The Survivor’s Guide to Monster Storms

Simple, consistent preparation and staying informed is possible and will make all the difference.

The idea for a practical guide began in the first few days after catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Irma took a direct hit on the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on 6 September 2017. Many in our small community were unprepared for the devastation and hardship that followed. I had written very thorough preparedness guides for my colleagues and had utilised most of the resources available online. Looking back, there were items I wish we had in hand as well as actions we took which we could have done differently. With over eight million examples on the internet of how to prepare for a tropical cyclone, the average person, perhaps new to such weather phenomenon or has just bought a boat, simply does not have the time to sit online to determine what they need.

The Survivor's Guide to Monster Storms draws on existing resources and is balanced against the lessons we learnt in 2017. The guide is intended to inspire, not frighten, anyone facing down a major storm wherever they are in the world. It focuses on the importance of gathering supplies ahead of an expected impact to pooling resources after the fact, and the value of a strong network of friends, family, and neighbours.

The guide includes sections on the essentials of food, water, and shelter; preparing your children; your animals; your office; your boat; your home; the environment; foreign nationals, volunteers; useful checklists; and what to expect during and after the storm passes. It also includes a strong message to stay calm and light-hearted anecdotes.

With the foreword from the former Director of Disaster Management and reflections on the importance of being prepared from the current and former Governors of the British Virgin Islands, this guide should be in every household!

About the author:

Claire Hunter is something of an accidental author. She is a nomad who has enjoyed a lifetime of living and working abroad, facilitated by a long career in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Living abroad, and her work with the FCO has presented many opportunities - some more welcome than others.

What she hadn't fully appreciated before the 2017 hurricanes was how skills picked up along the way, from working as a high-level PA for UK senior officials in remote parts of the world to dealing with the personal 'emergencies' of Brits abroad and in trouble would stand her in such good stead in the face of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

A seasoned consular and disaster preparedness professional, and, inspired post-hurricane, now trained in Trauma and Risk Management (TRiM), Claire continues to enjoy living in the British Virgin Islands (despite the fact that hurricanes remain a threat!), where she has lived for 18 years with her two rescue dogs.