Be Prepared Barbadians, it is the Hurricane Season
Prime Minister Mia Mottley issued the following statement last night after a meeting held with the emergency management team to prepare for the potential threat posed by Hurricane Issac – listen to Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Further to the North CAT 4 Hurricane Florence is about to slam the Carolinas.
What struck the blogmaster after listening to the Prime Minister’s press conference was how woefully unprepared and under-resourced we are to manage a catastrophe of any magnitude. Some of us recall about five years ago when Barbados lost power for over a week in many areas when a storm passed over us, repeat, a storm. Issac is forecast to be a Category 1 when it passes about 150 miles north of the island.
The blogmaster accepts that God is a Bajan, however, out of an abundance of commonsense, Barbadians are encouraged to store non-perishable food and potable water, flash-lights and batteries, matches, etc.
Also, importantly, a way to charge their cell-phones by way of their car, a solar panel and/or a USB battery “brick”. Because of fibre delivery of land-line telephony, the instant the power goes out so does the ability to call via landlines.
Resource website:
Do you meat a monkey water container, or a real live monkey to put out the electricity?
No. But we have salt meat buckets. And many, many 1/2 gallon coconut water bottles. We don’t throw them out. We wash and recycle them as hurricane water bottles. One to drink. One to cook. One for hand washing. And one for a cowboy bath every other day.
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@ Simple Simon,
Keeps drinking water cool.
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Yes my father’s mother had one. She lived halfway between home and elementary school, and we always stopped for a drink of water from her monkey, and perhaps a few left over bakes as a snack. This was in pre-Independence, pre-refrigeration days.
She lived to be 90. Died in the late 90’s. She eventually got running water, but never any electricity, nor phone, not even a cell phone. But the sweetest, most generous grandma ever. I am still trying to become more like her.
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CORRECTION: She died in the late 60’s.
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Thunder now, sounds far away to the east.
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@SimpleSimon.
The GOB should entertain the idea of 1000 litre potable water safe IBC containers. The container is basically a cube. It has built-in stacking ability and can be easily moved via a fork if necessary(when filled) as it sits on a skid/pallet base. A pallet is roughly 48in x 40 in, and should be able to fit in the average yard even a yard in the Villages at Coverley.
The inner plastic container fits into a metal cage that helps the plastic container to retain he shape. THE UN often uses these in area where there is a need for water in an emergency. etc. The inner plastic will be coloured or black to reduce the growth of algae etc.
To me this is a better solution for the average household than what BWA is pushing. Should surely be less than the $5000.00. as advertised.
There must be 2 main scenarios here.
(Scenario 1) We want the household to have access to water in an emergency for a water outage. (Use got collect the water from storage tank)
(Scenario 2) We want the household to have the water with all the bells and whistles. eg automatic pump delivery of water etc
A 1000 litre/275 gallon IBC container is 55 five gallon buckets. U do the maths but that should be a fair amount of water in an emergency situation. I am sure water usage will be monitored/regulated once the household realises that the water they have needs to be rationed etc. due to the emergency unfolding.
Just my thoughts.
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@David: “The BL&P is responsible for pole plant. Is the cost of maintenance not included in input cost approved by the FTC?
It is.
@FearPlay: “Is the Barbados Light and Power waiting on a hurricane to topple all of the dangerously leaning poles on the island so that they can claim hurricane damage insurance before replacing them?
BL&P is “self insured”, so there would be no upside in doing what you suggest.
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@sirfuzzy: “Just my thoughts.
While your thoughts are valid, personally I’ve been taking a slightly different approach for risk management…
For several years I’ve been reusing 2.63 litre orange juice bottles (we purchase one or two a month; made from HDPE). Clean them, fill them with potable water with five drops of bleach, and store them in a dark place in the house.
The advantage of this is they can easily be moved out of storage and used when needed.
Don’t forget that a potable water tank driven by a pump into a home isn’t much good when the power is out….
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@ Chris Halsall September 12, 2018 1:27 PM
Don’t forget that a potable water tank driven by a pump into a home isn’t much good when the power is out….
I concur. That is why i think the average household should seek (scenario 1), where the objective is just a store of clean water full stop. Here the user must go to the store of water to collect it; no pump involved. This accepts and foresees that no electricity may be available. But hygiene and food preparation will still be possible assuming house/structure was not compromised etc.
In BIM today with the water toilet as the norm, little attention is probably paid to the amt of water needed to flush a toilet. Etc. In an emergency situation i am sure ppl will become creative; but toilet flushing will continue; and the associated diversion of potable water for the flushing. . In families with special/higer needs like elderly family members; sick, small children etc, the need for clean water is more pressing
The authorities can advise the population that we don’t need to use potable water to flush your toilet. That any source of water (grey water) may be used for this purpose; rain water/ laundry rinse water is a perfect source if available . But if they are not aware of these small potable water preservation TIPS that family will exhaust the potable water stored prematurely in my opinion.
The GOB needs to make the population more aware of the TIPS that can save lives especially whe it comes to perserving the potable water that u have stored.
One of the main issues in PR after the hurricane was the lack of and access to potable water 5 days after the hurricane struck. The emergency managers realised that the average person did not store sufficient water; and if the wait for normalcy is longer than expected five days anti-social behaviours can be expaeced among other things.
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An NGO concerned with the environment can play a role?
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@sirfuzzy: “The GOB needs to make the population more aware…
Why is it always the Government’s responsibility for the populous’ well being?
We live in an area which is known to experience storms. Is it not each and every individual’s responsibility to be prepared? Should the GOB send out flyers reminding people to breath?
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There are some jobs the GOB cant out source. We look for the defense and security; Actually NGOs can play a part but NGOs do such on a voluntary basis. If an NGO decided to end operations or change focus then what? GOB has certain jobs it must do.
Why is it always the Government’s responsibility for the populous’ well being? So why do they collect our taxes? Why does the GOB employee “emergency managers” etc. Why does the MOH do vector control and fogging. Screen for contagious pathogens in human, meats and animals. I think they know that “one ounce of prevention is a better investment than 1lb of cure”.
I am only suggesting that GoB do a better comprehensive information campaign of sensitising bajan about all aspects of preparedness. In my opinion the campaign is not as comprehensive as it should be given the many examples of what has occurred in neighbouring islands.
In the areas where for example water storage is seen as life preserving; then the GOB many remove levies taxes duties etc on the items to make them as affordable as possible so more persons may acquire the storage facilities.
BGIS can have a series on the TV showing how you can DIY your own storage facility etc. When i was pretty young i remember watching tv coming from Min Of Education over Channel 3 that actually taught or tried teach the viewer skills.
So why can’t we do something like that today on tv and youtube etc. Identify what they want to teach the viewers(DIYers) regarding the aspect of preparedness we will cover, then air the episodes that will teach the viewer the relevant knowledge. Cover as many aspects of prepareness as possible; but make relevant and timely knowledge available to all and sundry.
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Citizen advocacy via NGOs shouldn’t be seen as a job to outsource. Integral to a vibrant democracy is violent participation of the citizenry whether individually or in associations.
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@David: “Citizen advocacy via NGOs shouldn’t be seen as a job to outsource. Integral to a vibrant democracy is violent participation of the citizenry whether individually or in associations.
I hope I haven’t come across like some kind of right-wing gun wielding survivalist.
But, IMO, at the end of the day one stands alone (while always being there to help their family, friends and community), and should always be prepared.
Mother Nature can be a very harsh mistress. And she owes you nothing…
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@ David/BU
After reading your post September 12, 2018 7:32 PM
The watchman join this discussion to say MTW did nothing , but ” mother nature” is granting the help by doing the job of restoring, by removing the boulders from illegal botch private road in, along and across a watercourse between Chapel Gap and Clarkes Rd, St. James.
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Looks like Isaac getting a Northerly component in its travel.
Good for us and Dominica!!!
We will know more tomorrow.
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Florence showing signs of weakening
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Dominica caught in some of isaac fury
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=303863367062917&id=166985300014009
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You agree Ross made a reasonable decision to protect their business?
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Please you do not want to go there because this issue is not only about business models but immoral and unethical practices and those practices adding additional burden to the people of Dominica
The lack of sensitivity should give cause and a concerns of the type of character that would encourage a wrong to be a right all in the name of business models and preferences
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Mariposa,
Wasn´t Dominica the place you suggested for Ross University? 😉
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Listen up My position on Ross was base on ethics
Ethics which Ross thought best was not part of their business model
Plus insensitivity towards the people of Dominica with a take it or lump thrown to the Dominican govt
An exodus which might not have happened without the fishing expedition of Mia Mottley
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Probably the same kind of ethics which kept Big Sinck away from applying for an IMF loan for 1% and going for a CS-FCIB-loan for 10% ???
How stupid you think we are?
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Niw listen to your logic a 10percent loan with no austerity measures you baulked
However a 1percent loan with austerity measures that would cut the ar ss of ever tom dick mary and other’s you endorse
Amm are u a madman or what
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“Please you do not want to go there because this issue is not only about business models but immoral and unethical practices…….”
Hmmmmmm
So, I guess that Ronald Jones in his capacity as Minister of Education, facilitating the entry of the University of Bridgetown into Barbados……….and is subsequently appointed as that university’s Vice Chancellor…….
……..can be reasonably viewed as ïmmoral and unethical” as well?
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Look u can drag the table !chair or cuckoo stick into the Ross is lssue to whatever level it pleases u
However it is not beyond your political laced agenda to by pass morals or ethics
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“However it is not beyond your political laced agenda to by pass morals or ethics….”
Hmmmmmmmmm
I guess your were looking directly into a mirror when you wrote the above comment.
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Kinda and i saw your image staring at me
The story of Ross would be remembered as one of those low life people agendas perpetrated on the people of Dominica by Mottley
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https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-41.86,18.58,753
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https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/floater_band.php?sat=G16&stormid=AL122018&band=09&length=12
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From the look of it, its going to be lots of water.
https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/FullDisk_band.php?sat=G16&band=12&length=12
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=2
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-55.79,14.99,3000
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