June Too Soon

June 1st is upon us – where did the year go? Seems like just the other day we were talking about New Year’s parties or at the very least Easter! Now summer is practically here (has been for a while if the rising temperatures in Barbados are anything to go by!) and Crop Over looms. Of course, June first is a big deal for us in this part of the world as it heralds the official start of the Atlantic Hurricane season. Are you ready? Better yet - have you made your piece of Barbados real estate ready?

It’s amazing what you can learn to appreciate when the power is off, food has spoilt, you can’t travel anywhere because the gas stations are closed, you’re “imprisoned” in the property you took shelter in, cabin fever has set in and if you see one more can of ANYTHING you are likely to commit a grievous act!

Having spent one too many hurricane seasons in Florida I tend to have a slightly more apprehensive attitude towards the annual hurricane season than many in Barbados. After all, “God is a Bajan” – right? I tend to believe he has more international status; we’ve just been lucky so far.

This June 1st, do you know where your nearest hurricane shelter is? What about your house - that valuable piece of real estate that you've poured your hard earned money in to - is your property ready? Is the insurance value up to date? Now is a good time to get organised. Have you even started buying supplies to have at the ready should a storm strike? And yes I said storm – after all it was “only” a tropical storm that hit Central America last week yet today there is a 200 ft. gaping hole in Guatemala City! While Pacific Tropical Storm Agatha (the Pacific hurricane season started May 15) was nowhere as powerful as many other storms recorded over the years, the dead and displaced are testimony to the power of Mother Nature.

Make sure that should a storm strike you’re not caught unawares. Whether category 1 or category 5, an attack by brute force rain or wind or both is no joke! Here is a list that my friends and I put together back in our Florida days. Use it and add to it so your family and your home are ready this hurricane season. Better yet – send us your suggestions for an upgraded hurricane list!

Here are some websites you can bookmark and get familiar with:

Department of Emergency Management - Barbados
List of Shelters
https://www.dem.gov.bb/pages/shelters.html

Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
https://www.cdema.org/

National Hurricane Center
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/