The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded the Virgin Islands Waste Management Agency a grant totaling $263,072 to organize tsunami preparedness and warning undertakings in the Virgin Islands.
Delegate Donna M. Christensen, who made the announcement today, thanked VITEMA staff and director Elton Lewis.
"I would like to commend the dedicated staff at VITEMA and Director Elton Lewis for their hard work in promoting awareness of the dangers of tsunami and other natural disasters, as well as the upgrades to the alert and warning system," she said.
The funds will be used to prepare Virgin Islanders through VITEMA's Territorial Tsunami Preparedness and Education Initiative. Expect to see and hear educational messages about tsunami preparedness through TV, print and social media advertising among other venues, including internet.
According to the release, the funds have been earmarked to:
- Install and maintain tsunami warning signs throughout the territory.
- Maintain the 14 existing tsunami warning sirens in the territory.
- Strengthen the territory’s public-school readiness.
