TEMA Warns Disaster Recovery Could Take Years Without Proper Planning
Preparing for a disaster is more than stocking up on water and supplies. It’s about deliberating on the best method for construction, not the cheapest, and ensuring funds are available to aid in immediate post-disaster needs.
As part of Disaster Preparedness Month, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) hosted a special seminar dealing with financial and property resilience.
TEMA Director Allan Stewart warned that the hardest part of a natural disaster is dealing with the aftermath.
Having dealt with hundreds of disaster-related incidents over his many years of service, he stressed the importance of having savings.
« If your roof is gone and your savings are gone, I could tell you the pace at which things are going to be, you will be struggling for years. »
Recovery can be slow and long, and TEMA Operations Officer Carisse Thompson explained they are still treating cases from Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
« We did have some loss, losses where even today at TEMA, we have persons coming to TEMA still requesting assistance from this, and this would have been over 20 years ago? »
She said the damage does not only come from hurricanes.
« Some of the areas or years in which we would have had significant events would have come from simple or prolonged rainfall and not actual tropical storms and so affecting us directly. »
In October 2022, TEMA recorded over 291 incidents, most relating to landslips and landslides.
Meteorologists are already predicting a high potential for land slippage going into the 2026 hurricane season. Ms. Thompson is therefore imploring Tobagonians to consider the quality of construction, which can result in expensive disaster recovery.
« Building on unstable slopes, poor drainage around home, unauthorised retaining wall, no engineering guidance. No approvals, weak foundations, poor roofing systems, so you have homes collapsing whenever there is major impact. »
Meanwhile, Mr. Stewart encouraged Tobagonians to consider insurance policies as a backup plan for disaster recovery.
« It is very difficult to rebuild yourself, and insurance must not be seen as an expense. »
TEMA is urging all Tobagonians to do all within their power to ensure they protect themselves and their properties when disaster strikes.
