Sanitation

Sanitation is something that we neither like to think about or talk about too much. In the aftermath of a hurricane however it does not take too long before you become uncomfortable if you do not have access to water for performing your bodily functions. So please give some thought to this before a hurricane strikes. Some of the items that you will surely need to make sure that you have on hand are:

• Toilet Paper


• Towelettes


• Soap, liquid detergent


• Feminine supplies


• Personal hygiene items (tootpaste etc.)


• Plastic garbage bags (for personal sanitation)


• Plastic bucket with tight lid


• Disinfectant


• Household chorine bleach

Securing your important documents

This would be a good time to make sure that you have secured all of your important documents. These documents should be placed in a waterproof portable container:

• Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, share certificates



• Passports, immunization records



• Bank account numbers



• Credit card account numbers and companies



• Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

You should also make an inventory of valuable houshold items and important telephone numbers.

Your First Aid Kit

There are many suggestions out there for First Aid Kits. Our main purpose here is to alert you to the fact that you should be putting one together for you and your family.

If you already have one, now is the time to review it in order to review its contents. Ensure that used or expired items have been replaced. Here are some of the items that you might wish to include:

• Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
• Assorted sizes of safety pins
• Cleansing agent/soap
• Latex gloves (2 pairs)
• Sunscreen
• 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
• 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
• Triangular bandages (3)
• Non-prescription drugs (pain reliever, anti-diarrhrea medication, antacid, laxative)
• 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
• 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Needle
• Moistened towelettes
• Antiseptic
• Thermometer
• Tube of petroleum jelly

In the Aftermath

Determining your priorities in the aftermath of a hurricane depends very much on your particular circumstances.

However if you and your neighbours are in no immediate danger it would be wise to keep calm and make a plan as to what your next steps should be.

If you are a member of a DEO there should be a plan that would indicate precisely what steps should be taken by members to provide assistance to your community. As long as a hurricane has an effect on Barbados it will be necessary to make an assessment of the distress of individuals within the community.

Here are a few tips to assist all of you in your planning for your family and neighbours:

1. Seek medical attention for any persons that have been injured.
2. Do not touch loose or dangling wires.
3. Report damage to powerlines, water lines or sewers immediately.
4. Do not make yourself a nuisance by insisting that utilities be returned to your area immediately, bearing in mind that there are certain essential services that have to be addressed first and that the men and women that would have to come out to work have family and neighbours just like you, who might be in need of help.
5. Guard against using spoiled food if the electricity supply fails.
6. Drive cautiously - debris filled streets are dangerous. Soil may be washed from beneath pavements, which might collapse under the weight of vehicles.

Keeping Safe During the Hurricane

During a hurricane is no time for site seeing and you should not expect anyone else to be out during the hurricane either. This is why it is important to be prepared well in advance of the strike of the hurricane:

1. Do not leave your house or shelter.


2. If the eye or vortex of the hurricane is passing directly over your area, there will be a brief lull in the winds which can last from several minutes to 1/2 an hour or more. Remain in a safe place during this lull. The wind will return suddely from the opposite side with greater force.


3. Your telephone usage should be reduced to a minimum, preferably only in cases of absolute necessity. You do not wish to be the victim of an electrical surge.

Getting Prepared

You have a responsibility to keep your family safe - both your immediate and extended family. Therefore you should make sure that you have a plan!

1. Do not pay attention to rumour. Stay tuned to your radio and listen to the bulletins.


2. Stay away from beaches and other low areas which can be swept away by the sea and the hurricane tides.


3. If your house is out of danger from tidal waves, that is the best place to stay during a hurricane. On the other hand be prepared to move to the shelter designated in your area.


4. If you are going to a shelter make sure that you have enough with you to sustain you for the duration without being excessive. Do not expect the shelter to provide anything for you.


5. Fasten and secure doors and windows at your home, especially outside using good wood or hurricane shutters.


6. Put away all objects that can be blown away by the wind, such as furniture, flower pots and garbage cans since they can become missiles during the course of a hurricane.


7. Clean your yard.


8. Stock up with food stuff which does not need to be cooked - enough for not less than three days. If there are small children make sure that there is milk to last for a similar period of time.


9. Keep a supply of drinking water.


10. Get a first aid kit, lanterns or gas lamps, batteries for radio and torches.


11. You should make sure that you have adequate medication for the members of your family that require this.


12. Have a small amount of cash with you since the Banks might not be accessible for a number of days.


13. If you or any other member of your family is ill, get in touch with medical authority away before going to a shelter.


14. Make sure that any important docuements are secured in a waterproof container.


15. Keep a full tank of gasoleine in your car.


16. Avoid taking alchoholic drinks.