The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The stark reality is Bahamians do not take hurricanes seriously. The seriousness of the impending dangers sometimes do not hit us until we hear the wind blowing, the trees bending and the power is off.

After the wind gusts up to fifty plus miles per hour, we say, the hurricane must be coming this way. But by then it is too late to make any adjustments that would give ourselves a chance.

We even say, that we are not securing our property because the last time it did not come this way. We gamble, we procrastinate, we play games with our families lives, we risk our lives. Then we blame all and sundry for our foolishness.

Bahamians are a peculiar people!

June 1 is the beginning of the hurricane season. There is no reason to be surprised because it happens every year.

So why don’t we routinely prepare ourselves, no, we need to be reminded, we need to be spoon fed. We cannot see it is on us if we do make sure our families are protected.

We hold on to traditions and old habits that many times get us in a bit of trouble, cause us some unnecessary stress and make us uncomfortable. We reluctantly accept change and therefore get stuck doing things over and over that are not beneficial.

Last year, we experienced the wrath of a powerful hurricane. Matthew was relentless, wreaking havoc on many islands.

Some people, for the most part, did not heed the Met Office warnings. We said, that the hurricane was not coming this way, but Matthew came howling with a mighty show of force. It caught us unprepared.

Insanity is doing things the same way, expecting a different result.

Instructions by the authorities, (NEMA) to evacuate fell on deaf ears. The system did not lend itself to mandatory evacuation, thus the hardships and terror experienced by many. The police, moving forward, should order mandatory evacuation.

This begs the question, why do we not take hurricanes seriously? Why do we always wait for the last minute? Can some of the damage be avoided? Should we change the way we do things?

Why are we buying supplies when the winds have reached gale-force status.

I thought that the best way to counter some of the negative results is to offer my unwarranted advice, in an effort for all of us to at least give ourselves a fighting chance of surviving a hurricane, or minimising the damage.

This is the beginning of the hurricane season, let us quickly move into preparation mode.

We should start stocking up on the dry items such as canned goods that have no expiration dates now, while there is no pressure and supplies are in goodly numbers.

Batteries, lamps, first aid kits, transistor radios, search lights, etc., should be purchased now, because they will be cheaper and in great supply.

The sensible thing to do is to start doing the necessary renovations to your homes, fastening windows, doors, and getting rid of loose items that could pose a problem in high winds. Starting to secure your house now, will eliminate the chaotic activity such as crowded streets and potential catastrophe which usually are associated with hurricanes in The Bahamas.

The purchase of plywood and other items now will prevent the lack of supply and the risk of merchants price gouging and exploitation of desperate citizens who are in search of supplies.

Doing these things well in advance will give residents ample time to “batten up” before the weather conditions deteriorates.

Securing physical structures in high winds is not only dangerous but could be fatal.

The merchant should not be open and we should not want to be on the streets putting ourselves and everyone else in grave danger, after the last warning is given that all residents should be in and remain indoors.

Hurricane shelters must be identified, made ready and known to the public. The public should be constantly reminded so that the locations become familiar.

This gives the potential shelter occupants a full understanding of where they are going and how they are going to get there. If the residents adhere to the information disseminated, this will prevent them from increasing anxiety, rising blood pressure and from making unnecessary calls, clogging emergency telephone lines.

The hospital and clinics should start the necessary preparation with supplies and training for the uneventful. The organization, synchronization of information and coordination by NEMA must be methodical but timely, well in advance to avoid confusion.

The clinics that are in proximity to particular neighbourhoods should be identified and information and the public made aware. Most Bahamians do not know where these places are.

Constant reminders of shelters and clinics must begin far earlier than before, increasing the frequency as it comes closer to an impending hurricane.

The Red Cross plays an integral part. The role that is played is significant. The experience from the organisation is invaluable and should be front and centre in the planning stages.

Hurricanes are devastating! It destroys property and sometimes changes our lives forever. Apart from the physical structures, the mental and psychological scars sometimes last forever.

We cannot risk allowing personalities or egos to interfere with how serious we become with working together, pooling our knowledge and time and effort toward making us all safe. We could do better by genuinely offering ourselves to lending a helping hand either pre-hurricane or post-hurricane or both.

We found out that we help ourselves even more by listening to the authorities, carrying out the instructions, and when evacuations are suggested, it is not a choice it is a must.

Losing your life to save your house is simply asinine.

Finally we must be our brothers keeper, we must not only secures ourselves but our neighbours too.

Saving lives is paramount.

IVOINE W. INGRAHAM

Nassau,

June 6, 2017.