PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM);--- The Office of Disaster Management (ODM), is calling on residents to make use of the opportunity to clean up their yards and surroundings in connection with the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
The first named storm of the Atlantic season, Andrea, formed earlier this week in the far northeastern North Atlantic between Bermuda and the Azores but has already dissipated.
The short-lived tropical storm is a stark reminder that the hurricane season is active, and conditions are becoming favorable in the coming weeks for the formation of additional storms and hurricanes; therefore, the community and business sectors are called upon to be storm-ready.
Take action and utilize the time now to get rid of items in your yard. Waste disposal companies have announced and published (daily print newspaper) their schedules via various forms of media, indicating when they will be picking up different forms of debris and waste.
ODM says this is the time to get rid of unwanted items that may serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes or debris that could damage homes and businesses during a storm or hurricane threat to the nation.
Source reduction is the key to decreasing the mosquito population. Due to the tropical nature of our climate, breeding habitats are in abundance, and many of them are unfortunately man-made.
Mosquito breeding sites include any place where water can settle for a certain time. This includes tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vases, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools, boats on dry dock, or other containers that collect and hold water.
Now is the time to trim back tree branches from your home; cut all dead or weak branches on any trees on your property; clean up your yard and throw away items that could blow away during the passing of a hurricane by making use of the weekly published schedules of waste disposal companies.
The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and resources you need on how to prepare your family, home, or business for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide’ and “Hurricane Tracking Chart.” The information here is also valuable for new residents.
Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV – 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during, and after a hurricane. You can also follow weather-related news and information, as well as national addresses by the Prime Minister, chairperson of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), by going to the @SXMGOV Facebook Page.
For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/
