2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season Message

Hon. Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Broder Services

We have officially entered the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season; this period calls for us to prepare for adverse weather conditions. We are no strangers to the impact and devastation that the Hurricane Season can bring. But with this experience, we must not become relaxed or complacent.

We have seen the heartbreak, the damage and, in some cases, the loss of life that hurricanes can cause. And as the climate continues to change, storms are only going to become more powerful and more devastating. Those of us who have lived through a Hurricane know that you don't play with the preparedness aspect of it.

Hurricanes and their associated hazards can be one of the most disruptive and destabilising experiences any human bean can have. One stagnant tropical storm, a rainmaker as we call it, has the potential to cripple our economic growth, halt our development and cost us billions of dollars in damages and reconstruction costs.

Everything you have today, you can lose tomorrow. Therefore, I feel compelled to encourage you to join DDME’s Mission: Be Ready and Pledge to Prepare.

Remember that your first responsibility is to save your life and those around you for whom you have that responsibility. Secure your property as far as possible and then be able to survive the aftermath of a hurricane, which can be as stressful as the event itself.

Hurricane season is from June to November, but preparation, response and recovery are ongoing throughout the year. Our team at DDME works around the clock to ensure that the people, equipment, and other capabilities to assist national authorities in preparing for disaster response support are in place. This year DDME has provided us with a mobile app called DDME ALERT. This tool must be on your phone to receive emergency alerts, shelter updates, safety tips, and report damage from the impact hazards. If you haven't already done so, download it today.

My Ministry has adopted a concerted effort to work with all other critical stakeholders in government and the private sector to have all vital systems in place and functioning effectively on each island, including proper hurricane shelters, adequate supplies and reliable telecommunications and power supply.

As Minister responsible for the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, I want to encourage you to take whatever serious and urgent precautions necessary to ensure that this hurricane season does not find you in an unfortunate and dangerous state of unpreparedness and vulnerability.

You must take proactive steps, like having a family emergency & evacuation plan and a fully stocked disaster supply kit with your medication, because access to the critical things you need may not be available.

There is no guarantee that we will have connectivity and transportation easily after the impact of a tropical system, whether a tropical storm or hurricane. However, mother nature has taught us that we must not take Hurricane Preparedness for granted. The Time to prepare is now.

We are also truly grateful to those who genuinely want to help us man the country once a hurricane is approaching. Thank you to our Volunteers, Shelter Managers, temporary workers, NGOs, Auxiliary support, ADRA - Adventist Disaster Relief Agency, TCI Red Cross, Salvation Army, Rotary Club, Soroptimist, our private stakeholders, Civil Servants and First Responders.

We accept that as you help, you are leaving behind your family, friends and your home. We are eternally grateful for the sacrifice you are making. So before you leave your home, make sure that your family are in a good position and capable of taking care of themselves. Secondly, ensure that you are adequately equipped with your emergency supplies to survive on a personnel level to carry out the function you are coming to support effectively.

You cannot judge the dangerousness of a hurricane because it missed us in the past. We are a resilient people, and Resilient People Proactively Plan and Prepare.

Take nothing for granted, don't let down your guard and do whatever is necessary during this hurricane season to keep your families, businesses, communities and this country safe.

May God continue to bless our ‘Beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos Islands’ and keep us safe throughout this hurricane season and beyond.