GER3's Global Response Team (GRT) arrived in Nassau on September 4th, equipped with relief and recovery supplies and prepared to respond to the devastation left by Hurricane Dorian. Upon arrival, the team connected with the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the leader of current response efforts, and attended initial coordination meetings and briefings with United Nations agencies, the Red Cross, INGOs and other local partners and agencies. With the information and coordination of these groups, the GRT prepared to mobilize to Grand Bahama.
The GRT deployed to Grand Bahama to assess the most affected areas and immediately begin relief and recovery support. Our team quickly set up operations in Freeport, establishing a temporary EOC, vehicles, drivers and equipment to begin operations.
In Freeport, the team immediately started support to Rand Memorial Hospital with debris clearance so that they can increase their operational capacity. The administrative staff run six health centers on the island, all of which were seriously affected by Dorian. Rand Hospital is operating at a limited capacity, while many of the other health centers are not operating at all. One is currently inaccessible entirely. The hospital staff are exhausted and overwhelmed, working 16hr+ days to get the hospital back online and functional. Most of the staff’s homes have also been badly affected. GER3’s team offered support and they graciously accepted our services, particularly the debris clearance support we could offer. With our help, Rand’s medical helipad was cleared for access today.
In addition to supporting Rand hospital, GER 3 delivered a generator, shelter items, clean up supplies and water purification tablets to High Rock, one of the worst affected communities on Grand Bahama. Most of the community was destroyed and GER 3 will continue supporting these severely affected communities all along the eastern coast.
GER 3 is focusing on designing programs that consider the full recovery process. Our programs are built to facilitate the transition from the relief and recovery phase through the reconstruction phase. We hope to stay with these affected communities throughout the full process, enabling a smooth process for relief and recovery and leaving them fully recovered and rebuilt better than before hurricane Dorian struck the island.