Residents prepare for approaching storm
By Anesta Henry
Barbadians rushed to supermarkets, hardware stores and shopping centres on Wednesday to get supplies ahead of Tropical Storm Bret which forecasters say will start affecting the country on Thursday afternoon.
There were long lines at many of these establishments across the island as residents tried to stock up on canned goods, bottles of water and other essential items.
A Barbados TODAY team also spotted long lines at gas station pumps as drivers went to fill up their tanks.
Throughout the day, heeding the advice of officials from the Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) fishermen were also busy securing their vessels in the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex while other boat owners across the island were making provisions to keep their vessels safe.
The BMS had cautioned that marine conditions would deteriorate later Wednesday night into early Friday morning and had advised mariners not to venture too far from port and to secure their vessels immediately.
Director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Kerry Hinds also appealed to residents to check on the stability of their homes and make alternative arrangements for shelter, if necessary.
She appealed to those whose homes are unlikely to withstand tropical storm conditions to make plans now to stay with family or friends first, or a hurricane shelter as a last resort.
“Don’t wait until the last minute,” she pleaded.
Hinds also encouraged persons to check on elderly relatives and neighbours and be each other’s keepers during the system’s passage.
“Pack a go-bag with a change of clothes, important documents such as bank papers for your homes, insurance documents, passports and birth certificates, all medication and a supply of food for yourselves and your families,” she advised.
Hinds also encouraged residents to remove loose objects from around their homes, secure garbage cans, and remove plant pots to avoid them becoming missiles.
The DEM boss also cautioned persons against stocking their freezers with frozen items at this time and reminded them that they should focus on canned or non-perishable food items.
“Make sure that you store water and have your torch lights handy,” she said while underscoring the importance of listening for updates throughout the day.
