STATEMENT BY DEPUTY GOVERNOR
DAVID ARCHER, JR
ON THE SERIES OF EARTHQUAKES IN PR/VI REGION

7^th JANUARY 2020

Good day to all public officers.

As you all would have heard – or felt – by now, the Territory has been feeling some shaking from a series of seismic events with a general epicentre just south of Puerto Rico.

I know that all this activity will have many of us in the Public Service on edge. As we have seen once again from our brothers and sisters in Ponce and other surrounding towns in Puerto Rico, earthquakes have the potential to cause significant damage to buildings, tourism sites and other critical structures.

 That Territory’s public officers today face the challenge of restoring power and making transportation repairs while bracing for the expected aftershocks when these types of events occur. A similar situation can be expected in the BVI if we are impacted to this extent as we are located in the same seismically active region.

I make an urgent appeal to department and agency heads to take out your disaster management plans and review them now. Begin testing your earthquake procedures with your staff using the drop, cover and hold on technique.

I know that with practice, any nervousness or fear that our public officers may feel at the thought of a seismic event can be replaced with calm and confidence.

I thank you in advance for your recognition of the importance of remaining in a state of readiness of all the hazards to which we are vulnerable in the Territory, and encourage you to #BeReady.