DEM urges vulnerable folk to register before storms

Vulnerable people, particularly those living alone, are being urged to register with the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) before a hurricane threatens Barbados, with officials appealing to those in need of assistance to come forward before severe weather strikes.

As the island continues its hurricane preparedness efforts, the District Emergency Organisations (DEOs) have been identifying potential hazards within communities while the department continues assessing vulnerable residents and adding them to its database.

Selwyn Brooks, a consultant with the Department of Emergency Management, urged vulnerable people who have not yet been identified to contact the department so they can be assessed and added to its database.

He said: “Call the department and identify that they are part of the vulnerable or that they’re vulnerable, that’s it. That would be very critical. Give the name, address and contact information so that someone will come out and assess the situation and determine how best to respond.”

Vulnerable people include those with physical challenges, disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, mobility challenges, dementia and people on dialysis, with Brooks adding “those persons who live alone and do not have the support mechanism should something happen”. 

He continued: “There may be vulnerable persons who may have a support mechanism. We still would like to document them. But special attention is given to those who do not have the support mechanism in case something happens.”

Brooks said it was difficult to provide a fixed number of vulnerable people across the island because circumstances are constantly changing:

“Vulnerability comes and goes, so it’s not static, and all persons sometimes don’t want to be so classified until something happens.

“So it’s fluid. It’s a continuous work that has to be done. And we could only appeal to persons, especially those who live alone. Don’t wait until the hurricane is here. Reach out to the Department of Emergency Management and identify yourself so that we can send someone out to do the required assessment and we can enter you into the database.”

The DEM also documents reports of trees that pose a threat to the homes of vulnerable residents as part of its community assessments, he said.

“What we do in the field, we do what we call a community profile. If members of the vulnerable persons indicate that they have the threat of trees that have the potential to fall on their homes, that information is documented.”

Brooks explained that where the work falls within the capabilities of the District Emergency Organisations, it is carried out by them, while larger jobs requiring specialised equipment are referred to the relevant government department.

“If it is a task that can be done by the DEOs, because every tree is not the same. Some trees would need assistance in terms of a mechanical lift or maybe the Ministry of Public Works. But if it can be done within the scope of the DEOs, it is done. And if it is not, it is passed on to the ministry’s tree trimming department for their action.”

There are 30 District Emergency Organisations across the island, one assigned to each constituency, but Brooks acknowledged that they do not all operate at the same level because they rely on volunteers:

“They have volunteers, and everybody doesn’t function as maybe we would want them to.”

But this does not prevent assistance from being provided, as other emergency response agencies can be called on when necessary, he added. 

Minister of Home Affairs Gregory Nicholls also urged vulnerable residents to contact their District Emergency Organisation if they require assistance. Those who are unsure who leads their organisation should contact the DEM.

He said: “They should immediately contact the District Emergency Organisation where they live if they are uncertain as to who’s leading the organisation or where the personnel can be found. Please contact the Department of Emergency Management, and they will put them in contact with the relevant people within the various District Emergency Organisations to assist the vulnerable people in that regard.”

Identifying vulnerable residents is a key part of government’s annual emergency planning, he said.

“Part of our planning for emergencies every year is to make sure we do a thorough assessment of all the vulnerable people in the community. We rely on the Ministry of People Empowerment and the social empowerment agencies, who would obviously be in contact with those people, so they supply the information to the ministry and the Department of Emergency Management.

“So that list is coordinated by the Social Empowerment Agency and the Ministry of People Empowerment.”

Residents who identify potential hazards in their communities should report them to the Department of Emergency Management, said the minister:

“If people again have areas of concern where they need clearing, contact the Department of Emergency Management, and then we will have a discussion as to how we can get those situations resolved.”

Nicholls used his St Thomas constituency as an example of how things have been done. “I’ve asked the District Emergency Organisation to complete a list of all the areas where there are overhanging trees that may create challenges. We have trees fall and block roads and access roads for certain places. We’re compiling that list so we can be able to get a lot of that work done early.”

(LG)