Red Cross in Americas prepares for 2007 storm season

Aid agencies in the Americas, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are gearing up for what experts say could be a busy hurricane season in the Atlantic.

Red Cross representatives from the International Federation, as well as 25 Central American and Caribbean Red Cross National Societies, begin meeting in Panama today to discuss disaster preparedness, as another storm season approaches.

Members of the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Department (DG ECHO), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), and the United Nation's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are also taking part.

The four-day gathering in Panama will focus on revising contingency and coordination plans in anticipation of what some forecasters say could be an especially active year.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on 1 June, but already one subtropical storm, “Andrea”, has formed off the southeastern coast of the United States , making it the first named storm of the year.

According to experts, the 2007 season, which is expected to last until end of November, could produce as many as 16 named storms, with eight to ten becoming hurricanes.

Stephen McAndrew, Head of the International Federation's Pan-American Disaster Response Unit, says the meeting aims to remind people in the region of the importance of being prepared. “Because 2006 turned out to be an average year for hurricanes, we're concerned that many residents may let their guard down and won't be ready for this season,” he says.

“We know from past experience that preparedness save lives. From having evacuation plans in place to pre-positioning stocks of drinking water, food and blankets in areas that could be hit, the more aid agencies, communities and individuals prepare now, the safer people will be in the long run.”

Participants at the Panama conference are also expected to discuss issues such as shelter, humanitarian reform and the relief challenges posed by climate change, which has led to an increase in the intensity and frequency of storms worldwide.

The International Federation's Disaster Response Unit, located in Panama, currently has the capacity to meet the needs of around 125,000 people should a disaster strike tomorrow, including plastic sheeting, cooking tools, hygiene items and clean water.

“We believe in making vulnerable communities safer and stronger in the face of natural catastrophes, such as hurricanes,” explains the head of the International Federation's Americas Department, Santiago Gil. “By working together with our partners, like ECHO, we're making sure we have relief supplies ready to be deployed, and plans in place to get help where it's needed fast.”