7 News Belize

NEMO Planners Inspect Hurricane Shelters
posted (February 24, 2009)

And while the political storms are gusting over City Hall, the hurricane season is only three months away and the question facing disaster managers is whether the city’s shelters are ready. It’s no secret that this low lying city with so many of its masses huddled in swamps can not withstand a big hurricane, which is why in this population center – shelters are so important. Jacqueline Godwin went with NEMO planners today to see a few of them.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The man you see jumping from the opening in this ceiling of a classroom is no burglar caught in the act. In fact he is a member of a team of building inspectors who is touring school buildings to see if they are ready for the upcoming hurricane season.

A total of forty four school buildings in Belize City are scheduled to be inspected. Just how many of these structures will make it on the 2009 hurricane shelters list will depend on whether or not the buildings pass the test or if there will be enough time to do the repairs that are needed.

Jacqueline Godwin,
I know there are 44 schools on the list but it is fair to say that maybe not even half of them will make it on the 2009 hurricane shelters list.

Tom Morrison, Belize City Chair – Housing/Shelter – NEMO
“That is dependent on how much money government will be prepared to put in to make them adequate.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Just looking at some of the schools on the list, already we know they are not even qualified.

Tom Morrison,
“Oh yeah. Some of them certainly will not be qualified to stay on the list. You said half just now but I wouldn’t want to be throwing out a number at this time.”

7News accompanied the team to one primary school and two secondary schools. The inspection revealed that some work needs to be done at ACC.

Tom Morrison,
“The building could be made adequate for hurricane condition, at least to a category three. We will need to seal up the eve, we will need some window works, the window in the back of the building is very inadequate for hurricane. We have noticed some structural problems with the building but it is on the verandah and so on and that shouldn’t affect much under hurricane conditions.”

David Novelo, Sr. Engineer - Ministry of Works
“Talking about the Anglican Cathedral College, we need to do some work on the windows and the roofs, they are a bit deteriorated and we need to anchor the roof. Minor things that we need to do but minor things that really impact on the structural integrity of the building.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
So do you believe that school will make it on the 2009 list for hurricane shelters?

David Novelo,
“Provided that we those works it will.”

Tom Morrison,
“We look at roof because the roof under hurricane conditions, roof is one of the things that fail very often. So we look at roof, we look at foundation of the building, we look at the proximity of the building from the sea, we look at maybe the overhang of the roofs and things like that. We look at windows, we look at doors, we look at bathroom facilities; is there bathroom facilities at the level above what would be the flood plain and so on.”

There were also some deficiencies found at the James Garbutt Seventh Day Adventist Primary School.

Jacqueline Godwin,
What is the situation like at this school?

David Novelo,
“Well right here at this school we have two buildings. One building we won’t be using due to the condition of the building but the other building that is a concrete structure, concrete roof, that one is adequate but it has some minor works on the windows that we need also to do.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
And again if that work can be done it will make it on the list?

David Novelo,
“Yes. It is just minor works we need to do to the windows.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
You expect all this work to be ready in time for the hurricane season, it does start June 1st?

Tom Morrison,
“Well we will do a report to NEMO and then NEMO will then request from Ministry of Finance for the funding to ensure that the work gets done. We would hope that the work gets done in time for the start of the hurricane season.”

And all of the work should be completed in three months which is the start of the hurricane season. Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.

The team of inspectors are guided by a check list that provides the specific requirements each school building should meet in order for each to be used as a hurricane shelter.

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