The Tribune

By Alicia Wallace

The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season officially started on Sunday. While this is a reminder that hurricanes are a threat to The Bahamas, it is often not until there a hurricane watch is announced that people begin to prepare. This means preparation is done in rush, under significant pressure, and with limited resources. To avoid the added stress of trying to prepare while in panic mode, it is important that those who are able to actually do take steps to ready their households for potential hurricanes.

Basic needs include food and water, and everyone needs to consider the household equipment and tools that make it possible to store and prepare food and water for consumption. The availability and utility of stoves and other cooking equipment, for example, should inform the shopping list. Similarly, food storage options, including coolers, need to be considered. What would you need for one week at home with limited or no electricity and/or tap water, and how can you safely store it?

When you know what you need to safely and relatively comfortably get through one week without being able to leave your home, be diligent about keeping your home stocked with them. Be attentive to expiration dates and consume older items as you purchase new items to replace them.

The day a warning is issued is not the day to go in search of water. Of course, if you do not have enough water, there is little choice, but we all know what to expect at every water depot, grocery store, and corner shop. For the duration of hurricane season, it is best to avoid even coming close to running out of drinking water. It is also a good idea to store tap water for personal hygiene and household cleaning purposes in case water service is disrupted. For people living in certain areas where water disruption is frequent, this may already be a regular practice.

One of the elements that is frequently forgotten in the rush to secure canned goods is health status. The health conditions of people in the household and the ways they are affected by food should not be a last minute consideration. Many of the go-to canned food items are high in sodium which presents a problem for many Bahamians for whom hypertension and related illnesses are common, easily exacerbated, and life-threatening. The person doing the shopping needs to think about all of the dietary needs and restrictions of everyone in the household and let that inform the purchases. Medication, both prescription and over-the-counter, need to be kept on hand in sufficient quantities. If anyone in the household has a caregiver, now is a good time to talk about how care will continue during a hurricane. If arrangements cannot be made for the caregiver to stay in the home, another person or multiple people in the home need to be trained to carry out the daily duties related to care.

Staying informed during a hurricane is critical, and radio is the primary source of information. In many households, there is no radio. People have become accustomed to using televisions, computers, tablets, and mobile phones to listen to the radio. During and in the aftermath of a hurricane, when there is no electricity—and possibly no internet—some of those electronics will be unusable or need to be used for limited periods of time to preserve battery life. Mobile phone use may need to be limited to important communication. At least one radio with sufficient batteries can be a good investment. There are some radios that also have lights and charging ports which can useful and help to save space. Hand crank radios, while they may cost more, can also be good investments.

Keep in mind that solar-powered devices are great alternatives only when it is possible to charge them in the sun. In some cases, with shutters on windows and weather advisories warning everyone to stay indoors, solar-powered devices can lose their utility before they can safely be recharged. Think through the options and make the decisions for and with your household, considering all of the necessary devices and the charging capacity of battery packs. Remember to keep credit on your prepaid phone and keep your postpaid phone bill paid to ensure that, as long as there is service, you can communicate with loved ones and emergency personnel.

Another area that is often overlooked is entertainment. What can you do while stuck at home with limited use of electronics? Card games, board games, books, and puzzles can help to pass the time and foster connection among family members, friends, and roommates. Depending on the space available to you, you may be able to find physical activities to enjoy together. Does anyone have a Zumba routine memorized, ready to share with others? Does anyone have a regular yoga practice and the ability to share some of the easier, safer poses? Is there a rebounder (indoor trampoline), long taken apart and stuff in a closet, that can be reintroduced? In small spaces, there is still room to get creative. It may be a good time to host your very own episode of Chopped, hurricane edition. Who can come up with the best, most delicious use of a few canned goods and whatever items you have managed to keep fresh in a cooler full of ice? Mental health is an important as physical health, and connecting with one another in different ways can make an otherwise stressful time rather enjoyable.

For those who are able to prepare early and avoid the rush if there is a hurricane warning, think about your capacity to help others. There are many who cannot afford to stock up and any change in expenses creates a crisis. You may know some of these people. They could be family members, coworkers, neighbors, friends, people with whom you are acquainted through family members, classmates, or people you see off and on. They may not be comfortable asking for help, but you can offer. They may need a few gallons of water, baby food, nonperishable items, a radio, batteries, or even a few books and toys to keep their children occupied. Knowing what you have the capacity to do now will help you to make clear, specific offers later that can be easily, readily accepted. We are the ones to help one another survive.