ST. CROIX, U.S. Virgin Islands - Atlantic hurricane season is four months away, but now is the perfect time to start preparations to harden your home against damage from storms, review and update your family’s emergency plan and replenish your disaster supply kit.
Putting together a plan and practicing it with your household throughout the year is a great away to uncover gaps in your plan and avoid panic and confusion when a storm is approaching in the Atlantic.
During hurricane season, storms could form any time off the west coast of Africa, or in the Caribbean, and approach the U.S. Virgin Islands, but you should be prepared for other hazards as well throughout the year. Earthquakes occur regularly in the Virgin Islands and on rare occasions, earthquakes of serious magnitude do occur, as the sea moves with them.
On Nov. 18, 1867, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake occurred in the Anegada trough, between St. Croix and St. Thomas, and generated two tsunami waves on St. Thomas and St. Croix. As well, we have witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to 130 deaths in the U.S. Virgin Islands since 2020, and recent global events have brought cybersecurity to the forefront.
FEMA is heeding the call to vigilance as we continue to collaborate with our territorial and federal partners to strengthen the territory’s capability to prepare and respond to all hazards. We continue to review our communications, supply chain and other operations to ensure we will be ready to support the territory at its request.
We are engaged with our territorial and federal partners for this year’s Readiness Initiative, which will culminate with series of response exercises across the territory in May. We urge Virgin Islanders to resolve to be ready again this year to ensure your household is prepared for emergencies or disasters that could arrive with no notice.
“We continue to focus on how we could use our resources to strengthen the U.S. Virgin Islands’ capabilities to respond to disasters when the territory requests our support," said Mark A. Walters, Coordinator for FEMA’s Virgin Islands Caribbean Area Office. “Our team is reviewing and refining its plans to ensure we are ready to prepare and respond to any event. We ask you to review and practice your emergency plans to ensure your household is prepared to withstand future events."
Get tips on creating a plan from ready.gov/plan. Consider these steps:
▪ How will you receive emergency alerts and warnings, and do you need to update your emergency preparedness kit?
▪ Consider specific needs for your household.
▪ Create a family emergency plan.
▪ Practice your plan with your family and household.
As well, we look forward to sharing preparedness information and discussing plans to fit your household’s needs during this weekend’s Partners in Preparedness event, which will take place at the Agricultural and Food Fair of the U.S. Virgin Islands on St. Croix. We hope to see you there.
Source: Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency
