32 The British Virgin Islands were severely damaged by storms and hurricanes in 2017. (Photo by Franklyn Michael) SUGGESTIONS FOR PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGERS P reparing for hurricanes in CARICAD member states must be done against a backdrop that is different from locations on the mainland of the United States such as Florida or the Carolinas: Most member states are economically dependent on tourism. The numbers of tourists on any given day, may be many thousands in a non-COVID-19 setting Evacuation off islands by road is impossible Regional travel will most likely be suspended in the smallest of the member states even before winds get to tropical storm strength Ferry services might have to be suspended because of difficult docking conditions Critical facilities such as hospitals, ports and airports are few Schools are often required for use as emergency shelters Stockpiles or stores of emergency supplies are very limited There is a heavy reliance on imported foods especially long shelf life food liked canned and dried goods Modern house construction styles, although making homes more salubrious, has made the buildings more vulnerable to wind damage – lengthy overhangs, lots of glass, lower pitched roofs, limited used of hurricane straps CARICAD suggests that all public sectors (focus of CARICAD’s mandate) plan for the persistent threat of hurricanes and the high probability of impact somewhere in the region each year. This requires a commitment on the part of public sector managers and leaders to embrace preparedness as part of the job. It is important to be thorough and systematic with hurricane preparedness. Make hurricane preparedness (should really be all hazard preparedness) a part of organisational culture. In that regard CARICAD suggests the use of a framework such as the BE, KNOW, HAVE and DO Model that CARICAD previously proffered for managing in a crisis, be adapted for hurricane preparedness. Continues on next page
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