NEMO Fully Activated Countrywide

NEMO’s National Disaster Coordinator Shelton Defour says that they had been monitoring the system from last Wednesday and since the weekend; the island town of San Pedro and Caye Caulker Village have been on alert, with emergency management committees activated to prepare for the eventuality.  The islands are among the most vulnerable. Defour speaks on the state of readiness for evacuations and rescue operations, as well as shelters to ensure that there is no loss of life during this disaster.

Shelton Defour

Lt. Col. Shelton Defour, National Disaster Coordinator, NEMO

“The next area of operational readiness was that of our logistics where we checked the stocks in our warehouses to ensure that we had the basic supplies to start off operation and to look at what needs to be procured, which we are in the process of gathering some additional supplies. Our search and rescue component was alerted – BSAG, Coast Guard, B.D.F., all those critical uniform services that will assist us in terms of getting ready for any potential rescue. The human resource management committee also requested some assistance to prepare; they are responsible for the public officers that will go into the shelters. The district coordinators provided a list of shelters that they are likely to open in the event that we will have to open shelters for this tropical cyclone that is facing Belize. The window of opportunity to make certain decision closes or narrows every hour and so the islands of San Pedro and Caye Caulker in their deliberation in terms of scenario planning, they have to look at what time they will have to tell residents you need to evacuate and get off the island. Now to ensure we start that process, we are imploring and informing the public that if you know you are not in a safe place in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Belize City and you need to relocate and you look where you’re going, put those plans in place one time.”