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Preparing
for a Hurricane
We
live in a hurricane zone. In the last decade especially, hurricanes
have become a common occurrence. St. Maarten has been hit by no less
than six hurricanes in the last five years alone. This means that we
have to be better prepared each hurricane season which begins in
June every year. The authorities usually announce measures to be
taken when a storm is approaching at least some 48 hours before it
is expected to hit the island. Follow those instructions faithfully.
In addition, the following precautionary measures can help you
weather a storm with potentially minimum damage:
Before the Storm
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Prune trees around your house and in your yard. Cut branches that may be
too close to power lines.
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Disconnect down spout from cistern to avoid possible contamination of
your cistern water. |
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Store sufficient drinking water for you and your family for at least
seven days. |
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Set your refrigerator to coldest setting several hours before the storm
is expected. |
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Use a qualified electrician to hook up your generator: feed-back into
the utility system is dangerous.
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If you are going to use the generator for only a few hours a day,
particularly after the storm, a cheaper gasoline model would do. The
diesel model is more suited for use throughout the day. It is more
expensive but also more durable |
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Have enough fuel for the generator. Let a certified electrician fix any
malfunctioning of your generator before the storm |
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Store sufficient batteries for your torchlight, other battery operated
sources of light and for your transistor radio.
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Avoid the use of open flames especially near curtains and other
inflammable materials as they can cause fire hazards. Don’t leave any
candles burning especially when you go to sleep. It is recommended that
you use battery-operated lighting. |
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Disconnect your gas bottles and have them properly secured |
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During
the storm
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Stay indoors. Do not venture outside until the authorities say it is
safe to do so.
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Listen to your local radio station for updates on the situation of the
storm.
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Do not use your generator during the storm. |
After the Storm
G.E.B.E. staff work
round the clock to ensure a rapid restoration of power and water supply to
all areas after the passage of the storm. However, your safety and that of
the entire community is of paramount importance to us. Therefore, we advise
that you exercise patience and observe the following:
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Do not touch any low-hanging wires or wires that may be lying on the
ground.
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Wear rubber boots or shoes with rubber soles, especially if you have to
walk through water. |
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Do not leave children unsupervised in the yard, and do not let them play
on the street.
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Report any dangerous situations to G.E.B.E. immediately or to the
proper local authorities, e.g. Fire Department, for fire hazards and
Public Works Department, for unpassable roads, etc.)
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If involved in clean-up of your area, wear thick gloves and rubber boots
at all times.
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When power is restored to your area, be sure to plug in your appliances
one by one to avoid possible damage through surges. |
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Report any damage to water pipes to G.E.B.E. immediately. |
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