PHILIPSBURG--Eleven public shelters have been identified for the hurricane season. The buildings will be equipped (prior to a definite hurricane strike) to serve as public shelters, according to Disaster Coordinator/Fire Chief Winston Salomon.
The buildings are chosen based on their ability to withstand hurricane conditions and their height above sea level.
The shelters are Leonard Conner School on Venus Drive, Christian Fellowship Church on Welfare Road and Salvation Army Building on Union Road for the Cay Bay and Cole Bay districts; Milton Peters College on L.B. Scot Road and Rupert Maynard Youth Centre on St. Peters Road for St. Peters, Ebenezer and South Reward; Sister Marie Laurence Primary School on Ellis Drive for Middle Region and Defiance; New Testament Baptist Church on Cannegieter Street for Philipsburg and Pointe Blanche; Allan C. Halley Community Center on Simpson Bay Road for Simpson Bay and Beacon Hill; Marie Genevieve de Weever Primary School on Guana Bay Road for Hope Estate and Sucker Garden; Epheses Seventh Day Adventist Church on Belvedere Estate Road for the Belvedere and Dutch Quarter districts; and St. Maarten Academy on Cupper Drive for St. Peters, St. Johns and Cul de Sac.
Space in shelters is limited and is meant for people who believe that their home is unsafe and can't find another safe place to stay. If your home is hurricane-proof and is in a safe location, it is probably best to stay there during a storm. Alternative options are to stay with family or friends whose house is also hurricane-proof, but if you are unsure, do not hesitate to go to a public shelter.
Shelters are meant for temporary stay of up to 72 hours. Persons utilising a public shelter must realise that many people have to share a small space and therefore must be prepared for some amount of discomfort.
There is a management team in charge of the shelter once it is opened. Safety is a main concern and persons will have to follow shelter warden instructions.
Take the time now to assess your house and, if you can, get an architect to do a proper assessment. This will determine whether you will stay with friends or family or make use of a public shelter.
The US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the parent body of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) out of Miami, Florida, has forecast a near-normal 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. The forecasts calls for nine to 15 named storms, of which four to eight can strengthen to become hurricanes, and of those, one to three may become major hurricanes.
It only takes one hurricane strike to make this a bad season, therefore the Office of Disaster Management is urging the community to be prepared, as is its responsibility every season.
The remaining names of potential storms for the 2012 season are: Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William.
The 2012 hurricane season officially runs through November 30.
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