The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) is encouraging the people of the Caribbean to become 'Red Cross ready' for the 2009 hurricane season which officially starts today, June 1st and ends on November 30th.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters say the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be near-normal. However, the IFRC is advising the public to prepare for the possibility of being hit by a storm.
It takes just one hurricane to provoke a humanitarian disaster. In 2008, the season was particularly devastating for Haiti as four consecutive tropical cyclones (Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) killed over 800 people in August and September. Hurricane Ike was the strongest and most destructive storm of the season, hitting Cuba as a major hurricane and later making landfall near Galveston, Texas with Category 2 intensity. In the midst of these disasters, the Red Cross brought relief to the affected populations and assisted people in rebuilding their homes and their lives.
It is important to remember also, that even without a hurricane, the potential for disaster exists as strong winds and persistent or heavy rain can do considerable damage. In our region, Guyana, Suriname and Belize serve as reminders of this fact. Inclement weather was enough to blow away roofs, uproot trees, inundate low-lying areas, trigger landslides and mudslides. The Red Cross invites you to join your local Red Cross Society today and become part of the Community Disaster Relief Team (CDRT) in your community. Learn First Aid through your local Red Cross Society so that you can assist others in need especially when disaster strikes.
Be Red Cross ready!
For further information and interview requests please contact:
Ms. Gennike Mayers
Communications Officer
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Caribbean Regional Representation Office (CRRO)
110 Picton Street, Port-of-Spain
Tel: 868-628-2439, Cell: 868-720-7098, Fax: (868) 628-9715
Email: gennike.mayers@ifrc.org