Preparedness is watchword as hurricane season opens
Hurricane Greta in 1978 was the last major storm to hit Belize. The eye of the hurricane passed close to Dangriga and caused a storm surge that inundated Belize City with water that in some places reached four feet high. When the storm finally passed over the Guatemalan border, Hurricane Greta had killed 4 people and caused approximately 50 million dollars in damage. Twenty years later, the country once again braced itself for a direct attack by a much bigger storm, hurricane Mitch. Luckily the hurricane, which was described as the storm of the century, changed its course and only caused minimal damage. Although most Belizeans were not directly affected by Mitch, the hurricane nevertheless gave Belizeans everywhere a very loud wake up call.
Carlos Fuller, Chief Meteorologist
“Mitch taught us one important lesson and that is, Belize was not prepared to meet the onslaught of a major catastrophic hurricane like Mitch. We did not have enough shelters, we started the evacuations too late and basically we were not prepared as we should have been for a major hurricane.”
In addition, Belize did not have a full time dedicated organization to deal with emergencies. Following Mitch, the Government of Belize immediately established a permanent National Emergency Management Organisation, NEMO.
Major Shelton DeFord, Education Training Officer, NEMO
“Well we are the coordinating agency. We make sure that all the plans that have been developed at the various levels are activated. And we provide whatever leadership support, in terms of finding logistics and making sure that people are understand what is in the plan and to implement the plan, when the preliminary phase is declared.”
According to scientists, the Atlantic Hurricane Basin is experiencing a long-term increase of hurricanes. Meteorologists, who have been studying the storms say this is due to changes in the atmosphere that occur every 10, 20 and 30 years. Stanley Goldenberg, a Research Meteorologist says this means we might see more and bigger storms.
Stanley Goldenberg, Research Meteorologist
“The real thing is somehow the people in the Caribbean in Central America and the Caribbean islands need to get a grasp of the fact that we are seeing this increase in hurricane activity and therefore it is not saying that their particular location is going to get hit anytime soon, but if I were them, if I was a government official, if I was a homeowner, anybody, I would say, what can I do to say, okay we might get hit this year by a big hurricane lets me make some preparations now.”
But how better prepared are we? Since NEMO was formed, the organization has assessed hurricane shelters fixing, those that needed repair and abandoning those that could no longer be used. However because of time and lack of resources, not all buildings have been retrofitted. Chief Meteorologist, Carlos Fuller says while we are in a better position to survive storms, there won’t be enough shelters for everyone and that is why the public on a whole must become more responsible.
Carlos Fuller, Chief Meteorologist
“I believe there is still an attitude of they will take care of us, in fact we cannot allow that to happen. Each individual family has to say right now if a Mitch would approach the country next week, we will go to so and so house and then if that occurs then the authorities can deal with people who have no where to go. But if everyone is dependent on going to a shelter then there is not enough space. We have to face that reality.”
One company that has been supplying hurricane shutters is the Belize Glass Shop. General Manager Charles Woods Junior says it’s important to protect your homes from hurricanes by using storm shutters. The shutters prevent wind and debris from breaking in the window and destroying your home. Woods showcased one of the most popular and affordable shutters available in Belize. The removable storm panels.
Charles Woods Jr., General Manager, Belize Glass Shop
“Again, all the components are of aluminum. This is our best seller. It consists of a top and bottom track that remains permanently on your window on the outside of the wall. These removable panels are all aluminum and are fastened by stainless steel wing nuts. It allows for easy application on to the window. This is an actual cutaway of one, it’s as wide as this and the length varies with the height of the window.”
Of course, if you can’t afford hurricane shutters you can always purchase half-inch outdoor plywood for each window of your home. The biggest threat to Belize during a hurricane is the storm surge. It was storm surges that caused the major catastrophies in both the 1931 and 1961 hurricanes.
Carlos Fuller
“We are extremely vulnerable because of the geography of the country of Belize. We have a barrier reef that has on the inside of it, a very shallow sea bed so it means when a hurricane approaches the country, the seabed would rise up and create a storm surge which moves inland and that makes Belize unique among the other Caribbean countries. We are the only country to suffer that tremendous problem.”
Fuller says it is a rule of thumb that you do not stay on cayes or along the coast for any category of hurricane. This year, the hurricane season is predicted to be slightly busier than average.
Jacqueline Woods
“Does your family have a hurricane plan?”
Citizen #1
Well I am basically living by myself, so I don’t really have a family, but I have a plan for myself. If a hurricane is coming to Belize, I would try and vacate this place as fast as I could.”
Citizen #2
“I think we would go to a shelter. As far as I am concerned, I don’t know any shelters, and I don’t if the shelters remain the same or have they changed or are they effective to stand any category of hurricane. The last time that Mitch was here, we were using the same shelters and some of them were not adequate to facilitate people.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How better prepare is your family this year?”
Citizen #3
“Well they are all the food and things up yonder and the place is well secure because it is a cement building. It is prepared for such things.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So you all will know exactly where to go in case a hurricane threatens Belize.”
Citizen #3
“That’s correct. If a hurricane threatens Belize, we gone, out of town. We are not staying here at all.”
Citizen #4
“Well if the hurricane comes to Belize, we will do the same thing we did during Mitch; go to Belmopan.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Do you have a hurricane plan?”
Citizen #5
“I was not thinking about that, in fact…I didn’t know if there was a hurricane season.”
Citizen #6
“At present I am not really prepared as yet, since the rainy season just started. I am getting myself together. I am not very familiar with the shelters, but I know there is a hurricane building. I will just continue to stay tuned to the radio and the TV and listen to the latest updates and also tune in to the tropical updates.”
Fuller says it is important for people not to be alarmed but simply be prepared. If you make your preparations now, you can better focus on carrying out your plan when crunchtime comes.
Remember, that’s when crunchtime comes, not if.
