Nassau, Bahamas – As Tropical Storm Hanna exits and the threat of Hurricane Ike approaches The Bahamas, various Government agencies in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were already activated to meet the needs of the country’s residents and visitors.

“We must now turn our full attention to Hurricane Ike, a Category 4 storm, as it approaches The Bahamas,” NEMA Director Commander Stephen Russell said at a NEMA press briefing Friday afternoon.

Commodore Clifford Scavella of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) said the Force “stands ready” to assist NEMA with all of its undertakings in The Bahamas, with two HMBS vessels deployed at sea waiting out the storm.

“And, should the need arise, they will sail into whichever Bahamian island that might be affected to offer assistance, as directed by NEMA,” he said.

Commodore Scavella added that the HMBS Yellow Elder would be the first ship deployed from Nassau should the need arise. Officers are also on standby should it be necessary to deploy forces to the various islands to assist the local communities.

“Presently here at our base in Nassau, our men and women have been deployed to their homes to ensure that their families are in fact secure, and also the families of the persons who are deployed at sea and those who are in the various islands,” Commodore Scavella said.

“We want to assure the Bahamian people and those of our persons who are at sea and in the Family Islands that their families will be secured, and that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force will offer and do whatever is necessary to ensure that all Bahamians have comfort as we seek to assist NEMA in its undertaking.”

Director-General of Tourism Vernice Walkine said the Ministry of Tourism is “very interested” in assuring that all tourists in The Bahamas have had the opportunity to voluntarily evacuate.

“We have been deliberate about ensuring that all visitors are aware of the opportunities for them to leave the country in an orderly fashion, and to a great extent we have accomplished that,” she said.

“We do pay very close attention to the alerts and warnings and watches because we need to make informed and intelligent decisions on behalf of our visitors.”

Director of Social Services Melanie Zonicle said there are a total of 26 shelters the Department is operating on New Providence and 130 in the Family Islands. The largest shelter on New Providence is the Church of God Auditorium Joe Farrington Road, which can house over 400 persons.

“There is a Special Needs Centre at the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled,” she added. “That shelter can accommodate at least 50 persons.”

Ms. Zonicle said contact has been made with the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Bahamas Red Cross, who will assist the Department of Social Services in manning shelters.

Each shelter manager will communicate with NEMA and the Department’s Command Centre via cellular phones and handheld radios, Mrs. Zonicle added. Workers from the Department are also assigned to NEMA “around the clock” to address concerns related to the welfare of citizens.

“To date NEMA has requested the Department to obtain water and be prepared to obtain bulk food from local wholesale providers when necessary,” she said.

“Persons who live in low-lying areas or feel that their homes cannot withstand strong winds are encouraged to enter our shelters.”

The Director said people reporting to a shelter are expected to register and advise a shelter manager if the feel the need to leave.

“Residents are expected to take to the shelter blankets, a change of clothing should they be there overnight, non-perishable foods especially for babies, and any important documents that they may have.”

Providing an update on Hurricane Ike’s projected path, Director of the Bahamas Meteorological Department Arthur Rolle said, “Hurricane Ike is a very dangerous storm and it is approaching the south-eastern Bahamas.”

It would make sense, he said, for people to start now to complete whatever preparations that they are called to do at this time.

“Let us be mindful of a simple tropical storm like Hanna [and] what it has done to some of the islands already, so imagine what a hurricane of the status of a Category 4 would do.

“I advise everyone to take heed to all of the news items we are going to release on the storm and take the necessary action,” he urged.