EDITORIAL

Alas, the 2018 Hurricane Season is upon us. Now while the focus at this time of year is more so on hurricane preparedness, we need to embrace a wider focus of disaster preparedness.

Barbadians need to take a proactive approach to this whole concept of disaster preparedness, as they too often wait until they hear that a severe weather system is approaching the island, to run around frantically, to purchase hurricane supplies. Once word has gone out that a system is approaching the island, that is when all and sundry bombard the supermarkets across the island, snatching from the shelves every possible item they could find, in the hope that they can become “ready”, quicker than ever. This however, must not be the approach we take, each and every year. We need to stock up on water and hurricane supplies, early.

That said, the Hurricane Season is a time when we should all be focusing on disaster preparedness, on a whole. During this time, we should take into account that we can experience all kinds of disasters, not just hurricanes. Take into account that when a bad weather system approaches or even descends on the island, we can at times get flash flooding and strong winds. The damage that can result, can set us back somewhat, as communities are affected and persons displaced. So we cannot only think of a strong hurricane, as the only weather event that can pose a threat to life and limb. We have earthquakes to worry about and potential tsunamis as well. Then there are potential man-made disasters that we have to consider as well, as terrorism and other acts of man may not be so far away from us as we may think.

Now when disaster strikes, it is crucial that citizens have a plan on how to treat the particular disaster and it is even more crucial that families, schools, workplaces etc. know what is required in the event of X or Y. So preparedness on the whole is key.

Given that we are more prone to hurricanes however, and given what we have seen playing out at the regional level where severe weather systems and our neighbouring islands are concerned, we really should take the extra effort and be extra prepared for this year’s Hurricane Season which runs from this month of June, down to November.

Citizens should also be on the lookout for any supplements or general information that may be useful for the household, in terms of hurricane/disaster preparedness. Emergency numbers should be placed in a prominent place and citizens should stock up on water and supplies. Adults should also use this time to educate children and even elderly relatives about the need for an Emergency Preparedness Plan, so they can be informed about what they need to do if push comes to shove and they need to spring into action. There are so many scenarios that can play out when a system is in the atmosphere and things around you are not operating in the realm of the normal.

We all need to keep in mind that it takes just one disastrous weather event to disrupt our daily routine. As such, it is incumbent on the Barbadian public to heed the warnings issued by the Department of Emergency Management and put the necessary precautions in place, ahead of time, to ensure the safety of local families and communities.