[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 88 (Tuesday, June 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1392-E1393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  GOOD ADVICE ON HURRICANE PREPARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, as the people of the Caribbean prepare for 
another chaotic hurricane season, I rise today to bring to the 
attention of my colleagues some important advice on the preparation and 
prevention efforts in the region. During last summer's hurricane season 
the small island nations of Grenada, Jamaica, and Haiti were severely 
impacted with terrible destruction of essential infrastructure and 
significant loss of life. This catastrophe caused the Members of the 
last Congress to include $100 million in relief assistance in the 
supplemental appropriations bill for Florida.
  Our neighbors in the Caribbean were harder hit than even Florida. 
Homes, lives, and economic prospects were destroyed in the wake of 
hurricanes that beat down on the island nations of the Caribbean and 
the United States southern coastline. Many were shocked and surprised 
by the destructive force of these natural phenomena. Many felt the 
devastating blows of the hurricane splitting and eroding homes, towns, 
and communities. Others witnessed the indiscriminate winds that ripped 
roofs from homes, merchandise from store fronts and children from 
homes.
  Hurricane season routinely strikes the Caribbean harder than the U.S. 
The fragile economies of these noble neighbors too often succumb to the 
might and power of these natural disasters. As staples of their 
economy, tourism and agriculture suffer significantly in the wake of 
the floods, winds, and aftermath of a destructive hurricane. The effect 
of hurricanes on the United States alone is often breathtaking and 
requires a mammoth community mobilization and effort of the surrounding 
states. Imagine its impact on the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and St. 
Vincent.
  As we enter this annual season of threat in 2005, this Congress 
should take the lead in preparing our Caribbean neighbors for the 
events to come. We should be ensuring that the resources are available 
to meet the humanitarian needs of the region. We should be securing the 
supplies and gear necessary for recovery. We should be certain that the 
regional infrastructure can handle the health and welfare needs that 
will arise.
  CaribNews recently hosted a Caribbean conference in the Bronx on the 
subject of disaster preparedness. They focused on the planning and 
preparation of the region for the next major natural disaster. In a 
recent article, they established some important steps that should be 
taken to ensure that the region is prepared and ready to deal with the 
consequences of this year's hurricane season.
  I submit for the Record the following editorial from the CaribNews on 
their conferences and recommendations for addressing the challenges of 
hurricane preparation.

                We Need to Be Ready for the Consequences

       Preparation, they say, is the mother protection. In this 
     case, we are talking about protecting lives, property, and in 
     many ways the future against the ravages of Mother Nature.
       In the Caribbean and the South and the southwest of the 
     United States, the need is to prepare against the often-
     ferocious high winds and the rain of hurricanes. And now that 
     we are into hurricane season, and with the experts predicting 
     some of the strongest weather patterns in recent years, it's 
     important that the U.S. and the Caribbean nations be ready 
     for what may befall us.
       Just the other day, Adolfo Carrion, the Bronx Borough 
     President, and this newspaper focused the city's spotlight on 
     disaster preparedness. That was done at a highly successful 
     Caribbean conference in the Bronx and participants in a panel 
     discussion emphasized that we can't wait until a hurricane or 
     other natural disasters strike and then respond.
       After all, the geological and geographic features of the 
     Caribbean archipelago almost guarantee that a hurricane can 
     strike at any time during the second half of the year. While 
     we can prevent trade conflicts, end political rows or avoid 
     military adventures, there is precious little we can do to 
     stop hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods from hitting us, 
     affecting all those who live in a particular country or the 
     region.
       Last year's devastation in Grenada brought on by Hurricane 
     Ivan was a case in point. Not only was it unstoppable but its 
     effects will be felt for many years to come. The floods, 
     which took thousands of lives in the Dominican Republic and 
     Haiti, could not have been thwarted by human effort but the 
     pain and suffering was prolonged by the inability to respond 
     effectively once the tragedy had occurred.
       Similarly, the damage caused by Ivan and other hurricanes 
     in the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Florida, St. Vincent 
     and the Cayman Islands spoke more of the resilience of these 
     countries to bounce back and the relatively good fortune 
     that prevented them from being struck a mightier blow than 
     to anything else.
       We shouldn't forget too that Dominica was hit but spared 
     extensive damage when an earthquake shook the Caribbean 
     island. Unlike hurricane warnings, earthquake prediction 
     didn't have any value in Dominica's case.
       That's why the meeting in the Bronx was of such 
     significance and why Caribbean nations, the international 
     community and immigrant groups in New York, Miami, Boston, 
     Hartford, and elsewhere must plan ahead in case the 
     vulnerability of the small islands are exposed once again.
       For as 2004 showed us, the twinkling of the proverbial eye 
     and the decades long effort to build a country and put it in 
     very good shape to propel living standards forward can be 
     undone in a matter of hours.
       Clearly, because natural disasters are inevitable, the 
     emphasis must be placed on minimizing damage and responding 
     to the needs of those affected.
       To begin with Caribbean and U.S. governments must take 
     measures to lessen pain, suffering and damage. Mutual 
     assistance and self-help scheme at the institutional and 
     individual levels are vital and must be integrated into sound 
     natural disaster strategies. Building codes must be enacted 
     and enforced to limit the effects of the troubles we have 
     seen in recent years, not simply in the Caribbean but in the 
     U.S. as well when entire villages come tumbling down.
       It's incumbent upon home owners and business places whose 
     structures were built several years ago or even recently to 
     check to see to what extent their buildings can resist 
     hurricane force winds, floods, or even seismic shocks.
       Although Caribbean governments are already strapped for 
     cash, they should consider providing tax incentives to 
     property-owners to promote disaster mitigation. The tax 
     system can be an important tool to achieve the goal of 
     increasing the number of buildings that can withstand the 
     winds and the rains spawned by hurricanes.
       As for the Diaspora and the international community, not to 
     mention local and state governments in New York State and 
     other parts of the country, they must extend their disaster 
     preparations schemes to include the Caribbean. After all, in 
     places such as New York where hundreds of Caribbean 
     immigrants live the inevitability of natural disasters is of 
     great concern to many. So they must be included in the 
     planning and the response.
       Caribbean immigrants have in the past responded well and 
     with alacrity to disasters in their respective homelands and 
     in the region as a whole. But there is also an urgent need 
     for a greater coordinated approach to relief.
       The counterparts of the Bronx Borough President in 
     Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan should also consider the 
     approach he adopted recently when he brought people and 
     institutions together to consider the problem before it occur 
     again. Assembling folks to discuss the potential perils ahead 
     and putting mechanisms in place can go a long way in bringing 
     relief after disaster has struck.

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