The hurricane season starts on Saturday 1 June and the Santo Domingo East municipal government and the local Fire Brigade have presented their Hurricane Prevention Program for 2013, announcing a series of preventative measures before the season arrives.
During the meeting, which was attended by representatives from various military bodies, they took possession of a rescue boat, donated by the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and equipped by the Santo Domingo East Fire Brigade.
According to Mayor Juan De los Santos, the boat cost RD$400,000 and is fully equipped to carry out rescues 24/7 on the Ozama River and the Caribbean Sea.
He said that they were making space for the installation of the local Emergency Operations Center, would start cutting down high risk trees throughout the municipality and take down signs that could pose a risk to pedestrians and drivers in the case of high winds.
He also ordered the cleaning of drains in critical areas to prevent flooding and reminded that this hurricane season there were expected to be 12 to 18 storms of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes and three to six could be major hurricanes.
The local Emergency Committee is made up of members of Civil Defense, Fire Brigade, Red Cross, National Meteorological Office, Local Authority, Public Health Ministry, Water Company, Ministry of Public Works and State Subsidized Canteens
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/5/27/278537/Presentan-plan-de-prevencion-Temporada-Ciclonica-2013