Role of Meteorological Officials in Hurricane Preparedness

1. Role of Meteorological Officials in Hurricane Preparedness Horace H. P. Burton and Selvin DeC. Burton Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology

2. Meteorologists in Preparedness • Education and knowledge of tropical cyclones an essential component in disaster preparedness • Information must be distributed through the various channels to enhance awareness of the public to the potential threat • Meteorologists should be involved in assuring that tropical cyclone information is accurate and also play a role in dissemination

3. Meteorologists in Preparedness • Meteorologists also have a crucial role to play in input into the design and implementation of tropical cyclone mitigation systems • This role involves at least three areas of national tropical cyclone preparedness planning.

4. Warnings • Compilation and issue of warnings • entails conversion of technical information into a proper format and in a meaningful language • terminology should be well chosen and be conducive to evoking a rational human response

5. Warnings • Dissemination of Warning Information • warnings should be disseminated without delay • delays are more critical when the lead time for implementing preparedness measures in safety is limited

6. Awareness and Public Education • The capacity to respond effectively to natural disaster warnings is highly dependent on • interpretation of the warning • precisely what measures are necessary for the protection of life and property • Understanding will largely be based on the awareness of the inherent danger presented

7. Awareness and Public Education • Essential to institute awareness programmes to educate the community about the hazards of natural disasters and to train disaster management officials to interpret warnings • Meteorologists must make significant contributions in educating the community and officials

8. Awareness and Public Education • Education must include • understanding content and terms in advisories • techniques used in identifying and monitoring areas of potential development • characteristic structure and behaviour of tropical cyclones • methods and limitations of forecasting techniques

9. Awareness and Public Education • Meteorological services in the region are willing to undertake the necessary educational programmes for both the community and disaster officials • Disaster managers and planners are encouraged to make uses of these opportunities

10. Conclusion • The benefits of advances achieved in the meteorological monitoring and forecasting will not result in a lessening of losses and damage unless there is a corresponding improvement in the warning-response infrastructure. Meteorologists, disaster managers and the community all have a vital role to play in achieving this objective