CEMO Sounds the Alarm Ahead of Hurricane Season

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-21

[00:00:02]back to Open Your Eyes. And joining us for our second conversation, we have members from the Biz City Council talking about the hurricane season and what they're doing to prepare for it. We have on the couch Melanie Dawson and she is the Simo. The Simo Le is an officer.

[00:00:20]Good morning.

[00:00:20]>> Good morning.

[00:00:21]>> And joining her is Rammon Menhivar and he is the assistant city engineer over at the BL city council. Good morning.

[00:00:28]>> Good morning. And we have counselor Kaia Katus and she is responsible for sanitation and maintenance. Good morning.

[00:00:35]>> Good morning.

[00:00:36]>> Good morning. So we are in the month of May. Paul and I were talking about we already gearing up for the hurricane season and even though the predictions kind of look good in our favor, we still have to be prepared for any and everything. So let's start with what you all have been doing over at Simo.

[00:00:53]>> Okay. Yeah. So I can begin. Um so far we have started the year out with our annual shelter inspection. So what we do is we would a team of us and technical experts. We would go out to check the structural parts of the buildings and then this team would then sit down. We would prepare a report thereafter sent to NEMA headquarters and then they would assess and then come up with the final shelter listing. So that is one of our major tasks that we have to get done at the beginning of the year. And in addition to that, we would do training with our staff internally. Why? Because our staff at the council, they are first responders. So in the event we need to open shelters or do any types of um activation, our staff would be the one to be on the ground first.

[00:01:49]>> So where are we with that process? Um I would be the one to train our staff along with Nemo. So um we are in the process of doing shelter management training which is very much important because we need to let staff understand what their roles and responsibilities are especially dealing with people from the outside. They have to know what to do, >> how to work on their pressure, you know, um >> what what um communication lines to use because communication is very much important. Um and then in addition to that, we would do EOC training that is for the heads in the EOC um where we make all the decisions. Everyone needs to understand what their roles and responsibilities are as well. And then we would do um basic first a year training. We need that. So um there's a lot of different trainings that we do in partnership with Nemo because we also have to keep their standards as well.

[00:02:47]>> I think it was uh Hurricane Lisa that uh really gave me or opened my eyes to the importance of the work that you all um do especially at the shelters. Right.

[00:03:00]>> Um I I I it was mind-blowing. Yes. to one to see how many people rely on these shelters um but also to see how much resources um SEMO I guess in cooperation with Nemo uh have to provide uh while these individuals are in shelter and then to talk about managing the shelter as well and peopleling people um is is is not an easy task and we could get more into that as well.

[00:03:27]>> Yes. Yes, definitely. And that comes down to, like I mentioned, training because um we have our staff out there at the shelters. They need to understand what to do in the event they would need any relief and supplies at shelters.

[00:03:41]They would run out of maybe um medical supplies because we also have to keep medical supplies at the um shelters.

[00:03:50]They would need to know who to contact, which subcommittee because we also have our subcommittees at the biz city council as well. We have 15 subcommittees that I would steer and each manager is a um part of the subcommittee as well. Yeah. But um I mean with the training our staff going out I we for Hurricane Lisa that was a real test for us. It was How do you begin to start to create like lay out foundations for the city and by that I mean you're you're talking about shelter preparation. So you're looking at when the hurricane is here and and that process, but I want to know how you all are preparing the city itself, clearing the streets and so forth, the drainage, which >> is very important.

[00:04:34]>> So like so like Miss Mel mentioned, there is a lot of work that is being done at the council in preparation for a hurricane and we have different departments responsible for different things >> and from the sanitation and maintenance department, our job is before and after.

[00:04:49]>> Yes. So um we ensure that the drains are cleaned. Um that is one of the main things and it allows water to run off quicker than it normally would. You know when we have clean drains um the removal of white garbage, the removal of waste, um the the chipping and sweeping of the street that allows the water to flow into the drain and that is some of the the maintenance work that is done before. Um after the hurricane, as you guys saw with Hurricane Lisa, is where the council went into um full-fledged cleanup mode and we were physically on the ground removing debris and getting things back to normal.

[00:05:32]>> I find that um when Paul was talking about the peopleing people comment, um a lot of it lies on the citizens, right?

[00:05:40]the responsibility does lie on this on on us >> um to be prepared um the shelters and so on are the last resort uh to ensure that we are all safe but how do you all do like awareness and so forth so that people are safe in their homes what to do what not to do what are the different the stages of a hurricane and so forth >> um well we start that um from our small unit we have a field officer SEMA field officer he would go out to the schools. So we try to start from there. We educate the kids on preparedness, what to do before, during and after. And then they would take this information to their parents as well. We would also participate in other like events and then we would have our information booths. We would do presentations at um different organizations as well. So we tried to spread the word as much as we could. We would also post um information on our Bise City Council Facebook page which um I think everyone would use so they could get the information from our page as well.

[00:06:50]>> Mr. Menhavar, what is the state of readiness where Billy Cities drainage system is concerned?

[00:06:58]>> We are practically very good. Um as well as we have to take into consideration that we are low-lying area and that with a half an hour rain >> our streets flood >> and our task is to ensure that these drains are kept clear so that we have a quick runoff um primarily in these events. Um, this is an ongoing process that we have our teams out there on a daily basis throughout the year and more closer on to the hurricane season. We ramp up that um exercise and we're bringing more people together, more teams. Um we go into a flood mitigation project where we target flood prone areas.

[00:08:03]Um again in the same event to have the water recede quicker. Um so I believe that we are pretty good. Um we venture into cleaning out. We know exactly where all the main outlets are >> because we have primary, secondary and tertiary drains.

[00:08:25]>> So we are basically brainstorm uh these events and we attack them uh very aggressively and um that's how we get it done. What's the state of the uh flooding mitigation system uh along Caesar Ridge? The >> the pumping station.

[00:08:47]>> The pumping station.

[00:08:49]>> Um that is practically well as well. Um that unit is a brand new unit. Um we have actually put it into action a couple times. If you remember the king tie that we have a couple years ago, >> we had to activate it. Mhm.

[00:09:08]>> Right. And um it worked very well.

[00:09:11]Receeded the water practically on a fair enough time. So that system has been working practically good.

[00:09:22]>> Mhm. And how can how can residents uh kaya how can residents participate or collaborate with the council perhaps in their own cleanup initiatives in their own spaces whether it's trains trees etc. So annually we have done um cleanup campaigns prior to um the start of the hurricane season where we encourage residents to put out white garbage um old refrigerators, old appliances, old sofas that would be in their yards um as well as limb the trees that are nearby.

[00:09:58]And um the council would ensure that we remove this um from their yards and off the street. And um that would be in an effort to um you know get rid of things that could become flying objects or or things that could become hazardous um in the event of a hurricane. But you were talking about the the pumping station and I think that that is a very important mechanism that we have working in our city because all our drains lead to the canal and what that pumping station does is take the water out of the canal into the sea. So it removes whatever water from the city. So if the drains are full and the canal is full and that water isn't going anywhere, the streets remain flooded. But when that pumping station is activated and the water starts to come out of the canals, the drains can empty into the canal and it removes the water from the street. So that is a very important mechanism that we have um and that we can activate at any time when there is excess water within the city.

[00:10:59]>> Don't litter and don't clog the drains.

[00:11:02]very important, very important, very important for all this.

[00:11:06]>> Every time I come on to the onto the show, I I I keep on emphasizing that because that is a very critical >> um aspect because whenever I litter, I drop litter on the street that goes into the drain and then it block the arches.

[00:11:26]It impedes the flow of water in the drain.

[00:11:28]>> Right? Uh I I usually use this as an example. Free tongue that used to flood drastically. Uh last year that was one of our main focus areas for this project. And uh if you have seen it, it doesn't flood as it used to flood before the water used to be all up to the middle of the road.

[00:11:54]>> We're talking about that area in front of the >> pool.

[00:11:58]Yeah.

[00:11:58]>> And and what is very intriguing is that what basically was causing the flood and it is very I would say people would say it's not real. What we actually took out from there was a 14-in tire that was clogging me clogging a culvert. You know >> how >> with along with uh dollar bottle you know the empty bottles >> uh foam plates >> garbage >> garbage >> guys >> uh so it's also a part of the society on a whole >> right >> to play it role >> right >> because if I don't drop I drink my bottle of water and I drop it on the street that eventually end up >> in the dream So, and that causes uh the major floodings in our city.

[00:12:55]>> And last year as well when we were when we were prior to the hurricane season when we were doing um the delogging of drains in the Berkeley Street area. Berkeley Street is always underwater.

[00:13:08]>> We found a log.

[00:13:10]>> Yeah.

[00:13:11]>> Wedged into the culvert that connects B the the the the drain from Berkeley Street to the canal. and that's why the water wasn't passing through. So when the sludge truck actually pumped and everything flew out, I mean it sprayed all the way across the street after that that was, you know, that that came out from there. And I mean, civic pride is one of the things that we try to to emphasize on every time we have the opportunity and we encourage our residents not to litter, don't throw garbage. And it's a common thing where people would say if we not throw it on the ground people don't have job to pick it up. I mean we have to move away from that method.

[00:13:52]>> Yeah. Because on one hand be another job >> on on on one hand you have uh you have us uh throwing garbage uh on the ground and uh on the other hand we complain about our streets being flooded and and complain bitterly against the council when there is a part that we play in it as well. So, I think it's really good that you laid it out that way. Miss Dawson, what information are we equipped with about um this season and what it will look like uh for residents?

[00:14:26]>> Well, um so far we have been told and doing our research that um we will be faced with El Nino. What I know is Elino.

[00:14:36]>> Yes.

[00:14:38]What I know is that will bring um much heat, >> a lot of heat um to our country and um I really don't have much to say because that's not my expertise.

[00:14:50]>> Fair enough.

[00:14:51]>> Yes. Yes. But um I mean for our part we need to know what we should um expect this year and I know that will be one of the um challenges that we will face this year.

[00:15:02]>> Absolutely. And where can folks uh call if they need you're talking about emergency contacts and so forth if they need assistance or as as civilians we can just go and get these trainings ourselves too. Right.

[00:15:15]>> Right. Right.

[00:15:15]>> So where can we go?

[00:15:16]>> Uh-huh. Well you they could reach out to the BI city council. They could call to get information. They could ask for to speak with myself at the Bise City Council SEMA unit.

[00:15:28]>> Wonderful. Thank you all so much for joining us this morning and I know you guys will be back because it's May, but I know June starts and we'll see you all again. But it's better to be safe than sorry and to be extra prepared. So, thank you guys. Thank you guys.

[00:15:41]>> Thank you for having us.

[00:15:42]>> We are going to take another quick break and when we return, Nakia Muhammad turning setback into a thriving branding business.

[00:16:07]Heat.