Page 10 SectionA

The Abaconian

September 15, 2008

Disaster Committee coordinated sh hihi

Prior to Tropical Storm Hanna’s pass-
ing, Administrator Cephas Cooper called
for several Disaster Committee meetings to
coordinate and assess community readiness.
Co-chaired by Mr. Silbert Mills of Radio
Abaco, the Central Abaco Committee is
comprised of the department heads of all
government agencies and two volunteer or-
ganizations providing emergency services:
Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire and Rescue
and the Red Cross.

A major effort involves shelter selection
and management. Visitors are encouraged
to leave well before a storm arrives, but
Abaco’s 15,000 residents are obliged to grit
their teeth, hunker-down and make the best
of it. Shelters are selected in each town for
those not sure of their home’s safety, either
due to structural concerns or flooding pos-
sibilities.

Social Services is in charge of shelters
although in practice Red Cross volunteers

are more apt to be in evidence along with a
police presence.

Three official shelters for Central Abaco
were Central Abaco Primary School which
took in 194 persons, St. Francis de Sales
Catholic Church hosting 87 and Abaco
Central High School which no one took ad-
vantage of. Churches often accept persons
seeking refuge, particularly their own mem-
bers. For instance, the New Haitian Mis-
sion Baptiste Church near the airport round-
about had 50 or more persons spending the
night there.

Many of the persons utilizing the shelters
live in low-laying areas prone to flooding.

A major challenge concerns the closing
of these short-term shelters after the storm
passes and restoring the facility to its pre-
shelter condition. Abaco does not have suit-
able facilities for long term use by persons
whose houses are destroyed, flooded or oth-
erwise uninhabitable.

This year, four 17
KW diesel generators
were sent from Nassau
and have been installed
at four Abaco shelters:
Abaco Central Prima-
ry School which also
housed the Command
Center for Central Aba-
co, Abaco Central High
School, the Sandy Point
Community Center out-
side town and the S.C.
Bootle High School in
Cooper’s Town.

Additionally, — local
government purchased
four handheld VHF
marine radios which al-
lowed the three Central
Abaco shelters and the
Command Center to
stay in touch regardless
of electrical or phone
service.

 

Four 17 KW generators were sent to Abaco for use during
hurricanes and tropical storms. Shown here is Salathial Swain
preparaing one for use at Central Abaco Primary School in
Dundas Town.

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The Disaster Committee of Central Abaco met several times to coordinate preparation in
anticipation of Tropical Storm Hanna. The committee is composed of heads of govern-
ment agencies and represntatives from a couple of volunteer organizations.

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