As Hurricane Irma barrels towards The Bahamas as a category five storm, a special hurricane preparedness installment of the much-heralded television series A Familiar Walk will take a look inside the National Hurricane Center (NHC) through the experiences of its Chief Hurricane Specialist, Dr. Michael Brennan and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Communications and Public Affairs Officer, Dennis Feltgen.
The one-hour television special is expected to air on ZNS TV 13 Thursday September 7th at 8pm. The primary goal of A Familiar Walk, is to improve hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the Bahamas and the tropical islands of the Caribbean.
"Regardless of how many storms develop this year and even though we are at the last few months of the hurricane season, it only takes one storm to disrupt our lives,” the show’s host Mario Newry said expressed in the show.
Mr. Newry, Dr. Brennan and Mr. Feltgen delved into the devastating hurricane seasons of recent years, mulled through suggestions that could help to reduce the vulnerability to hurricane related hazards throughout the Bahamas, covered the importance of disaster preparedness, and explored the Bahamas Meteorology Department’s close professional working relationship with the National Hurricane Center.
"Storm surge is the reason that small island nations like the Bahamas and coastal cities set up evacuation zones,” Dr. Brennen expressed in the series.
“These zones are based on both past hurricanes and models used by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and the National Hurricane Center.
The National Hurricane Center will also offer a reasonable worst case scenario for coastal flooding for storms in collaboration with the local meteorologist and we always advise persons living in areas that are susceptible to flooding to seek shelter or have a plan in the event of flooding."
The programme ends by looking to the future and discussing the goals for the next decade in disaster preparedness and in particular the impact on small island nations like the Bahamas.
As the Bahamas every year continue building a weather-ready nation, the programme A Familiar Walk continues to do its part to assist in disaster preparedness and this exclusive interview at the National Hurricane Center is a constructive addition to the series.
“We thank our Signature Sponsors and Special Guest's at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida for making this production possible,” said Mr. Newry.
Photo Caption: left to right are Dennis Feltgen, Communications and Public Affairs Officer, Meteorologist, NOAA Communications & External Affairs, National Hurricane Center, Miami, Florida; Mario Newry, Host; and Dr. Michael Brennan, Chief Hurricane Specialist, National Hurricane Center, Miami, Florida.
