ODM: Remain Vigilant and Prepared. Monitor Tropical Depression #7

Fire Chief and National Disaster Coordinator of the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) Clive Richardson, is calling on residents and the business community to remain vigilant and prepared for the hurricane season, as Tropical Depression #7 (TD#7) has formed several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands.

TD#7 is forecast to become a tropical storm on Wednesday night or Thursday. The system is forecast to move through the Leeward Islands on Friday or Friday night.

Tropical Storm Watches (tropical storm conditions of sustained winds of 39 to 73 miles per hour are possible

within the specified area within 48 hours) may be required for portions of the Leeward Islands.

Residents and the business community are advised to continue to pay keen attention to weather reports in the coming days and weeks in order to be able to take the appropriate action when called upon to do so by the ODM/Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

In the meantime, residents and business owners are requested to review their hurricane season preparations, and to make sure their property is storm/hurricane ready.

Additional information will be forthcoming from the ODM as the weather system approaches the Leeward Islands.

The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide’ and “Hurricane Tracking Chart.”

Listen to the Government Radio station – SXMGOV 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane.

For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/

Remember, it only takes one hurricane to make it a bad season. Remain vigilant and prepared!

The hurricane season runs through November 30.