PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs chaired his first Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Meeting last week Thursday.
Coordinators from the 10 Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) of the country’s disaster management system were present.
The two main agenda points was the Hurricane Exercise 2015 and preparedness for the season.
The 10 ESFs are: GEBE/ESF-1, TelEm Group/ESF-2, Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI)/ESF-3, Fire Department/ESF-4, Police Department/ESF-5, Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labour/ESF-6 and 7, Department of Communication/ESF-8, Ministry of General Affairs/ESF-9, and Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT)/ESF-10.
The 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season has already seen two storms form namely Ana and Bill.
Prime Minister Gumbs, reminds the Sint Maarten community to be prepared for the season which commenced on June 1st.
The remaining storm names for the Atlantic season are Claudette, Danny, Erika, Fred, Grace, Henri, Ida, Joaquin, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicolas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor, and Wanda.
The 2015 hurricane season officially runs through November 30.
Photo on your left: The Outdoor Warning System that was install in a strategic location in different neighborhoods on St Maarten is specially to warn the public in case of emergency like Earthquake, Tsunami and Hurricane is not functioning for almost two to three years. Nobody from the Government or EOC is saying what is wrong with this system, why is not doing its job as it was plan for.
June 1st was the beginning of a new hurricane season for 2015 and is not sure if this system will be back up running before November 31, 2015.
A member of the public told 721news, “If this outdoor alert system was working it could have prepare the public last year when Hurricane Gonzalo was approaching the island.” In photo is the Outdoor Warning System located in Belvedere.
