The Tribune

NEARLY $60,000 was spent by the Red Cross to help 1,000 Bahamians affected by Hurricane Irene, according to the organisation's final financial report on the devastating storm.

The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) report details how food and water distribution and sanitation promotion were key items money from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) was spent on.

"With support from IFRC's DREF, the Bahamas Red Cross Society assisted 1,000 people with relief items and provision of safe water, and also conducted hygiene promotion and health message activities in four provinces," says the newly released report.

"The DREF operation has made a positive impact on the Bahamas Red Cross Society so that it has become institutionally stronger and able to respond better in future disasters."

Exactly CHF 71,014 or US $75,531.91 was allocated from the IFRC in support of the Bahamas Red Cross in the aftermath of the destructive Category Three hurricane.

Of that money, only CHF 54,430.91 or US $57,839.80 was spent while the remaining CHF 16,583.09 or US $17,638.11 was returned to the DREF.

"All activities were successfully carried out and this report is final in terms of narrative and financials," sad the report. "The operation is now closed.."

Hurricane Irene swept across the Bahamas in late August, 2011 causing millions of dollars in damage across the chain of islands but with no reported deaths or serious injuries.

The DREF report said approximately 150 houses were damaged and an additional number of schools and public buildings sustained 'varying degrees of damage' but impacts on health systems were 'limited.'

The report said downed power lines to the electricity grid caused 'severe' damage to the islands.

"Approximate 10,000 persons were left without power," it said. "Due to these power outages, food security and water systems, which rely on consistent power, were affected."

One part of the Red Cross's response in the form of the $75,000 allotment was relief distribution or what it called 'food security'.

Food rations were distributed to 200 'vulnerable' householders over three weeks under monitoring and evaluation.

"All planned food distributions were completed on time and according to budget," the report said. "The distributions occurred in the Southern and Central Islands of Cat Island, Great Exuma, Long Island, Crooked Island, and Eleuthera."

Along with the food, bottled water distribution was also completed 'without any challenges.'

Contaminated water sources were recognised by the Red Cross so emergency health promotion campaigns were undertaken to prevent water borne diseases, the report said.

In Nassau, a workshop on epidemic control for volunteers was also organised to train community based health and first-aid volunteers in how to identify and treat epidemics.

"As the epidemic control for volunteers methodology is rolled our in the Caribbean, the experience in the Bahamas provided an opportunity for a first field test with the methodology for other Caribbean national societies," the report said.

Emergency health service was also provided with Red Cross volunteers providing personalised first-aid to the injured.

The report said: "A total of 14 persons received assistance for minor to medium scale injuries that did not require hospitalisation."