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Poor participation in Tsunami exercise!

- residents were seen going about their business during the tsunami/earthquake exercise
Persons heading up the hill behind of Bougainvillea Clinic during the tsunami and earthquake exercise on March 15, 2018. Photo: VINO
Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue officers making an announcement to head to higher grounds during the tsunami and earthquake exercise. Photo: VINO
Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue officers making an announcement to head to higher grounds during the tsunami and earthquake exercise. Photo: VINO
More persons participating in the tsunami and earthquake exercise on March 15, 2018. Photo: VINO
More persons participating in the tsunami and earthquake exercise on March 15, 2018. Photo: VINO
Social Security Board and National Health Insurance (NHI) taking a roll call during the tsunami and earthquake exercise. Photo: VINO
Social Security Board and National Health Insurance (NHI) taking a roll call during the tsunami and earthquake exercise. Photo: VINO
Officer directing persons to the hill behind of Bougainvillea Clinic during the tsunami and earthquake exercise on March 15, 2018. Photo: VINO
Officer directing persons to the hill behind of Bougainvillea Clinic during the tsunami and earthquake exercise on March 15, 2018. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Residents, Government departments and businesses within the territory were asked to participate in the annual Tsunami Caribe Wave exercise today, Thursday, March 15, 2018 in order to test their tsunami and earthquake response plans, improve warning system effectiveness and promote preparedness.

In addition, the tsunami and earthquake exercise will allow the different agencies to identify any shortcomings which will need to be addressed in case an actual tsunami impacted the territory.

The warning started at 10:14 A.M. and persons were asked to make their way to higher grounds by firefighters in a Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue vehicle.

In addition, an officer made the announcement via a megaphone instructing persons from the Government Administration Complex and neighboring businesses to make their way up the hill located behind Bougainvillea Clinic.

After reaching to the top of the hill, the Social Security Board, National Health Insurance (NHI), Harney’s Law firm along with other government agencies began to take a roll call to ensure that all their employees were accounted for.

“Response was very poor”- law firm employee

Sharing the same sentiments, residents believe that more persons should have taken the exercise more seriously because it could have been a real tsunami.

In an interview with a representative at a law firm, who wished to remain anonymous, she stated that the exercise was “very good” but recommends that it is done more frequently.

She said, “The exercise was very good. However, the response was very poor and if it was a real Tsunami a lot of persons would have perished. People were still driving, walking. I think it should be a bit more frequent like every quarter. We don’t normally take it serious and for me it’s the first time doing it. The hurricane somewhat woke us up."

"Persons need to take the tsunami exercise seriously"

Speaking with another person from the corporate world, she stated that persons need to take the tsunami exercise seriously, while adding that persons are behave like how they behaved for hurricane Irma, they did not take it seriously. “They need to do better than that.”

Speaking with one young man, he stated that he did not hear the siren warning but he received a message from his telecommunications provider, Flow.

“I did not actually hear the siren but I saw the message come in on my phone. However, I just saw persons going about their business like nothing was happening. I though persons should have taken it a little but more serious. If they are behaving like this during a tsunami then they will probably behave like that when the actual tsunami comes,” he expressed.

Several schools also took part in the exercise, including the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS), which had drills for both the Junior and Upper school students.

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Disaster Management Sharleen S. DaBreo declined to comment when reached, saying she will issue a press release.

31 Responses to “Poor participation in Tsunami exercise!”

  • 911 (15/03/2018, 18:15) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    Waste of time
  • tretretrete (15/03/2018, 19:51) Like (21) Dislike (1) Reply
    One reason it was POOR was because everybody didnt know about it..... people got the information about it from their cell phone provider( cct) after the exercise was finished.... i didnt even see it anywhere on the local news sites
    • soo (15/03/2018, 20:35) Like (8) Dislike (16) Reply
      Poor excuse. This exercise was broad cast on the Radio Station ZBVI and I am sure many other since last week.
      Just like it was reported that Irma a cat. 5 hurricane was coming our area and many thought that it was not going to bear down on us and refuses to take the precaution measures.
      • babs (15/03/2018, 23:43) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
        @ soo, i did not hear about it! Working all day, I cannot turn on radio or t.v. When I get home, I start with children ho ework, dinner, laundry etc. Since the storms I still have no electricity and I don’t have CCT, so don’t blame us for not being informed.
        • billyb (16/03/2018, 10:34) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
          @babs
          Excuses excuses, you don't have electricity, children homework, work all day
          but you have the resources to respond to "soo"
          Sighhhhhh, I tell yuh!!!!!!
          • babs (17/03/2018, 11:26) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
            @ Billyb....you are not informed either by making this statement. A lot of go to town to check our email, etc at the internet store and this is how I get on the internet sometimes. I cannot do this every lunch hour, but enough to see what is happening and I purchase the newspaper, which comes out after everything has already happened. You should know that mr know it all. Now after this, I won’t see anything again unti next week when I go back to town.
    • um (16/03/2018, 14:35) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      If the real deal ever hits, would you have been alerted before time. If you weren't alerted sort out yourself. The next might be real.
  • devon (15/03/2018, 19:58) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply

    Public holidays... lunch breaks..some of us are working our a$$es off to rebuild and get some money back in the bank...any excuse not to be working here... the drill should be "were we aware of the alarm " if so contine ... if I know one is coming here I will certainly climb the highest hillside. ....Not rocket science !

  • Really (15/03/2018, 20:13) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
    I did not see a message on my phone, I did not hear a siren... in Seacows Bay. Make one wonder, especially when Kick 'em Jenny (just off Grenada) has activity at the moment..
  • Manasseh (15/03/2018, 21:12) Like (8) Dislike (4) Reply
    Y'all are so lame. So when it's the real thing you expect to hear about it on the radio etc? One of you actually complained that your service provider was all you had as a warning? Hahaha if the real deal comes, pray cct, flow and digicel text you. I doubt we get much warning....and if we do, the panic alone will probably kill people.
  • Bvi weak (15/03/2018, 21:23) Like (11) Dislike (9) Reply
    Any thing the ndp is involved in we will boycott
    • @Lord O. Our Government Joking. (16/03/2018, 05:52) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
      Thought it was agreed by government that laid off workers must be given preference in any rehiring. Then again you making cashiers redundant and advertising for cashiers. Is anyboody paying attention to what this Super Market doing with workers. Hope labour investigate before they grant and renew permits. I kno immigrarion will do that. I have confidence in immigration not labour.
  • Meet (15/03/2018, 21:44) Like (12) Dislike (2) Reply
    People in distress man ! Why you don't EXERCISE assisting persons with help to rebuild , buy food etc, look how beat down the few that went look . Everybody full of stress and problems , help them first atleast .
  • chad (15/03/2018, 22:24) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    I mean if it were real, then it should be common sense to evacuate to higher grounds.... People just have to make sure that they're fit enough to evacuate in such an event.. Why is there even a practice; why not just informative lectures?... better things to do... Sun too hot for drills.
  • Hmm (15/03/2018, 23:12) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Social Security Board and NHI was one if not the first government agencies up and running after the hurricane. I understand that they have a sound disaster plan in place unlike other agencies. Say what ah you want about old Miss Skelton, but she appears to run an well oiled ship and takes disasters seriously.
    • please (16/03/2018, 12:31) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Don’t mind the show. She treated her staff very badly after the storm. She needs to retire.
  • No excuse (15/03/2018, 23:28) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
    You all keep thinking this was a waste of time like most of you thought last August.
  • Forbidden Truth (16/03/2018, 01:04) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    There is some bliss Ignorance here in this Territory. God is speaking to ALL of us local and foreign. Don't thrifle with God.

  • Street reporter (16/03/2018, 05:43) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    We Joking. I was up on The hill looking down and I say to myself. We ain't serious. We wait until bad things happen to us and look for people to blame. We didn't need no advance warning. We hear an alarm and we take the necessary precautions. It was disheartening to see school children and teachers walking very very slow towatds Jose hill. I was expecting at lease the children to be brisk and been encourage by their teachers. vehicles heading down town west instead of heading for bellvue or Jose hill. We need to get serious or we all will sink when the real thing comes.
  • it just goes to see (16/03/2018, 07:04) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    that when the Lord puts in His appearance many of us won't be ready either. People ask God for His salvation and protective hands as no one no not one knows when He shall appear.People seek God .
  • Gumption. Official (16/03/2018, 07:15) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    A lot of people just strange. It’s crazy what they would show up to support for yet a training for something meaningful they will ignore. Once it’s NOT load and ratchet a lot of people won’t be interested. It’s not about cause but about who doing it and who said their going to do it. A lot of people (mostly) young minded can’t think for themselves. It’s based on who.
  • disappointed (16/03/2018, 07:31) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    About 20 persons responded at Peebles. I did not see one manager.
  • @ @ @ @ (16/03/2018, 08:02) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Joke or not we can't handle this
  • True (16/03/2018, 09:05) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    no warning was issued that I heard, the only thing I got was a thankyou for taking part from Digcel which is a joke, only good thing is i climb my outside stairs to my flat roof if it happens
  • Yes (16/03/2018, 09:32) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    we wan hear the premier answer he question them.... not practice walking up a d**n hill
  • Just saying (16/03/2018, 10:06) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Y'all do realize the BVI had been experiencing minor earthquakes? They only getting bigger. Take the lil time out y'all hectic schedules to acknowledge the fact that a tsunami can actually affects us. Whether your job participated in the drill, you heard the siren or didn't get a text, find time to educate yourself on your own time in case of an emergency.
  • Hmm (16/03/2018, 10:07) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well only the airport dont do this!!
  • trrefdrfds (16/03/2018, 10:23) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congrats to Willard Wheatley Primary School, my daughter came home and told me that they did a drill and that their teacher also told them what to do if there is an earthquake. I applaud the teachers for a job well done.
  • E. Leonard (16/03/2018, 11:33) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes.........etc are natural disasters that can kill/injure large numbers of people and decimate properties. They can disrupt the economy, transportation, communication, infrastructure, employment, health systems, education systems, social fabrics, food availability and distribution ........etc adversely changing circumstances and ways of life. Planning for their occurrence should be taken seriously. It is not if but when one or all of these events will occur.

    Consequently, all practical actions should taken to mitigate the potential damaging effects of the natural disasters. Mitigation actions should include planning, preparing, educating and training ( drills, exercises), establishing wide spread modes of communication {radio, TV, phones (cell, land), internet, electronic and print media, sirens, bull horns......etc}. Suggest establishing a robust pubic education and outreach programme to educate the public on the potential dangers of natural disasters and actions that can be taken to mitigate their damaging effects. Moreover, this is probably already in the hurricane preparedness plan, but if no, suggest conducting a comprehensive, territory-wide table top exercise. Now is the time to get educated and prepared on what to do when a disaster strikes, not in the middle of an event. Preparing is the key and critical to survive and mitigate damages from natural disasters.
  • Run for the Hills! (16/03/2018, 23:53) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tsunami drills for care systems the hospital, schools, the DDM and police are nescessary- but for everyone else, there is one rule and we all know it. I was at Carrot Bay and didn't hear any warning sirens. Isn't it more important to rebuild the warning system than to ask businesses to shut their doors and run for the hills?
  • unfair (18/03/2018, 08:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It is unfair to talk about poor response in this case. What we need to be talking about is the poor dissemination of information. An announcement on zbvi? Are we serious? It is a known fact that only a certain segment of the population listens to this station everyday. Why wasn’t the notice given out via text like the warning that came on the day of? (Which btw I received an hour after it happened, so I hypothetically drowned already). Was it circulated on social media? There was a flyer I got right as it was happening, but there was no time or any type of instruction. Can we also talk about what’s happening with the sirens? I work in a building that is two stone throws from the DDM and we heard NOTHING. No one in my building knew or moved. Long story short, if this thing was real many would be DEAD. So all of you self righteous people can stop with the finger pointing. You can’t respond if you are unaware.


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