Storm Watch August 2013

ON JULY 8, 2013, Barbadians w aited with bated breathas Tropical Stor m Chantal , the third system for theseason, sped tow ards the island’ s shores.

Earlier that Monda y, after receiving the ne ws of Chantal’s imminent and unw elcomed visit, Bajansmade the typical dash to gas stations, hardware stores and super markets. It w as lik e clockwor k.

It is neither har sh nor exaggerated to describe the approach to hur ricane preparedness on the island as lackadaisical. There has been no majordisaster to hit in year s despite se veral near misses – a revelation that has led man y locals to announceGod’s Barbadian citizenship.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA), an American federal scientific agency , forecast21 named stor ms (63 km/h winds or higher) for this year . Of these 21, the NOAA haspredicted that as man y as 11 are lik ely to becomehurricanes (winds of 119 km/h or higher).

With a potentially long season ahead, Barbadians will have to guard against complacency because the ramifications of being unprepared during a stor m areserious.

Long before a stor m or hur ricane heads in Barbados’direction, there are a list of things that you must do toget ready. Preparedness reminder s usually advocateshelter locations, ensuring that both the roof and thewindows are leak and wind resistant, and that thegutters are clear so as to a void flooding .

In addition to the oft-repeated advisories to stock up

• Continued on next page.

2. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL AUGUST 25, 2013

DONT BE caught off-guard in the unlik ely event of a stor m or a hur ricane. Mak e sure to stock up on thenecessities w ay ahead of time. (FPs)

stories byNICK

NUNESand TYSON

WEEKES

AUGUST 25, 2013 SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 3

• From Page 2.

on non-perishable food and bottlesof water, there needs to becognizance of man y other tips. For instance, are you a ware of the various kinds of fires that can be caused during a stor m and are you equipped to extinguishthem? In case of flooding , roofdamage, or wor se – do you ha ve the necessar y plans in place andtools needed to successfullyevacuate to safety?

Many of the deaths recordedduring disaster s are actually not ofpeople who w ere indoor s. While a lotof the stor m-related deaths ha vebeen a result of buildings collapsing ,strokes and hear t attacks (or otherheart-related causes), drowning w as one of the highest causes of death during stor ms.

Flash floods are the biggest risk,not to people in homes but to thoseon foot, in car s and on mak eshiftflotation de vices. The cur rent causedby fast-mo ving water is stronger than many imagine, so tak e this into consideration whenformulating e vacuation plans.

Coping with the after math of badweather can be sometimes moretaxing than the actual stor m. It isbetter to guard your interests b ythinking long ter m and ensuring thatyou are familiar with w ays to copewith a wor st-case scenario.

Histor y shows that the lack ofhurricane awareness and preparationis a common characteristic among allmajor hurricane disaster s. Lookingforward, scientists are expectinghurricanes to not only increase inquantity but also intensity .

As the climate continually getswarmer, the domino effect caused b ythis heat leads to the melting ofglaciers which, according to

meteorologists and climatespecialists, contributes to hur ricanestrengthening .

An explanation for this is thatwhen combined with the searing heatof the sun, water evaporates to for mmoist air and this process ominouslymakes the Ear th more susceptible tohurricane for mation andstrengthening .

There is recent e vidence of someof the fiercest hur ricanes in histor ydeveloping more frequently andconsistently . Just last year , HurricaneSandy wreaked havoc, completelyflattening towns along the UnitedStates east coast.

In 2005, the year of HurricaneKatrina, meteorologistsunprecedentedly exhausted the listof 21 names when se ven morestorms de veloped tow ards the end of the season. Of the 28 systems,15 developed into hur ricanes and se ven were major.

Even though eight year s havepassed, many par ts of the Ne wOrleans and Gulf Coast areas in the United States are stillrebuilding after the Katrinadecimation. Are you tr uly prepared to make it through this stor m season unscathed? Assess yourpreparedness b y using this 20-pageStorm Watch feature as a guide.(TW)

DURING A HURRICANE or stor m flash floods pose the biggest risk to road user s. (RC)

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HAVE YOU DEVISED an evacuation route,located the nearest shelter s, filled up yourcar's gas tank or made ar rangements foralternative transpor tation? Did youremember to collect as much w ater andnon-perishable food to last at least a couple w eeks? Are your valuabledocuments (passpor t, ownership deeds,diplomas and so on) secured in a w aterand/or fireproof container? Great! K eepreading as w e will share some more basictips on how to k eep your self and yourfamily safe this hur ricane season.

Before the stor mIf you live outside of flood prone

or coastal areas and your home’ sfoundation is secure from land slippage,you can sta y at home but be sure to tak ethese precautions:• Make sure your windows are protectedand your home is secure.• Make sure you ha ve water, non-perishablefood, medication and don’ t forget that non-electric can opener .• Clean as man y large container s as possible for storing drinking w ater andplan for one gallon per per son per da y forall uses (including flushing the toilet). (TW)

WHILE WATERis good, too muchcan be bad,especially for yourvehicle. Be wiseand plan routes to avoid potentialflooding. (GP)

CATCH ASMUCH wateras possible to ensure thatyour everyday uses, canbe met easilyduring anyoutages. (GP)

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EVEN THOUGH THEHURRICANE SEASONis well underway, it is not too late to tak etime to re view yourhomeowners insurancethat to mak e sure youhave the co verage you need.

Just last year ,president of the GeneralInsurance Association of Barbados, MichaelHolder, disclosed thatapproximately $25 million in claimswas paid out as a result of 1 700 repor tedclaims. These claims,which were due to damage caused by Tropical Stor m Tomaswhich hit in October ,2010, show howexpensive the damagecaused b y stor ms can be.

Holder indicated thatwhen evaluating claims,insurance companiesdiscovered thatproperties w ereunderinsured. He appealed to thoseinsured under suchcircumstances to rene wtheir insurance policiesto ensure that they includedreplacement costs.

Here are some tipson how to prepare in advance for a potential disaster :• Review your insurancepolicy e very year andmake sure you ha ve the

coverage you need.Policyholders need to have enoughcoverage to fully protectthemselves in the e ventof a total loss. In par ticular, payattention to theexclusions and policylimits written into yourpolicy and be a ware of the deductible and type of replacement cost.• Take an in ventory of the contents of yourhome now. Thisinformation can be vitalif you ha ve to file a claim with yourinsurance compan y.

In case disasterdoes unfor tunatelystrike, make sure to carefully inspect yourhome inside and out to make sure you notice all the damage (whetherminor or se vere) causedby the stor m. In addition, it is in yourbest interest to tak ephotographs to document all storm-related damage.

Once you ha veassessed anddocumented thedamage caused b y thestorm, repor t thedamage to yourinsurance compan y so that it can open a claim file and mak eits assessment of thedamage. (TW)

WHETHER IN theinitial stages or completion,insuring yourprecious abode is ver y impor tantin threateningweather. (GP)


IT’S AUGUST and that means ’ tis the season to be steady . And home readiness is no jok ewith the increasing frequency and strength of hurricanes with e very inter val. Luckily ,Barbados has been blessed with a low numberof catastrophic cataclysms, but that is no reason for us to rest on our laurels whennature’s cour se rarely bends to the predictions.

Many aspects of home readiness can be minimal if frequent maintenance is obser vedthroughout the year . Leak y ceilings, small cracksin walls and rick ety hinges can spiral intodevastating infrastr ucture damage if not pre-emptively addressed.

•Continued on next page.

YOU DON’TKNOW if yourhome will be subject to any kind of battering, so inspect yourhome forpossible repairs.(FP)

OUTDOOR SKILLS and general sur vivaltechniques should be more commonlyencouraged and practiced. F amiliarity withyour sur roundings and dynamic planning forall circumstances should be a de factoaspect of univer sal knowledge.

Especially in regard to civilizations livingin the tropical regions of the wor ld, thepotential for de vastating stor ms should notjust be accepted but prepared for by educating the general populous on basic emergency skills.

Despite the relative luck of Barbados’aversion to climatological de vastation, a sound reser ve of critical knowledge in crisis handling can pro ve be truly prudent.

The Barbados Red Cross Society existsas a driving force to facilitate the trainingand gaining of knowledge necessar y to under take and o vercome a variety of region specific situations.

The desire to lear n and impro ve on an yaspect, especially in relation to per sonaland community w elfare or better ment,should be nur tured. With the focus community education and institutional

preparedness, volunteering with the RedCross is a valuable option for thoseconcerned with increasing their le vel of awareness.

The Red Cross has in valuable tools at its disposal for the training of community member s, individuals or businesses, in an ar ray of practical, vitaland resourceful assets. The non-profitorganization offer s courses in disastermanagement as w ell as man y other

emergency roles. V olunteers from thecommunity can be trained as communitydisaster response team member s, withschooling pro vided in areas such as:• Fire safety and pre vention• Basic search and rescue• First aid• Initial damage assessment• Initial psycho-social care• Shelter management

Whether you tak e a class, volunteer aidor donate to the Red Cross, you arefurthering the ability of the community to pull together and pre vail when tragedy strik es.

Akin to the effor ts of the Barbados RedCross, the Barbados Depar tment of Emergency Management (DEM) strivesto promote and maintain a comprehensivenational disaster management programme.

Through the offering of classes, hands-on training , hurricane tracking andthe use of volunteer s, the DEM also ser vesas an impor tant resource to be utilized in the pur suit of knowledge expansion anddevelopment of per sonal and community preparedness.

Regardless of the se verity of pasthurricanes, readying your self and yourcommunity for an y possibility of catastrophic occur rences can only ser veto strengthen and unite people. Ratherthan flipping the coin on your safety , takethe chance to advance your le vel of vigilance before necessity dictates. (NN)

Take a tour of your home and inspect forpotential w eak areas in the wor st of scenarios. A hea vy potted plant caneasily become a dangerous projectile in 200 km/hr winds. Lawn and hanging or naments shouldalso catch your e ye. When hur ricaneforce winds blow , those tin y leaks andunreinforced boards can becomefloodgates to the wrath of an indifferentgale. Be cer tain to ha ve a quick in-placecontingency plan for making your abodesound and stor m wor thy. Up on the roof, reser ve a good amountof time to inspecting your tiles, shinglesor galvanized house hat. Replacingdamaged areas is the best option, bestto patch leaks before the le vee breaks.Any weakness on top of your house caneasily translate to unrelenting wind andwater damage if left untreated. P oorly attached galvanize can be peeled back lik e a tuna can and unsecured shinglesand tiles can create a domino effect under extreme stress. Doors are gate ways to your domicile; best not toleave them without reinforcement against the potentialof a hea vy hitting hur ricane. W ell kept hinges andsturdy materials are their own re ward in the long r un. Take a trip to the hard ware store and ask a fe wquestions about the durability of your home. Do not neglect your windows. Wind alone can decimatethe frames and debris in the fra y ramps up the need forsafety. If you can’ t afford stor m shutter s, some good 3-4inch plywood cut to fit and w ell for tified should do the trick. Know the landscape of your per sonal proper ty. Take

a macroscopic look around your home and account forthe potential of e ven small trees and an y objects notfirmly attached to the ground. Know the contour s of your land. F ind out the lik elyareas to enable w ater accumulation and circumvent thepotential for that disaster before its need. Sealingcracked concrete can eliminate the potential foranother hea vy weight projectile. If you k eep up to date on your home repair s,informed on the situation of the hur ricane season andhave your emergency supplies and contingency plansset, then you should be ready to w eather anyprospective stor ms. (NN)


• From Page 6.

REMEMBER THA T WHILE your lawn, garden and thelike may be beautiful, keeping items lik e pots canbecome ver y deadly in high winds. (FP)

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HOWLING WINDS, lightning , thunder and tor rential rain can mak estorms and hur ricanes quite intimidating . Follow these tips forstaying safe in your home during the ordeal:• Stay inside and a way from windows, skylights and glass door s.Find a safe area in your home (an interior room, a closet or bathroom).• If flooding threatens your home, turn off electricity at the main breaker.• In anticipation of pow er outages, turn off and unplug majorappliances to a void damage to them from potential voltage spik escaused b y thunder.• Do not use your computer or an y other electrical gadgets such as por table or cellular phones and inter net modems/router s. • Do not go outside. If the e ye of the stor m passes o ver your area,there will be a shor t period of calm but at the other side of the e ye,the wind speed rapidly increases to hur ricane force and will comefrom the opposite direction. A void the temptation to go outside to see what the wind feels lik e because there ma y be flying debris.Along with flooding , flying debris accounts for a majority of fatalitiesduring stor ms. (TW)

REMEMBER TOKEEP essentialappliancesunplugged to avert anypotentialdamage owingto causes fromthunder orelectricalspikes. (FP)

IT GOESWITHOUT sa yingto exercisecaution andcommon senseto avoidunnecessaryventures outsideduring a stor m,since dangerousweather may be at play. (FP)

DON’T BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD…Install locally manufacturedhurricane straps and shutters; stock up on non-perishable food items such as canned meats, juices, biscuits and medical supplies; and stay tuned to localradio stations for weather advisories.

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BEFORE DISASTER HITS, pet owner s shouldconsider the safety of their pets in the e vent theworst comes to pass. It is good practice tomaintain an emergency kit, not only for your self andyour family, but for your pets as w ell.

Ideally, a pet kit should contain the rele vantsupplies needed in case of a disaster . All petsshould ha ve identification collar s with rele vantinformation and owner s should maintain an up todate photographic record of each pet.

When compiling a disaster kit for your pet, it is good to look into purchasing a car rier or a cage for your animal. Mak e cer tain that all the supplies in your kit are mar ked and accounted for with owner infor mation.

What to pack inside your pet kit•Detailed list of belongings•Identification•Leash or har ness •Muzzle (if necessar y)•Medication•Vaccination/medical records•Food for two

to four da ys•Water for

two to four days

•Food/water bowls

•Special care

instructions•Newspaper and trash bags for clean-up

Animals ha vemore acutehearing andheightenedawareness of naturalphenomena thanhumans do. During ahurricane with thunder , lightning and high winds, animals are lik ely to become agitated and scared.

A hurricane is a low pressure system; dogs and cats can sense this change and ma y becomedisorientated. It is impor tant to heed w eatherwarnings and ensure their safety . Animals left onleashes outdoor s or in insubstantial outsideshelters risk being injured b y debris or b y their ownstruggles to find sanctuar y from the stor m.

If you are unable to mak e arrangements for yourpets to be fostered at a safe area during the stor m, it is best to find a shelter or pet friendly hotel that can ser ve as a temporar y home for you and your pet during the critical period.

Those who intend to sta y put during a hur ricaneshould remember that the pressure change canconfuse your animal’ s senses and cause them tobecome frantic. P ets should be k ept comfor tableand safe from falling or breakable objects if the yare being safeguarded indoor s during the stor m.The bathroom is a good place to k eep dogs andcats to ha ve them cor ralled and abated.

Even with ample food and w ater in your home, it is best not to lea ve your pet alone during a majortropical stor m. After stor ms, scents and landmar ksmay have changed. This alteration of en vironmentshould be tak en into account when reintroducingyour pet to once familiar proper ties. It is impor tantto keep dogs on their leashes until the y are able toorient themselves and become more confident intheir sur roundings.

It’s good to remember that, for disasterpreparedness, canned tuna is full of protein and ahealthy supply stock can benefit both your familyand your pets. Mak e sure to set up your e vacuationplan and emergency kits before the action isnecessar y. Preparedness will facilitate a smooth,routine layout of steps to be tak en in the e vent of a catastropheand you can stand fir m in the face of natural chaos.(NN)


JUST LIKE HUMANS, animals are afraid of thunder andlightning so when preparing for a hur ricane it is impor tant to make arrangements for your pets. (FPs)

10. SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL AUGUST 25, 2013 AUGUST 25, 2013 SUNDAY SUN SPECIAL. 11

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INITIALLY DERIVED from French, theword “tampion” is originally a variantthe of old F rench “tapon”, “piece of cloth to stop a hole”.

Aside from its mar keted use as afeminine hygiene product, the tamponhas been used as ear ly as the 19thcentury to dress bullet wounds in wartime and is classed in the United

States b y the F ood & Dr ugAdministration as a class twomedical de vice.

Beyond the stigma of purchasingfeminine hygiene products as a male, some women use them and other s do not, they ser ve aninescapable amount of functionality .

The main use is ir relevant for sur vival purposes of this list, of cour se that shouldn’ t deter you from purchasing a preferred brand.

Think of the word tampon asan acronym for the duration ofthis ar ticle. It now stands forTheoretically Advanced MedicPurposed Or Nature Supplies(TAMPONS)

Medical bandage•The her metically sealed

packages of tampons are madeto be air and w ater tight. Insidethis chamber, the contents aresterile. This mak es the superabsorbent material inside thetube a perfectly functionalmakeshift wound co vering faux-gauze.Stop those anno ying nose bleeds

•The made to order pur poseof tampons is geared tow ardsmaximum absorbency . In the case

of a head or face injur y, one ofthese can be used to stop nose

bleeds or other unfor tunate puncture

wounds.Ear plugs

•When disaster s hit, they tend tocome with loud noises. Or ma ybe youhave a small child whose ear s you’dlike to k eep less w ater clogged. Thisunconventional aid can be used aseither a noise dampener or to k eepout water and bacteria.Plug holes in boat

•As stated ear lier, the packagingof tampons is her metically sealed andwaterproof. When tr ying to k eep watereither in or out of a container , thewrapping can b y pushed into your leak,stuffed with the plastic tubing andfurther secured with the tacticallyabsorbent material.Crude water filter

•The key word here is cr ude.Cutting a plastic bottle in half, piercinga hole in the cap and replacing it andthen stuffing the absorbent materialinside the neck of the bottle will allowyou in the fir st phase to filter mur ky or

contaminated w ater. This methodwill clear the w ater of large,harmful par ticles and prepare for a second phase of filtration via boiling .Crude sur vival stra w filter

•Using a similar method as abo ve, the plastic tubes of thetampon can be tak en apar t and apiece of the cotton placed inside thetwo pieces of plastic housing to createa stra w that will filter large par ticlesfrom water. This method is slightly less effective than the pre vious tip.Fire tinder

•By removing the cotton from thetampons and stretching the materialinto more fibrous bundles, one cancreate four ver y flammable balls of tinder to help feed your sur vival fire necessity . Wick for impro vised candle

•By separating the string andcoating it in oil, possibly obtained froma can of tuna in a sur vival scenario, itcan be used as a shor t-term candle.

Once the string is soak ed in oil, it canbe placed inside a non-flammablecasing and propped ver tically to be used as a small light source.Waterproof match and fire tinder case

•Matches are a must-ha ve duringan emergency situation and the y needto be k ept dr y. Place your matches,and other small materials that need tobe safeguarded from w ater, inside thewaterproof sheath of the tampons andwrap the opening close twice beforesecuring with the string .Blow tube for coal bur ning containers

•In the same manner that the plastic tubing can be made into a stra w, this time without the piece of cotton placed inside as a filter , themakeshift stra w can now be used toblow the ember s of bur ning materialsto fan your small flames withoutextinguishing them.Cordage

•The string can be remo ved andused as a secure tie for packaging .Another use for the cordage would be to unra vel the string and use the remains as cr ude thread.Survival fishing bobber

•If a last minute need for afishing line float occur s, a smallportion of the w aterproof packagingcan be slightly inflated and closed off with the string , then attached to a fishing line to help pre vent your hook from sinking too far andindicate when you’ ve got a bite.

Accounts for the fir st creation of the tampon ma y be varied, but whetherit was the ancient Eg yptians usingpapyrus or the ancient Greekswrapped lint or wool, the design anduses ha ve no doubt expanded be yondthe initial intent. (NN)


A BOX OF TAMPONS is a must-ha ve for your hur ricane sur vival kit. (GPs)


WHAT’S UNDERthe “hood”? Man yworthwhile parts,should a cellphonebe rendereduseless. (GP)

YOU WOULD BE QUITE SURPRISED to disco ver the lesser known capabilities of your cellphone. (GP)

IT HAS QUICKL Y become a trend in the 21st centur yfor people to be more lik ely in the possession of a cellphone or other mobile de vice than it is forthem to ha ve a librar y card. What good does ha vinga cellphone ser ve if a hur ricane has tak en out thecommunications tow er? Beneath the gorilla glassand plastic hard ware lie a useful ar ray of makeshift possibilities. In the e vent that a stor m was to damage yourcellphone be yond use, don’ t simply discard thedevice. Pr y into its inner wor kings and tak e a look at its concealed potential for sur vival aid. Inside your de vice is lik ely to be a thin metallicsheet. Under disaster circumstances, a reflectivesurface can be a signal that sa ves your life. Usingthe little metal mir ror-like object, the sun can bereflected tow ards an open area aler ting a potentialrescuer to your location. If you can’ t see the sun, many mobile de vicespeakers contain tin y magnets. There should not bea lack of tin y metal wires within the de vice as w ell.Using one of the metal wires, this won’ t work withcopper, rub the wire with the magnet in the samedirection ten to 20 times and it should becomefaintly magnetized. By placing a tin y, light w eight leafin some placid w ater and resting the magnetized

wire atop it, you ha ve created a tin y compass. Themetal will align nor th to south and you can figure a general direction of tra vel from there. Many situations in a disaster call for the use of a knife. The circuit board of an unusablecellphone can be shar pened to a point. By r ubbingthe edges of a circuit board against a w et stone, theedges can become quite capable of becoming a blade. By strapping this mak eshift tool to a branchand tethering it securely , you ha ve just constr ucted a small sur vival knife. The batter y of your mobile de vice can also ser veas a one shot fire star ter in the absence of matches. Those tin y metal wires found inside thecircuitry of the phone can be remo ved and used as a filament. Remember , attaching a single filamentto the positive and negative ter minals of your batter ywill turn it red hot in seconds and can be used to ignite tinder if done quickly . If you happen to ha vesteel wool, rubbing it against the ter minals willcause the same effect for the heat to be transfer redto tinder for building a fire. There are man y uses for a dismantled mobilephone, but if it is still functional then its intactpurposes are far greater than an y use illustratedhere. (NN)

Fax: 429-7867 I Email: [email protected]

RESEARCH HAS SHO WNthat many pregnantwomen go intolabour duringemergencies and disaster sso ensure thatyou, as anexpectantmother, are fullyprepared.(FP)

WHILE PREGNANT W OMEN should follow the generalhurricane preparedness recommendations, they alsoneed to tak e extra measures for themselves and theirunborn child. If you are se ven to nine months pregnant

when a hur ricane threatens, here are a fe w guidelinesto follow before, during and after a natural disaster .Before a disaster : preparation is k ey

•Let your doctor know where you will be in case of e vacuation.

•Write a list of your prescription medicinesand prenatal vitamins and k eep in a safe place.

•Store a cop y of your prenatal medicalrecords with other essentials (medication and so on).

•If you are close to deliver y or ha ve ahigh-risk pregnancy, ask your doctor what is the safest option for you and your bab y.

During a disaster : what to do in the case of e vacuation

•Pack a bag with extra mater nityclothes.

•Stock up on snacks high in proteinand low in fat. T ake sufficient bottledwater (a gallon a da y is enough becauseyou won’ t be cooking in a shelter).

•Bring any medications and vitaminsyou are cur rently taking with you.

•Keep copies of your bir th cer tificateas well as your doctor’ s contact infor mation.

•Bring cash rather than be dependenton an A TM card.

•Travel with k eys for an ything that is being left behind (car , home,

safes and so on).

After a disaster : staying healthy•If you ha ve to e vacuate, call the hospital,

health centre or polyclinic to get infor mationon where you ma y receive care.

•Do not eat an y food you ma y

think has spoiled.•Staying hydrated is impor tant. Check to mak e sure

the local w ater supply is safe to drink. If unsure, drinkbottled w ater and boil tap w ater before drinking orbathing. (Boiling w ater for one minute kills mostorganisms)

•Avoid touching or w alking in flood w ater, as it can contain har mful bacteria. If you do touch it, wash well with soap.

•Know the signs of labour . Contractions, leaking fluidor bleeding , backache, cramps and the sensation thatyour baby is pushing down are some signs of labour .

Going into Labour There have been findings to suppor t the theor y that

many pregnant women go into labour during emergenciesand disaster s. The reasoning for this is that during a hurricane, the rapid and steep drop in barometricpressure, or the w eight of the atmosphere pushing on the surface of the Ear th, can induce labour in women who are at or near ter m.

A non-experimental study at St Luk e’s EpiscopalHospital in Houston, Texas in 1992, concluded that “the o verall number of labour onsets increased in the 24 hour s following a significant drop in barometric pressure”.

Regardless of the findings, making preparations will go a long w ay to sparing expectant mother s from unnecessar y worry during pow er outages and stor m recovery.

With hurricane season ha ving recently entered its peak (mid-August – late October), pregnant womenneed to remember to tak e extra precautions, as the y will go a long w ay in ensuring that things go smoothly ,whether the y evacuate or sta y.

Upon retur ning home, if your home has been damaged, be a ware that bacteria and mould may have contaminated household items. Ask friends or family for assistance with cleaning up the damage.Please note that pregnant women should ne ver car ry or lift hea vy items. (TW)



TROPICAL CYCLONES are said to be among nature’ smost pow erful and destr uctive phenomena. Here in Barbados w e are prone to them and e ven though a few locals ha ve proclaimed that “God is a Bajan”,this does not lessen the need to be prepared. Evenareas w ell away from the coastline can be threatenedby destr uctive winds, tornadoes and flooding fromthese stor ms. How great is the danger? Let us putthings into per spective b y first defining the differentcategories of cyclones.

A tropical cyclone is a rotating , organized systemof clouds and thunder storms that originates o vertropical or subtropical w aters and has a closed low-level circulation. T ropical cyclones rotatecounterclockwise in the Nor thern Hemisphere. • Tropical depression – A tropical cyclone withmaximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less.• Tropical stor m – A tropical cyclone with maximumsustained winds of 39 to 73 mph.• Hurricane – A tropical cyclone with maximumsustained winds of 74 to 95 mph or higher . In thewestern Nor th Pacific, hurricanes are called typhoons,while similar stor ms in the Indian Ocean and SouthPacific Ocean are called cyclones.• Major hurricane – A tropical cyclone with maximumsustained winds of 111 mph or higher , cor respondingto a Categor y 3, 4 or 5.

A post-tropical cyclone is a system that no longer possesses sufficient tropicalcharacteristics to be considered a tropical cyclone.Post-tropical cyclones can still bring hea vy rain and high winds.

According to the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration, the Uunited States’federal scientific w eather agency, the hur ricaneseason’s peak is late August through to late October .While hur ricanes pose the greatest threat to life andproperty, tropical stor ms and depressions can alsobe devastating , as Barbadians realized in 2010 withTropical Storm Tomas. In this instance, floods fromheavy rains and winds caused extensive damage to homes and other proper ty throughout the island.

Knowing the different cyclones is impor tant, but just as impor tant is heeding the differentwarnings and advisories and under standing thedifference betw een them. P eople often mak e theerror in thinking that a w atch is synon ymous with a warning but this notion is incor rect.

By definition, a tropical stor m warning is an announcement that sustained winds of 63 to 118 km/hr are expected some where within thespecified area within 36 hour s in association with a tropical cyclone. Con versely, a tropical stor m watchis an announcement that sustained winds of 63 to 119 km/hr are possible within the specified areawithin 48 hour s in association with a tropical cyclone.

Because hur ricane preparedness activitiesbecome difficult once winds reach tropical stor mforce, hurricane watches are usually issued 48 hour s in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical stor m force winds. By under standing the glossar y of k ey term and assessing yourvulnerability, you will be able to tak e the necessar yactions in order to minimize the effects of disaster .(TW)

KNOWINGthe differencesare not onlyinformative butessential forpreparation.Below isHurricane Ivanas it appearedin 2011. (FP)


ENSURE YOU HAVE an adequate amount of fuel in your vehicle and a void the usual r ush at gasstations which comes with an approaching stor m.(RC)

AT THE FIRST warning of an impending w eathersystem boat owner s should secure their vessels to avoid damage or loss. (RC)

THOUGH IT MA Y BE hard to resist going outsideafter a stor m passes, remember to sta y indoors until the official all-clear is given. (RC)

Andrea

Barry

Chantal

DorianErinFernandGabrielleHumbertoIngridJerryKarenLorenzoMelissaNestorOlgaPablo

RebekahSebastienTanyaVanWendy


• Ignatius Byer Primar y

• Connell Pentecostal

House Of Pra yer

• Coleridge & P arry School

• Roland Edwards Primar y

• Gordon Greenidge Primar y

• Queens College

• Hillaby-Turners Hall

Primary

• Lester V aughan School

• A. DaCosta Ed wards Primar y

• St Ber nard’s Primar y

• St John Primar y

• Charles F. Broome Memorial Primar y

• Combermere School

• Ellerslie Secondar y School

• George Lamming Primar y

• St Leonard’s Boys’ Secondar y

• St Matthe w’s Primary

• St Stephen’ s Primar y

• Westbury Primar y

• Black Rock Se venth Day

Adventist

• Dalkeith Methodist Church

• Cuthbert Moore Primar y

• Ellerton Primar y

• Arthur Smith Primar y

• Blackman and Gollop Primar y

• Christ Church F oundation School

• Christ Church Gir l’s School

• St Christopher Primar y

• Hilda Skeene Primar y

• Reynold Weekes Primar y

• St Philip Primar y

• Six Roads Church Of Christ

ST LUCY

ST PETER

ST JAMES

ST THOMAS

ST MICHAEL

ST GEORGE

CHRIST CHURCH

ST PHILIP

ST ANDREW

ST JOSEPH

ST JOHN

THE ILLUSTRA TION on this page identifiesthe 32 Categor y 1Shelters on the islandwhich may be usedduring a stor m orhurricane. Dalk eithMethodist Church in St Michael (picturedhere) can accomodate34 people. (Picture b y Lennox De vonish.)


TYPICALLY, more deaths and injuriesoccur after a hur ricane than during .These mishaps come from peoplebeing too anxious to get outside andsurvey the damage, where the y comeinto contact with flood w aters,downed power lines or unstable treesand so on. F ollow these suggestionsfor sta ying safe after the hur ricane:• Remain indoor s until an official

all-clear is given.• Do not touch fallen or low-hangingwires of an y kind under an ycircumstances. Sta y away frompuddles with wires in or near them.Do not touch trees or other objectsin contact with pow er lines.• Call the utility companiesimmediately to repor t hazards suchas downed pow er lines, broken gas

or water mains or o verturned gastanks.• Watch for w eakened roads, treelimbs and par ts of your home thatcould collapse unexpectedly .• After pow er is restored, checkrefrigerated food for spoilage.(Spoiled food is the cause of muchsickness two da ys to a w eek afterthe stor m.) (TW)

PUBLIC shelters are forpeople who ha ve no otherplace to go. If you muststay in a shelter , listen to news broadcasts forannouncements of shelteropenings. Sheltervolunteers do their best to make you comfor tablebut a shelter is not a ver ycomfortable place. Sta ywith friends or relatives if at all possible.• Those with specialmedical needs (oxygen andso on) should go to specialneeds shelter s only.Special needs shelter s do not pro vide hands-onmedical care, only medicalmonitoring. Bring a caregiver with you if needed.• Only ser vice animals are per mitted in public shelter s.• Eat before you ar rive.Meals ma y not be a vailableduring the fir st 24 hour s.Bring snacks.• Bring your identification,valuable paper s andmedication in their original container s.• Bring baby supplies.• Bring blankets’ sleepingbags and pillows. Theseare either not pro vided or limited in supply .• Bring cards, games or books to pass the hour s.• Bring flashlights and a batter y operated radio or TV with extra batteriesfor all.• Stay inside and followdirections that are given foryour comfor t and safety .• You will not be allow edoutside until the official all clear. (TW)

Printed and Published by THE NATION PUBLISHING CO. LTD, Nation House, Fontabelle, St Michael, Barbados. Telephone (246) 430-5400

Storm Watch August 2013

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Transcript of Storm Watch August 2013