GBPA: We’re ready for storm season

By Tribune Staff

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd has announced that it has completed a “robust and comprehensive” storm response plan for the start of the new hurricane season.

Philcher Grant, chief operating officer at Grand Bahama Utility Company and public affairs director for Grand Bahama Port Authority, said they are positioned and ready to respond for any event.

The GBPA, she said, has learned from the hard lessons over the years of many previous storms, including Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

“We pray we are spared another storm event, but we must ensure we are ready to meet any eventuality that comes our way. We are confident we have done the work so that we are in a position to respond for any event,” Ms Grant said.

The GBPA executive said there are trained employees who will ride out the storm and respond right away in a storm event. Additionally, she noted that they have signed MOU with NGOs for additional resources if needed, and partnerships with industrial stakeholders to assist in clearing paths for emergency responders and to begin the work of restoring their water plant.

Ms Grant said their reverse osmosis system is a mobile one that can be safely secured in the event of a tiered storm approach.

Nakira Wilchcombe, vice president of the Building and Development Services Department, said after the storm they conduct assessments of building structures to make sure it can be safely re-energised.

To assist their teams, she encouraged residents to secure property conveyance and documents in a safe, dry place where they can be easily retrieved to present to the Building and Development Services Department.

Ms Wilchcombe also stressed that it is important that people know their legal address or description, including the street name, the block and lot numbers.

She said people can visit their office if they need assistance retrieving their legal address description.

Troy McIntosh, deputy director of the Building Development Services Department, is responsible for maintenance of the city, drainage, trash removal, illegal dumpsite, tree trimming and debris removal.

He noted that they completed pre-storm drain checks and maintenance months in advance of June 1.

Mr McIntosh further indicated that all the drain systems have GPS, and new drains have been installed where issues of severe flooding exists.

He encouraged residents to contact their 24-hour helpline at 352-2000 to report any areas where there are flood issues that may require new drain installation or maintenance.

Glendia Sweeting, manager of group corporate affairs, and storm lead for communications, said that vital information to help people prepare will be shared via their social media pages, the GB Port Authority Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter, and via radio and television.

She said people may also send messages via their GBPA Facebook page.

Information may also be accessed at their website www.gbpa.com and their contact us page.

She encouraged residents to also download the Freeport Report App to receive push notifications to their phones. The app may be downloaded from Google Play store or the App Store.

Ms Sweeting said that they will launch a universal call centre and a customer service centre in a safe area in the event of a tiered storm approach.

Cory Cartwright, assistant maintenance manager for Lucaya Service Company and GB DEVCO, said that all debris in residential areas should have been placed out for removal before June 16 to meet the collection by Sanitation Services. He reported that the GBPA and DEVCO moved over $21m in Hurricane Dorian debris. “We assisted residents with clearing roof structures, furniture and appliances.”

He noted that in the eastern area of Lucaya, 260 homes were affected. “To date, we have 100 homes that are still hurricane damaged and pose threats to the community,” Mr Cartwright said.

Mr Cartwright insists that residents should always have a bag ready to move in case they have to be evacuated. He said they should also know where to go in the event they must leave home before a rescue team can get them.

NEMA’S $1.8M EMERGENCY RELIEF WAREHOUSE IS A LIFE SAVER

RESIDENTS of the Southern Bahamas are better equipped to handle their immediate situation if a disaster threatens.

In June, 2017, the United States Northern Command in a special ceremony hand- ed over an emergency relief warehouse to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The facility, built at an estimated $1.8m, is the third of its kind donated to complement the national disaster plan.

The warehousing pro- ject is a concept of captain Stephen Russell, director of NEMA, and the United States government to assist with hurricane prepared- ness in The Bahamas.

Strategically placed throughout the archipelago, the first warehouse was built on New Providence in 1989, in 2013 the second was commissioned in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and the third is located on Inagua.

The warehouse, which is situated at HMBS Matthew Town - Royal Bahamas De- fence Force Base - have been stockpiled with emergency supplies.

The islands in the Southern Bahamas are Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay.

At the time, a number of dignitaries were on hand for the occasion. They were Senator Dion Foulkes, director of NEMA captain Stephen Russell, Miriam Emmanuel, member of Parliament for MICAL, local government representatives and other officials of Inagua; and Lisa Johnson, charge d’affaires, US Embassy, Nassau, Lieutenant Commander Patrick Davis, US Embassy defence attaché, Wendell Rigby, NEMA’s warehouse coordinator, Penny Rechkemmer, US Embassy public affairs and members of the USNORTHCOM’s Humanitarian Assistance Programme Team led by Interagency Director Ran- dy Zeller.

Mr Foulkes, who spoke on behalf of then Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, expressed appreciation for the warehouse, underscor- ing the importance of the relationship between the Bahamas, via NEMA, and the United States Southern and Northern Commands, which began about 15 years ago.

“This relationship has been extremely benefi- cial for both nations,” he said. “This partnership has supported NEMA’s programmes namely, disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, and disaster risk reduction.

“It is therefore with great honour I accept the gift of the disaster relief ware- house on behalf of the prime minister, Dr Hubert Alexander Minnis, the communities in the South- ern Bahamas and all people of The Bahamas,” he said. OFFICIALS and residents at the Emergency Relief Warehouse at HMBS Matthew Town (Royal Bahamas Defence Force Base). Pictured among residents are Senator Dion Foulkes, director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell, Miriam Emmanuel, MP for MICAL, members of local government and other officials of Inagua; and Lisa Johnson, charge d’affaires, US Embassy, Nassau; Lieutenant Commander Patrick Davis, US Embassy defense attaché; Wendell Rigby, NEMA’s warehouse coordinator; Penny Rechkemmer, US Embassy public affairs; and members of the USNORTHCOM’s Humanitarian Assistance Program Team led by interagency director Randy Zeller.