In This Issue: November 8, 2020 R NEMA Monitoring TS Eta 1 R Ger3 Helping to Rebuild Abaco 2 R CG To Provide Virus Insurance To Tourists 4 R Emergency Shelters 8 A Division of SURGE Publications e agazin Weekly News M NEMA Closely Monitoring TS Eta, Which Threatens Heavy Flooding “Officially, there are still three weeks left in the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season, so I urge residents to remain prepared in the event another storm threatens,” Captain Russell said. At the time of partial activation, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued in its 2pm Alert a Tropical Storm Warning for the Northwest Bahamas: Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini, The Berry Islands, Andros, New Providence and Eleuthera. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions could be experienced in some or all of the mentioned islands within 36 hours. Also, the Met Department maintained a Tropical Storm Alert for The Central Bahamas: Exuma, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay. A Tropical Storm Alert means that tropical storm conditions could be experienced in the mentioned islands within 60 hours. The Met Department also advised Boaters in the Northwest and Central Bahamas to remain in port as Eta is expected to produce dangerous swells through Wednesday. And, that residents in the Northwest Bahamas should have completed preparations for tropical storm conditions, being aware that localized flooding is expected in low-lying areas. As much as 18 inches of rain is expected up to Thursday, November 12, 2020. Residents and interests in the Central and Southeast Bahamas should NASSAU, The Bahamas –The National Emergency Operations Centre continue to closely monitor alerts issued by the Bahamas Department of (NEOC) was partially activated at 3pm Saturday, November 7, 2020 Meteorology on Eta. to closely monitor the track of Tropical Storm Eta as it threatens The Meanwhile, Captain Russell made contact with Prime Minister the Most Bahamas with heavy rain and flooding in low-lying areas. Hon Dr Hubert Minnis; the Hon Iram Lewis, Minister of State in the Captain Stephen Russell, Director of the National Emergency Management Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, and Agency activated Level II of the Standard Operating Procedures because Permanent Secretary Carl Smith, regarding the storm. the situation escalated into a threat of storm warnings with flooding and storm surges. Representatives of NEMA’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) groups reported to the NEOC at NEMA on Gladstone Road to monitor the system and ensure the public receives timely and accurate information pertaining to the storm. Facilities in the NEOC have been rearranged to allow for social distancing and other safety measures in keeping with protocols pertaining to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Captain Russell made contact with Family Island administrators in the Islands in the projected path of the system, who ensured that their respective communities were prepared for the storm and any other incident, which might be associated with it. “I urged Administrators to partial activate their local EOCs and to have shelters in a state of readiness in the event residents need to evacuate their homes due to flooding or any other mishap,” he said. Captain Russell further urged residents to be mindful that once the system goes over Cuba, winds might exceed 65mph and to ensure that they secure any items around their properties, which might become missiles. Ger3 Helping To Build Abaco Back Better ABACO, The Bahamas — For some, the road to recovery a year after Hurricane Dorian has been a hard fought one, wrought with tears, heartache, mixed emotions and bitter-sweet memories. But it is the generosity of relief organizations like Global Emergency Relief Recovery and Reconstruction (GER3) that have helped to make the last year for residents in Grand Bahama and Abaco bearable. “It was like God had GER3 waiting for me,” said Sitha Silien, 28, who lived in an area in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, known as ThePea. She lost her mother, 54, and brother, 25, in the hurricane and remembers that day when she and her family had to flee for their lives as if it was yesterday. She thought she had lost her father, too, who was separated from them for hours, but later learned that he was battered, but alive. She and her three-year-old nephew made it through the storm. Her brother, who was determined to find their father, wasn’t so fortunate. She still remembers his last words as he handed over his son to her before running off into the storm. After a desperate attempt to leave Abaco over the next few days, GER3 FOOTPRINT — Global Emergency Relief Recovery Sitha, her father and nephew were finally successful as were so and Reconstruction (GER3) came together, along with many others who were taken into New Providence to a shelter, but a number of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) after a while she was determined to go back home to rebuild her s, to assist residents of Abaco build their lives and life. communities back following Hurricane Dorian. One of But the community in which she grew up was no more. It had the major projects was the restoration of the Central been decimated. Abaco Primary School. (Photo by Zyndrac Jones) displaced or homeless. GER3 International Program Coordinator Margaret Bacon said the idea is to get into the disaster area immediately after any sort of global emergency, be it a hurricane or earthquake. “The idea is getting in there for the immediate relief phase: removing debris and making sure people are safe. Then Nicholas Rees transitioning into rehabilitation work: muck-and-gut, mold remediation, debris management and longer term repairs, focusing on homes, schools and health facilities,” she said. The GER3 team then assists with moving to the recovery and reconstruction phases and seeing it all way through. Bacon explained that GER3 is a small organization that is primarily volunteer led. Its vision is to bridge the gap between relief and recovery work once the immediate relief organizations leave, building back more resilient structures and communities so that She returned on January 3, anxious to find work and, after picking they are better suited for future emergencies. up work doing a few odds and ends over the next three and a half weeks, she learned about the restoration work GER3 was doing at the Central Abaco Primary School, made her way down there and was instantly hired. “That was since the first week in February,” Sitha said, adding that she has gained a wealth of knowledge in the construction field having started out removing debris on campus and moving up the ranks to pitching roofs. “I could tell you that I learned so much and I appreciate the work,” she said. In fact, Sitha has managed to save up enough money to rent an apartment and purchase a vehicle and credits it all to GER3. Founded by Langdon Greenhalgh in 2017 with a mission to help crisis-affected people after disasters build back better, GER3, which is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, was one of the first aid groups on the ground in Grand Bahama just days after Dorian passed. PROUD RESIDENT — Twenty-eight-year-old Sitha Silien, a Grand Bahama Sun Bahama Grand The monster storm destroyed the eastern end of Grand Bahama, proud resident of Abaco, shows off the skills she learned as compromised thousands of rooftops and left hundreds of families part of the GER3 Team while working on the Central Abaco Primary School restoration project. (Photo by Zyndrac Jones) 2 Continued on Page 4 3 Grand Bahama Sun Bahama Grand Ger3 Helping To Build Abaco Back Better Continued From Page 2 Rather than bringing in a lot of international resources, personnel and equipment, Bacon said its really about getting into the community with a small international team that can provide the right expertise to get things going while simultaneously building a local team, using local suppliers and figuring out with that team what the community needs and focusing on that. In Grand Bahama, GER3 built a local team to help rebuild over 50 homes, 12 apartments, six local businesses and two schools in East Grand Bahama. The Housing rehabilitation project was funded by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Many of the residents who lost their homes, and several the homeowners joined the GER3 team with its Cash for Workers Program and were paid daily to help with debris removal and rehabilitation work. The program helped to provide locals with income and skills they may not have had before. Now that the program is complete, they EAGLES PRIDE — The Central Abaco Primary are able to perform mold remediation work or home repairs and School Eagles motto was proudly displayed on the take those skills to perform work on their own homes or market school’s wall as part of the restoration feature after themselves for future employment. a portion of the school was destroyed by Hurricane The four-member GER3 team, which consists of two project Dorian in August of 2019. (Photo by Zyndrac Jones) managers, one program director and Bacon stayed in Grand Bahama until December before turning their sites on Abaco where they have mounted a number of projects. Man-O-War Cay) and 15 additional homes. “This is what GER3 was founded to do and we’re really excited about this. It’s been an opportunity for us to stay and really get into the work that we were hoping to do,” Bacon said. All of the projects are set to end in December or January. “Depending on what other work needs to be done, I know that there is still a lot that needs to be done.