Emergency Support Functions members and support staff in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs (seated at head of table).
PHILIPSBURG--Ten Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) that make up the country’s national disaster coordination system met on Wednesday to prepare for the hurricane season. The meeting was led by Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
The hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and ends on November 30. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-normal season ahead.
NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 14-21 named storms (winds of 39 miles per hour (mph) or higher), of which six to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74mph or higher), including three to six major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with 70 per cent confidence.
Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS) head Joseph Isaac briefed Jacobs and the ESF coordinators with respect to the forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
Thereafter, each ESF coordinator presented an overview of their state of national preparedness for the season.
The 10 ESFs are ESF-1: NV GEBE – Electricity/Water Production; ESF-2: Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP); ESF-3: Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI; ESF-4: Fire Department; ESF-5: Police Department; ESF-6: Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA – Medical Assistance; ESF-7: VSA Ministry – Evacuation, Shelters, Relief and Mass Casualties; ESF-8: Department of Communication DComm; ESF-9: Ministry of General Affairs; and ESF-10: Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT).
The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the government website
www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where one can download the “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide” and “Hurricane Tracking Chart”.
Listen to the government radio station SXMGOV 107.9FM for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane.
For official weather-related information, check out the MDS website
www.meteosxm.com or visit its social media page
Facebook.com/sxmweather/.
