Hurricane exhibit stresses preparedness
You couldn’t tell by the weather outside, but today marks the official opening of the hurricane season. City officials used the occasion to educate the public on how to prepare for the storm we all hope is not coming.
Jacqueline Woods
Today, many Belize City primary school children took part of the day off to visit the Rogers Stadium. The students were not at the sporting facility to witness any school competition, rather the boys and girls were invited to an exhibition all about hurricanes. The display, which marks the opening of the hurricane season, was organized by the Belize City Council and supported by several business houses.
Lillette Barkley Waite, Councillor
“The idea behind today’s activity is to sensitize, inform and educate the general public as to things they need to do for their personal safety at home and also things to bring with them to a shelter in event of a hurricane or any disaster really. And to have them see the actual setting up of a shelter and the new management team facilitating the shelter itself, the functions and different activities that would go on in a shelter.”
The children not only got an opportunity to view a mock shelter and how it’s managed but they received plenty of information about what their families can do to prepare for the season.
Enrique Monima, Sales Clerk/Augusto Quan
“Most Belizeans prepare only for the hurricane. They don’t prepare for after the hurricane. So we are trying to show them that you have to prepare for and after. You may notice that we have tools, after the hurricane, you have a lot of water, mud, debris. So we are just trying to show them how to prepare for and after, not only for the shelters, but after you go to your homes.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What are some of the supplies they should start stocking up on?”
Enrique Monima
“I think some of the main supplies usually are tapes, flashlights, batteries. Especially batteries because I could remember with the scare with Mitch, people couldn’t get batteries because in like half a day, all the stores, all the batteries everything finished. So I would advise to store mostly on batteries and flashlights and things such as these 5 gallons, to store water and things like that.”
Barrington Harris, Sales Supervisor, Brodies
“What I would advise them to do is as soon as the hurricane season starts, whenever they visit their favourite grocery store, is to always include some items that they will carry to the shelter along with them.”
However getting to a shelter can be sometimes very difficult. Two years ago when Hurricane Mitch had threatened Belize, traffic jams were created along the highways as hundreds of Belizeans were evacuated from the city. The situation was assessed and an emergency evacuation map has now been published to create a smooth flow of traffic in times of disaster.
Glen Rivero, Senior Traffic Officer
“For instance if you live in the Kings Park Area, (demonstrating on map) you come all the way out if you live in any one of these streets, you come all the way out to Baymen Avenue. It might seem like a longer route, but it is the best way to do it. Then you would go all the way Baymen Avenue, you hit Princess Margaret Drive and you take all the way around over the Belcan Bridge and then into Mahogany Street and the Western Highway. At this point we will then have somebody here to keep the traffic flowing right at this point because like this other zone, people will be coming out here. People will be going down this way and into Water Lane and into Cemetery Road. Cemetery Road will then become…the traffic will flow opposite to what it is now. It might seem to be longer and I would advise the general public to follow the given route. It is easier, it is safer and it is faster to evacuate out of Belize City from any direction here.”
The National Meteorological Service says this year the hurricane season will be above normal. Meteorologist, Justin Hulse says while we do not know what the prediction will mean for Belize, everyone should be prepared in case a storm does threaten the country.
Justin Hulse, Meteorologist
“Well as always, you have to have a plan to evacuate if necessary. And if you have to do that, you have to carry the necessary materials you need inland. If it’s food you are carrying, it is better to carry can food because during or after then there might not be the conveniences of butane stoves or anything to heat your stuff. You also need to carry, also important, a tin opener, to open your cans. Things like flashlights and radios, you need to hear the latest news and things like that.”
Because the Rogers Stadium is a hurricane shelter, it was decided to host the one-day exhibition at the facility.
