Breaking

9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Shot in Head in Croixville Housing Community; Police Detain 15-Year-Old

Concerned Residents Clean Christiansted Town Using Their Own Tools, Money, and Some Help from the VI Fire Service

Territory May See Veterans Cemetery Through DeGazon-Sponsored Bill

Credit and Debit Cards of WAPA Customers Were Compromised Since August 30th, WAPA Says, Authority to Finally Start Issuing Notification Via Mail and Email

Sports Tourism in VI Gains Momentum as DC United Team is set to Play Exhibition Soccer Game on St. Croix

Carnival Breeze Brings 3,700 Tourists to St. Croix During Maiden Call; Senators, Tourism Officials Want to See More

Limetree Bay Willing To Provide $10 Million To Help Add Life to a Dying G.E.R.S.

American Airlines to Serve St. Croix With New Flights Next Summer

The Sudden Death of Influential Roots Reggae Visionary, Vaughn Benjamin of Midnite Band and Akae Beka, Has Rocked the Virgin Islands and Reggae Community Around the World

Arthur A. Richards K-8 School Hosts Anti-Bullying Campaign

Come Out. Hang Out. Have Fun at The Meat Up, One of St. Thomas’ Latest Hot-Spot for Good Food with Friends and Family.

UVI Board of Trustees Approves $47.1 Million Fiscal Year 2020 Budget; Sets $3 Million Fundraising Goal

Man Dies During Early Morning Car Accident on St. Croix; Driver of Car Arrested (Updated)

'You Did Everything You Could to Prevent this from Happening': An Emotional Goodbye to Young Aaron Benjamin

Back in Business: Cost U Less on St. Thomas Opened its Doors Friday to Thousands of Customers 2 Years after Irma and Maria

Bill Aimed at Regulating Credit Use by Gov't Departments and Agencies Among Others Held in Committee

Juan Luis Hospital Announces Completion and Availability of Mobile Dialysis Facilities

Tractor Trailer With Tank Carrying Thousands Of Gallons of Liquified Gas Flips Near Cool Out Bar; Driver Injured But Alive

Credit and Debit Card Hack Through WAPA Appears to be Widespread in Virgin Islands; WAPA Says Support Services Will be Made Available to Affected Customers

Facing Life in Prison Without Parole, Mother and Boyfriend Plead Not Guilty in Murder of 4-Year-Old Boy

VITEMA Announces Sandbag Distribution Locations As Irma Approaches; Dept. Of Health To Station Ambulances At Strategic Locations Territory-Wide

News / Virgin Islands / September 4, 2017

As Hurricane Irma appears likely to impact the USVI, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (V.I.T.E.M.A.) announced Sunday that sandbag distribution will begin territory-wide 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. today. The agency gave a list of locations where the sandbags can be collected:

St. Croix:
• Department of Public Works, Anna’s Hope
• Department of Public Works, Frederiksted
• Grove Fire Station
• Cotton Valley Fire Station

St. Thomas:
• Department of Public Works
• Bordeaux Fire Station
• Tutu Fire Station

St. John:
• Department of Public Works

Also on Sunday, the Department of Health said it has been working with V.I.T.E.M.A. for a coordinated storm response, if necessary. D.O.H. also made known that it has arranged to place ambulances in strategic locations territory-wide for quick response, if the need arises.

“In order to maintain quality care and quick response during and after the hurricane, the Department of Health has arranged for the placement of ambulances at various sites across the territory,” said D.O.H. Commissioner Michelle Davis. “Our Special Need Shelters-located at the Charles Harwood Complex (CHC) on St. Croix and Community Health Clinic at SRMC on St. Thomas- are ready for activation in both districts. All generators are fully fueled to continue operations and maintain the refrigeration of immunizations and medications; and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is ready for activation once the need has been identified.

“The Dept. of Health has also been supporting the hurricane preparation efforts and needs of the hospitals and the Federally Qualified Health Care Centers in the territory. Additionally, the D.O.H. has made preparations for the security of our buildings and staff have been notified of an emergency line to receive updates on the department’s schedule of operations.”

Hurricane Irma for the second day in a row has maintained its category 3 status with hurricane-force winds of 115 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center’s Monday 5:00 a.m. advisory. The storm, which is expected to gain strength as it arrives to the northern Leeward Islands, is following a west-southwest path, a direction that places it closer to Leeward Islands, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico.

And Irma is no longer a small storm; hurricane-force winds now extend outward up to 30 miles, while tropical storm-force winds extend to 140 miles. Two days ago, tropical storm-force winds were measured to extend outward at most 80 miles. This means the closer the storm gets to the Leeward Islands, the greater chances of impact become.

The government of Antigua has issued a hurricane watch for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The government of the Netherlands has issued a hurricane watch for the islands of Saba, St. Eustatius, and Saint Maarten. The government of France also issued a hurricane watch for Saint St. Martin, as the island is owned by the both Netherlands and France.

N.H.C. urged interests in the remainder of the Leeward Islands, including the British and U.S. Virgin Islands as well as Puerto Rico, to monitor the progress of Irma. Additional hurricane and tropical storm watches may be required for portions of the aforementioned islands today.

In the National Hurricane Center’s 5:00 a.m. advisory, the eye of Hurricane Irma was located near latitude 16.9 North, longitude 52.3 West. Irma is moving toward the west-southwest near 14 mph (22 km/h). A turn toward the west is expected later today, followed by a west-northwestward turn late Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Irma will move closer to the Leeward Islands through Tuesday and then be near the northern Leeward Islands Tuesday night, according to N.H.C.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts. Irma is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-SimHurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 961 mb (28.38 inches).pson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some strengthening is forecast through Tuesday night.

Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Mona Barnes, on Saturday encouraged the community to remain vigilant and to monitor weather reports on Hurricane Irma. In the event the U.S. Virgin Islands is placed under a hurricane watch or warning, the community is advised to ensure safety is paramount. Ms. Barnes strongly encouraged boaters and beachgoers to exercise extreme caution beginning today.

“Adequate preparation is critical. Ensure you and your family are informed and prepared. Your plans should also include family members with access and functional needs, as well as pets,” she said. “Don’t wait for a hurricane watch or warning to prepare. Now is the time to stock up on emergency supplies and medications. Prepare disaster kits, make sure everyone in your home knows what to do in an emergency and stay informed about the weather using credible sources of information. As a territory, we continue to do our very best to ensure the safety of the residents of the Virgin Islands.”

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said late Saturday that it’s in “good shape” in terms of the preparations of its power plants and electrical and water distribution systems should Irma threaten the Virgin Islands.

“Over the last several days, we have been tracking the developing storm system, Hurricane Irma.  Aside from regular discussions about the storm’s possible threat with officials at V.I.T.E.M.A. [Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency], our management team has had readiness meetings with our on-site contractors about potential demobilization and work stoppage. We have also had discussions with our LPG terminal operators, VITOL, about their preparedness plans,”  Mr. Rhymer said.

Other preparations have been specific to the two power plants, in Krum Bay on St. Thomas and at Estate Richmond on St. Croix. “Our plant personnel have ensured there is an adequate supply of fuel required to generate electricity and are confident with the state of the two power plants to maintain functionality and be in a position to quickly resume power generation once a storm has passed,” Mr. Rhymer said.

Mr. Rhymer noted that the authority remains in a state of readiness at all times for not only wind storms but any man-made or natural disaster that may impact W.A.P.A.’s facilities.  “We continue to regularly review our emergency plans to ensure all is go for any response and recovery that may be required in the aftermath of a storm system befallen the territory,” he said.

Mr. Rhymer said more specific messaging about W.A.P.A.’s operations during a storm, recovery of service after a storm incident and general safety reminders for the public will be issued as conditions warrant. “Right now, we are watching this powerful hurricane and preparing to launch our storm operational plan as circumstances require,” he said.


Tags: , ,



Staff Consortium




Previous Post

Irma Tracking West-Southwest, Which Places USVI In More Danger; Additional Watches, Possibly Warnings, To Be Issued Today

Next Post

Missing Woman, Who Disappeared After Deboarding Cruise Ship In St. Thomas, Is Found





You might also like

Leave a Reply


More Story

Irma Tracking West-Southwest, Which Places USVI In More Danger; Additional Watches, Possibly Warnings, To Be Issued Today

Hurricane Irma for the second day in a row has maintained its category 3 status with hurricane-force winds of 115 miles per hour,...

September 4, 2017