Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency(CDEMA), Ms Elizabeth Riley (right) speaking with Acting Director of Communications Mrs Karia J. Christopher in Montego Bay, Jamaica, at the 49th Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government, from July 6 to 8, 2025. Photo: Facebook

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is a regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Photo: Internet Source

The Director of Disaster Management (DDM), Mr Jasen H. Penn, also recently advised residents to continue preparations and exercise caution even though the first month of the Atlantic Hurricane Season was “quiet”. Photo: Facebook

The Virgin Islands has been a member of CDEMA since its inception in September 1991. It is a regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Ms Riley said, “The key message is that preparedness for hazards, including for hurricanes, is about a partnership between the people and the government.”

She was speaking with Acting Director of Communications Mrs Karia J. Christopher in Montego Bay, Jamaica, at the 49th Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government, from July 6 to 8, 2025. 

She advised that the individual’s role in hurricane preparedness is important, from making “big decisions” about where your house will be built, and being actively engaged in ensuring it is resilient to hurricane winds, to critical personal and family planning. 

It’s an active thought process

Ms Riley also urged the people of the VI to stock up on essentials like food, especially canned goods, water, and cash. 

“We know one of the powers of hurricanes is that it’s very disruptive, it tends to disrupt normal things like your utilities like your electricity, your water, so it’s very important to have your personal stores available, which includes food stuff, canned stuff are safer…so you want to be really thinking about those things, it’s an active thought process as you go through the hurricane season and prepare.”

For people who are on medication, she stressed the need to also keep enough on hand. 

“It is absolutely critical for you to have stocks of your medication because in the aftermath of these events, you don’t know if you’re going to be able to easily access those.”

Gov’t complements the individual effort

Ms Riley added that when the individual preparations are done properly, the preparations done by the government complement it. 

The Director of Disaster Management (DDM), Mr Jasen H. Penn, also recently advised residents to continue preparations and exercise caution even though the first month of the Atlantic Hurricane Season was “quiet”. 

This, he explained, could be attributed to the increased presence of Saharan Dust in the region. 

Mr Penn, however, said, the Saharan Dust will begin to diminish and an upsurge in the development of systems can be anticipated.