GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Clive Richardson (National Disaster Coordinator) and Paul Martens (Fire Department, Office of Disaster Management) recently updated the Council of Ministers on the state of preparedness of the country for the 2019 hurricane season.
The lessons learned from hurricane Irma are being implemented throughout the entire disaster management system, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the Emergency Support Functions (ESF-groups).
Safety and security, shelters, curfew system, relief supplies, storage and local and international agreements are the focal areas.
During and after the presentation an interactive discussion took place on the best way forward, as well as on the gaps that still need to be closed.
The Council of Ministers will be updated on a regular basis by the Prime Minister in her capacity as head of the EOC and the two presenters.
Two storms have already formed over the past weeks, namely Andrea and Barry. The remaining storm names for the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season according to the World Meteorological Organization are: Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
For general information about preparing prior to a storm/hurricane strike, visit the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide’ and “Hurricane Tracking Chart.”
Listen to the Government Radio station – 107.9FM – for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane.
For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com
Remember, it only takes one hurricane to make it a bad season. Are You Ready? Be prepared this hurricane season!
