“One of the first things that we do is to activate what we call the recall system where we h ave all the names and numbers of every single individual within the organization. So they are immediately contacted and depending on the nature of the storm they are immediately called in for duty.”

Hipolito Novelo

“Is there a recurring challenge every year that the Coast Guard tries to address when responding to any Hurricane like situation?”

Gregory Soberanis

Lt. Gregory Soberanis

“We always identify our challenges and this is what this exercise does. It enables us to look at what our strengths and weaknesses are. But it also provides us to look at the opportunities presented to us, how can we improve, enhance the systems, structures and mechanisms that we have in place so we can effect a robust response to save lives and property at sea throughout a storm.”

The Belize Coast Guard has about four hundred and fifty members.