Vulnerable to get help securing roofs ahead of hurricane season

Five thousand hurricane strap kits are to be distributed this year to families living below the poverty line, says Senior Minister for Coordination of Infrastructural Projects Dr. William Duguid.

With the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season set to start in about three months, he stressed the importance of using preventive measures to secure roofs rather than having to face the expense of replacing the roof of a house and its contents.

Duguid told a post-cabinet press briefing on Friday at the Parliament Buildings that the procurement and distribution process had been approved by the Cabinet of Barbados and the straps kit, which costs $250 each, would be paid for out of the Catastrophe Fund. That fund now has a balance of $48 million.

“Essentially what we have decided and agreed to do is that the Ministry of Housing will procure hurricane straps kits, that is essentially four hurricane straps with the screws needed to be able to attach them to the rafters and to the ring beam.

“It helps to hold the rafter of your roof down and you put these in the four corners of the house together with what’s called a cross beam. Now it isn’t that it will absolutely save every single roof, but it will significantly add to the resilience of your roof, should we have a hurricane event pass through our area,” he stated.

The kits containing the hurricane straps, screws and ties, are to be handed out by the various District Emergency Organisations to households making less than $25,000 annually.

Saying that one fifth of the island’s households fell into this category, the Duguid stated that after this phase of the project, an additional 5,000 kits would be sourced and handed out.

He outlined that public service announcements with videos will be aired to educate the public on how to install the straps on their own.

“We will get the kits distributed, then people will come back to see that they have been installed the correct way and any assistance that those that cannot get them put on [need] then we’ll be able to provide that as well. That is a significant improvement to be able to add resilience to roofs and will benefit many people in Barbados,” he added.

(JB)