Government
Educational, Collaborative and very Cool; Hurricane Hunter Team with Strong Messages
By Dana Malcolm with Deandrea Hamilton
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, April 26, 2023 – The possible arrival of weather system El Nino has prompted several early forecasts from AccuWeather and others predicting a less active Atlantic Hurricane season than usual but Jamie Rhome, Deputy Director of the National Hurricane Centre in a recent visit to the Turks and Caicos urged residents to ignore news surrounding El Nino.
“I want you all to ignore the headlines of El Nino and don’t fall in the trap– I can assure you hurricanes can and will form during El Nino years and will [do so] this season. We don’t know yet where they will go and who they will
Rhone was speaking at the April 21st visit by the US National Hurricane Centre (NHS) Hurricane Hunter Aircraft and its team. The Hurricane Hunters who are from the NHS, the US National Oceanic Atmospheric Association and US Air Force Reserve, were back in the Turks and Caicos; they’d visited in 2017.
Rhone maintained the visit was a major investment and a purposeful one as well.
“That’s a big plane, it consumes a lot of fuel and there’s 23 personnel on board. That’s a big investment— what is it we’re trying to say by bringing it here? It’s a strong strong message that hurricanes are a big risk to this community and to your country,” he said.
Using Fiona as an example, the Deputy Director explained that storms were no longer allowing countries in their trajectory days of warning to prepare, rather they were intensifying rapidly and sometimes overnight.
“Increasingly how hurricanes manifest themselves is through this sudden quick intensification leaving people a day to prepare, sometimes even less. No longer can we wait for the storm to approach to prepare,” he warned, emphasizing preparation at the beginning of the season which begins on June 1.
While encouraging prior preparation, the deputy director provided insight to a problem that may go unnoticed, deaths of the elderly in the aftermath.
“I especially want you to think about the elderly, we’re seeing an increase in loss of life after storms due to the loss of power and the oppressive heat that often comes after these events.”
Residents and policy makers were admonished to think about things like this that were ‘beyond the immediate’ like stocking up on medication.
Dr. Holly Hamilton who heads the Meteorological Service in the Turks and Caicos led the event thanking the team for their service.
“It is an essential tool when it comes to Hurricane forecasting and tracking, the people on that plane risk their lives to go in and retrieve very important data that we use to predict and protect your lives,” she explained.
Anya Williams, Acting Governor assured the country that the country’s respective authorities were already preparing.
“We know that the hurricane season is from June to November but it’s important that we are prepared. Earlier this week we had our first state of preparedness meeting with all ministries and departments to ensure that the government in the Turks and Caicos is as prepared as possible.”
That extends to the population as well, Williams maintained: “No matter how prepared the government is, we are only properly prepared as our people are.”
E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister thanked the NOAA team, expressing his personal delight at the visit of the aircraft, commending the value of collaboration.
“I would like to emphasize the importance of working together in the face of adversity as Hellen Keller put it. It is through our collective efforts that we can make a difference,” he reminded. “Today we can make a significant impact in building a more secure and resilient Caribbean and Turks and Caicos Islands.”
He expressed his excitement to see the ‘incredible technology and dedication” that made the flights into hurricanes, which provide lifesaving information to the Turks and Caicos and the entire Caribbean, possible.
Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services emphasized preparation as well expressing his gratitude to the NOAA team.
“I appreciate you guys coming in and sharing your expertise with us, so let’s get all of their knowledge and then let’s share it with each other,” he offered as officials, students and other hurricane season stakeholders eagerly awaited the opportunity to see the parked aircraft up close.
Rhodes had one last request: “I want you to walk away from the event with a newfound commitment to ready yourselves and your community for June 1.”
The aircraft was hosted at the Provo Air Center, near the Providenciales International Airport by the TCI Airports Authority. A succinct welcome ceremony and expo were also staged to mark the visit which also included stops in Mexico, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.