Philipsburg- Chairman of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards on Sunday said that the nation had much to be thankful after a busy 2008 hurricane season with 16 named storm systems that started at the end of May before the start of the season with Tropical Storm Arthur and ended with Paloma in November.Arthur formed almost a month early, and the last time that this happened was 27-years ago in 1981. This year according to hurricane forecasters is the second-most destructive on record.
Eight hurricanes formed out of the 16 tropical storm systems with five of those becoming major hurricanes of at least category three strength or higher.
"We have to learn from this past hurricane season in order to prepare for the next one. Hurricane Omar was a wake-up call for all of us. Prior to the next season, as a community and as a nation, we need to strengthen our protections and make sure that all of our communities are safer and stronger.
"Let us be thankful that we were speared the full onslaught of a hurricane and count our blessings while we pray for those who are still recovering from the impact of hurricanes during the season.
"I would like to use this opportunity to also thank all the Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), the Government Information Service (GIS), the broadcast and print media and other supporting organizations that played their part prior, during and after the passing of Hurricane Omar.
"I would also like to thank the people for taking the necessary measures to prepare and also for adhering to advisories after the passing of a hurricane. Let us learn from the Omar experience and in the New Year plan and prepare early for the 2009 season," Chairman of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Sunday.
Tropical storm systems that formed for the 2008 hurricane season were Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar and Paloma.
