>>> HI.

WELCOME TO THE FINAL EPISODE OF "GRAFFITI STREET" FOR THIS SEASON.

IT´S BEEN AN INTERESTING YEAR AND WE HAD A SHOW, AND WE ADDED NUMBER IT WAS IN THIS NOVEL FORMAT, AT THE SAME TIME EXPERIENCING DISTANCE LEARNING.

>> WE´VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS AND WE EVEN SHOW CASED EACH OTHER.

AS ONE SEASON COMES TO AN END, ANOTHER IS ABOUT TO BEGIN AND THIS ONE REQUIRES A LOT MORE MORE SIGHT AND PREPARATION.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND THE REPRESENTATIVE -- AND AN ACRONYM WE´VE ALL HEARD AND DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT IT MEANS?

SO WE´LL PASS IT TO THE GUESTS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THEN WE´LL HOP RIGHT INTO OUR SHOW.

>> WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR AND WHAT IS ITS ROLE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS REGINA.

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] IT STANDS FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

>> SO HAVE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES CHANGED BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND IS THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE SOMETHING NEW?

>> IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19, THE ONLY CHANGE THAT I WOULD SAYOC YOU ARE SIDE THAT -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THAT WAS BEFORE IT CHANGED AND IT NEVER STOPPED COMING BECAUSE WE WERE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THE MEETING VIRTUAL SO WE HAVE THE MICROSOFT TEAMS CLASS WORK.

WE HAD TO ADJUST BECAUSE OF THE HIGH NUMBERS THAT WERE OCCURRING AND IT WAS TOGETHER AND TRYING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.

>> SO THE NAME COMES UP COMES UP IN HURRICANE SEASON.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS?

>> I BELIEVE HURRICANE SEASON -- OKAY.

WE´RE ABOUT TO GET INTO HELICOPTER SEASON.

I THINK IT STARTS NEXT MONTH.

I´M NOT SURE IF I´M CORRECT.

I MIGHT BE OR MIGHT NOT BE.

AND I DON´T REMEMBER WHEN IT ENDS BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING.

>> JUNE, AND IT ENDS IN NOVEMBER.

THAT´S MY GUESS.

>> SAME AS KAMALI.

I THINK IT STARTS, LIKE, LATE MAY, EARLY JUNE AND IT ENDS SOME TIME IN NOVEMBER.

>> ARE WE CLOSE?

>> YOU´RE RIGHT.

IT STARTS JUNE 1st AND IT ENDS ON NOVEMBER 30th.

THE PEAK OF THE SEASON IS BETWEEN AUGUST TO OCTOBER AND SEPTEMBER.

SO GREAT JOB.

>> THANK YOU.

SO 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 AND 2020 HAVE ALL SEEN STORMS SINCE BEFORE THE OFFICIAL START OF HURRICANE SEASON.

THE 2020 SAW A RECORD 30 NAMED STORMS.

NOAA, THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MOVING THE START SEASON UP RATHER THAN THE GREEK LETTER STORMS AND FROM NOW ON A SUPPLEMENTAL LIST OF NAMES WILL BE USED.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE DECISIONS?

>> I CAN TAKE THAT ONE.

GLOBAL WARMING IS BECOMING A NEW NORMAL AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TERRITORY AND THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS ARE BEGINNING IN THE SEASON EARLIER AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE WAITING LIST.

THAT IS SOMEWHAT BENEFICIAL AND SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND SO WE HAVE TO ENSURE WHEN A STORM, AND THAT IS THE ONLY ISSUE AND THE START OF THE SEASON ISN´T A BAD THING AND THEY WEREN´T ABLE -- AND THE HURRICANE AWARENESS LAST WEEK AND STARTING IN JANUARY UNTIL THE SEASON ENDS WE ALWAYS WAIT FOR HURRICANE SEASON AND THE MANY HAZARDS.

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> THEY CHANGE THE NAMES IT´S BETTER BECAUSE IT´S, LIKE, YOU JUST IDENTIFY EACH HURRICANE AND YOU KNOW IF IT´S COMING OUR NOT.

NEXT QUESTION.

IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, MANY OF OUR HURRICANE SHELTERS -- AND MANY OF THE SCHOOLS ARE CONDEMNED OR NOT OPEN.

SO WHAT´S BEEN BEEN DONE TO ALLEVIATE ANY WORRIES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS A SECONDARY SHELTER IN THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX.

WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE SHELTERS ON THE ISLAND OF ST. CROIX WITH THE CENTER.

IN ST. THOMAS -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] AND ANOTHER NAME THAT I DON´T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE TWO EVACUATION SHELTERS PER ISLAND.

WE ARE STILL TRYING TO JUST ENSURE THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND WE´RE ASSISTING WITH THE PROCESS AND THE TERRITORIES ARE READY FOR ANY HURRICANE THREAT.

AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE INITIATIVE IN FEBRUARY.

AND I HOPE TO HAVE THAT RESOLVED AND IT WOULD BE READY.

>> YOU MENTIONED A LOT ABOUT PREPARATIONS.

WHAT DO THOSE ACTIONS ENTAIL.

HOW DO YOU GUYS GO ABOUT DOING IT?

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> I´LL HAVE SUPPORTING INFORMATION.

>> IN TERMS OF PREPARATION, WE TALK ABOUT, LIKE, GETTING YOUR HOMES PREPARED, GETTING A -- HAVING A FAMILY PLAN AND EXERCISING THAT FAMILY PLAN.

IN TERMS OF THE HOME FOR THE HURRICANE, YOU KNOW, THE GROCERY SHOPPING FOR CANNED FOOD, THE EXTRA WATER IN THE HOUSE, CLEANING UP AROUND OUTSIDE AND REMOVING DEBRIS AROUND THE HOUSE.

WE TRY TO ALWAYS KEEP THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED, AND ALWAYS TALK ABOUT BEING PREPARED, HAVING ENOUGH TO HOLD YOU AT LEAST FOR TWO TO THREE DAYS UNTIL HELP ARRIVES AND THEM ALSO ONE PART THAT WE SEEM TO FORGET SOMETIMES IS OUR PETS AND WE ALSO NEED TO PREPARE THEM AND EXTRA FOOD, WHATEVER PETS MAY NEED TO HAVE EXTRA FOOD FOR THEM AND KEEPING YOUR DOCUMENTS SAFE, LIKE YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, YOUR PASSPORT, WHATEVER MEDICATIONS YOU NEED AND ALWAYS TRY YOUR BEST TO KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GRAB THEM AND HAVE THEM AT THE READY.

>> AND CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT, TOO?

ALSO HAVE A COMMUNICATION PLAN IN PLACE FOR YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE WHENEVER IT HAPPENS OR WHEN SOMETHING DOES OCCUR, LIKE IN 2017 WITH MARIA, THINGS WERE DOWN FOR COMMUNICATION AND SOMETIMES IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE TERRITORY OR FLORIDA -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] AND ALSO HAVE EMERGENCY PLAN, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IT SECURE AND YOUR EMERGENCY DOCUMENTS AND HAVE IT FOR SEVEN DAYS AND JUST IN CASE THE GROCERY STORES ARE COMPROMISED.

THAT COULD BE AFFECTING THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

>> SO SPEAKING ON PREPARATION, FOR US WITH MAJOR STORMS ON THE ISLAND, HOW DO YOU FEEL AS AN ORGANIZATION?

IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU LEARNED TO BETTER PREPARE FOR UPCOMING STORMS AND INCIDENTS THAT YOU HAVE?

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] I WAS NOT WITH FEMA AT THAT TIME, BUT I HEARD FROM OFFICIALS WHO WERE HERE AND WITH ST. THOMAS.

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING AND WE LEARNED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN FOR THE SUPPORT FUNCTION AND RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE ENGAGEMENT AND EVERYONE STANDS IN PREPAREDNESS MODE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT AND I MYSELF HAVE SEEN THAT AND WHEN THERE ARE OTHER FORMS AND PEOPLE SAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE ESSENTIALS IN PLACE.

>> FOR THE SHELTER, HOPEFULLY WE DON´T HAVE TO USE THEM BUT WHAT ABOUT SHELTERS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE JELTERS?

>> THE SHELTERS ARE FULL TO CAPACITY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES.

>> BECAUSE OF A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, REIT NOW IT WILL BE BELOW 100 AND PEOPLE ARE SITTING DOWN AND WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] IF YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR AND YOU CAN SHELTER WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR, TRY THAT, AS WELL.

IF WE WERE ABLE -- IF EVERYONE ISN´T VACCINATED AND THEN THE SHELTER CAN HAVE MORE SPACE, BUT THAT IS A PART OF THE SHELTER OPERATION PLAN.

>> YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO DON´T HAVE A NEIGHBOR´S HELP ANYMORE, AND IT WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE STORM, YOU SHOULD GO TO THE SHELTER AND THE SHELTER HAPPENS TO BE FULL, WHAT WILL THAT PERSON HAVE TO DO?

>> IF THE SHELTER AT THAT LOCATION HAPPENS TO BE FILLED WE WILL HAVE THEM TRANSPORTED TO THE OTHER LOCATION TO AN EDUCATIONAL COMPLEX.

WE WILL NOT TURN THEM AWAY.

YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE TURNED AWAY.

WE WILL FIND A SOLUTION AT THAT TIME OR WE WILL CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND AMERICAN RED CROSS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WITH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, WE COLLABORATED ON AN EVACUATION EVENT SURVEY.

DO YOU THINK THAT EVACUATIONS ARE REQUIRED?

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] [ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> WHEN IT COMES TO A TSUNAMI AND THE ONLY THING TO HAVE AN EVACUATION PLAN, AND TO GET TO THAT LEVEL.

WE HAVE A PLAN AND FILL IN THE GAP AND THE TERRITORY WILL KNOW THE LEVEL.

THAT IS FOR EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY TO GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.

[ NO AUDIO ] DOES ANYONE WANT TO ADD ON TO THAT?

>> NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

SHE MOSTLY COVERED IT.

SHE DID.

>> OKAY.

GREAT.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT PREPAREDNESS FOR EVACUATION AND NOW I WANT TO GO ON TO EARTHQUAKES AND TSUNAMIS.

OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORING MEMBERS, SEEING JUST WHAT THEY NEED FOR EVACUATION LOOKS LIKE DUE TO A VOLCANO.

VOLCANOES, HOWEVER, ARE USUALLY PRECEDED BY ANOTHER DISASTER THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH.

EARTHQUAKES.

PUERTO RICO STARTED 2020 WITH HUNDREDS PER DAY AND WE EXPERIENCED IT EVERY SO OFTEN AND WITH THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IN CASE OF A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE EVENT OCCURS?

>> IS THIS QUESTION TO THE GUESTS?

>> THE GUESTS.

>> OKAY.

I CAN START.

I SENSE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN EXERCISING AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING DRILLS AND WITH THE TSUNAMIS AND THAT´S BEEN ORCHESTRATED IN MARCH AND WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING IT WITH THE ELEVATION AND THE LEVEL OF 82 PEOPLE ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT?

>> YES, I DID.

USUALLY BEFORE IT OCCURS, IT IS BEST TO SECURE ITEMS EVEN THOUGH WE HAD AGING INFRASTRUCTURE WE CAN STILL SECURE THE ISLAND.

ALSO, THE BEST IS TO PRACTICE THE FUNDAMENTAL OF SAVING LIVES, YOU KNOW?

HOLD ON DURING AN EARTHQUAKE AND YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOU´RE GOING TO GO AND HOW TO PREPARE AND HOW TO TRY TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND ALSO KNOW ABOUT YOUR EVACUATION PLAN AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND ALSO WHERE TO EVACUATE.

>> DO WE HAVE THE ANNUAL EARTHQUAKE DRILL THAT HAPPENS IN OCTOBER AND THE NAME OF IT IS THE GREAT SHAKE OUT THAT YOU CAN PRACTICE YOUR EARTHQUAKE DRILLS IN SCHOOL OR AT HOME ALSO.

>> IN TERMS OF PRACTICING IN SCHOOL OR HOME, HOW OFTEN WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT?

>> I THINK WITH THE SCHOOLS PROBABLY, TWICE IN THE BEGINNING IN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF SCHOOL AND THEN IN THE SPRING, FALL AND SPRING, AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR.

THAT WOULD BE MY PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION SO THE STUDENTS WILL BE AWARE OF THE ROUTE, THE ESCAPE ROUTE TO SAFETY.

>> AND I WOULD ADD ON TO THAT QUESTION AND DO THE GOVERNMENT WORKERS ALSO PRACTICE THIS DRILL?

>> YES, WE DO.

YES, WE DO.

>> OKAY.

>> OKAY.

THIS GOES TO THE CAST.

I KNOW THIS YEAR WITH COVID, IN THE PAST DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR SCHOOLS HAVE PREPARED YOU FOR THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN?

>> KAMALI AND I GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL.

YES, WE GET ENOUGH PRACTICE.

WE DO IT YOUR RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF TIME, ONCE IN THE BEGINNING AND ONE TOWARDS THE END.

WE -- IT´S RANDOM.

WE DON´T KNOW, BUT THE TEACHERS KNOW AND THEY´VE GOT ALL OF THEIR WALKIE TALKIES AND STUFF AND WE TRY TO DO IT NICE AND CALM AND QUIET AND THEN THEY USE THE INTERCOM.

SO I THINK THAT WE´RE PRETTY PREPARED AND THE ENDING WHERE WE GET TO IS DOWN BY THE FIELD WHICH IS RELATIVELY SAFE.

NO BOULDERS OR TREES TO HIT US, AND I THINK THAT´S PRETTY NICE.

I FEEL THAT MY SCHOOL TRIED ITS BEST AND MOST STUDENTS TAKE IT AS A JOKE WHEN THERE IS A DRILL.

SO OFTEN KIDS AREN´T PAYING ATTENTION IN THE DRILL AND ARE TALKING.

I JUST HOPE THAT WE´RE ALL GOOD WHEN THE ACTUAL DISASTER COMES.

THAT´S JUST MY PIECE.

>> AS SOON AS THEY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, BUT I DON´T THINK THE TEACHERS SHOULD KNOW WHEN THE DRILL IS COMING.

I THINK IT SHOULD BE A SURPRISE TO EVERYONE, ONLY THE UPPER ADMINISTRATION SHOULD OF COURSE BECAUSE THERE ARE TEACHERS WHO GO PREPARED FOR THAT DAY JUST BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE DRILL IS HAPPENING AND THEY´RE SITTING THERE WITH THEIR WALKIE TALKIES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE TSUNAMI DRILL IS THERE.

I THINK TO BE COMPLETELY PREPARED, IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY RANDOM.

IN THE MIDDLE OF A TEST OR WHATEVER.

>> I LIKE THAT.

I LIKE THAT.

>> I´M NOT SURE HOW THIS WORKS, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING RANDOM AND IT´S JUST LIKE BASKETBALL.

YOU HAVE THIS TO PLAY WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND SO FORTH, AND SO ON.

SO JUST A RANDOM THING WOULD HAPPEN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THIS IS WHAT YOU´RE DOING TO PLAN FOR IT.

>> I WANT YOU GUYS -- YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO SOMETHING THAT´S GOING ON BECAUSE A TEACHER MIGHT HAVE THAT, AND IT WAS SO BAD THAT SHE COULDN´T GRAB THAT BEFORE SHEN´T, AND OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> 1861 WAS THE LAST TIME THE VIRGIN ISLANDS EXPERIENCED A TSUNAMI.

A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEM.

>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE PREPARED FAR THAT?

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, I WOULD SAY SELF-PRESS VAGSZ WILL TAKE IT, AND HOW ARE TSUNAMIS OUT THERE IF WE HAVE ONE OF TWO OR THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL ASCEND IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW?

>> THAT´S THE ONLY THING.

I THINK BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW AS PEOPLE AND OUR RESILIENCE, AND LIVING WITH A HURRICANE AND FLOODING AND I DO FEEL THAT WE ARE THIS YEAR, AND YOU KNOW THERE´S ALSO MORE THINGS WE CAN DO TO PREPARE OURSELVES.

>> I´M SORRY.

I HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THAT IS ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAD A GREAT SEASON, AND THANK YOU.

I´D LIKE TO THANK THE GUESTS FOR JOINING US, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A BETTER -- AND OUR VIEWERS HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF JUST WHAT THE TEAM DOES AND HOW YOU CAN HELP.

IT´S BEEN GREAT HAVING YOU WITH US AND SPEAKING WITH US, SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US HERE TODAY, THIS SEASON OF ST. THOMAS, ST. JOHN AND ST. CROIX.

WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

GOOD-BYE.

♫♫