Dept. of Health to Launch Community Project Aimed at Preventing Hurricane-Related Deaths; Pilot Launches in Estate Whim

The Department of Health announced Thursday that it is launching a new initiative called Plan to Prepare, which will offer a community-based approach to preventing hurricane-related deaths and injuries in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The pilot project targets residents under 5 and over 65 because these individuals are especially at risk, the department said. The goal is to reduce their vulnerability to future disasters by building capacity to increase their preparedness.

Department officials met with the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) personnel and other members of the Emergency Management Committee on Thursday, October 17 at the regularly scheduled monthly meeting to discuss the project.

D.O.H. has selected the Estate Whim community for the pilot project as it’s situated on the southwestern side of St. Croix, which often sees heavy impact of storms. The department said Whim was impacted by Hurricane Maria as evidenced by the blue tarps still covering roofs in the area. The damages experienced in that area coupled with the high population of seniors and children, were some of the key determinants in selecting Whim for the pilot project.

The project consists of several phases. D.O.H. concluded the first phase on April 23 at a community meeting with residents, nonprofit organizations and government entities to assess and identify disaster-related health risks in the Whim area. That session was facilitated by DisasterDoc founder Mark Keim. Mr. Keim is a widely recognized disaster medical expert, D.O.H. said.

Phase two’s community-facilitated planning workshop will be held on Thursday, November 14th and Friday, November 15 th at the University of the Virgin Islands. D.O.H. said attendees will develop a plan focused on safe evacuation and sheltering. This event provides an opportunity for community members to directly participate in the planning process. The plan will be executed during a tabletop exercise slated for March 2020, according to the department.

Sandra Charles, deputy director of the Public Health Preparedness Program at the Department of Health, said, “We would like to take best practices and lessons learned and anticipate implementing this project into other communities territorially.”

A report detailing the findings and planning process will be available for dissemination by July 2020. That information will be used to assist other communities in the Virgin Islands with the design of plans that prepare for future emergencies, D.O.H. said.

This project is a result of public and private partnerships. D.O.H. said it’s working collaboratively with federal and local government agencies in addition to community and faith-based organizations.

For more information, contact Community Engagement Coordinator, Laurie Christian, at (340)718-1311 Ext. 3847.