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Alert System Delays on Puerto Rico Raise Fears as Hurricane Dorian Skims Island New Emergency Sirens Sat in Storage as Hurricane Dorian Skimmed Puerto Rico
(about 7 hours later)
[Read Thursday’s live briefing for updates on Hurricane Dorian.][Read Thursday’s live briefing for updates on Hurricane Dorian.]
Even before Hurricane Dorian grazed Puerto Rico on Wednesday, some of the island’s emergency preparation systems had already fallen short despite a scramble to ready residents for disaster.Even before Hurricane Dorian grazed Puerto Rico on Wednesday, some of the island’s emergency preparation systems had already fallen short despite a scramble to ready residents for disaster.
Last year, federal and local emergency managers announced with fanfare that they had installed the first technologically advanced emergency alert siren downstream of the Guajataca Dam, the largest dam in western Puerto Rico.Last year, federal and local emergency managers announced with fanfare that they had installed the first technologically advanced emergency alert siren downstream of the Guajataca Dam, the largest dam in western Puerto Rico.
At the time, television news crews clamored to record the new alert as the words “This is a test — do not take action” bellowed through the lush green region. The system was seen as a big improvement for the vulnerable area, where hundreds of people live beside a dam that retains the largest water source for the western part of the island. The dam’s spillway cracked during Hurricane Maria, sending emergency workers rushing door to door to get people out of their homes.At the time, television news crews clamored to record the new alert as the words “This is a test — do not take action” bellowed through the lush green region. The system was seen as a big improvement for the vulnerable area, where hundreds of people live beside a dam that retains the largest water source for the western part of the island. The dam’s spillway cracked during Hurricane Maria, sending emergency workers rushing door to door to get people out of their homes.
The solar-powered and satellite-activated system was to employ seven permanent sirens to announce dam-break warnings and mudslides for miles, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced in September 2018. But two years after Hurricane Maria forced the evacuation of the residents near the Guajataca Dam, the bulk of the $1.2 million in siren equipment is still sitting in storage on the island.The solar-powered and satellite-activated system was to employ seven permanent sirens to announce dam-break warnings and mudslides for miles, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced in September 2018. But two years after Hurricane Maria forced the evacuation of the residents near the Guajataca Dam, the bulk of the $1.2 million in siren equipment is still sitting in storage on the island.
The reason: The Puerto Rican government still has not granted itself the permits required to install all the alerts.The reason: The Puerto Rican government still has not granted itself the permits required to install all the alerts.
FEMA, local emergency management officials, city leaders and even the company that FEMA paid to install the sirens cannot explain why the installation has taken so long. The delays have raised questions about Puerto Rico’s hurricane response plan, even as a Category 1 hurricane barreled by the island this week.FEMA, local emergency management officials, city leaders and even the company that FEMA paid to install the sirens cannot explain why the installation has taken so long. The delays have raised questions about Puerto Rico’s hurricane response plan, even as a Category 1 hurricane barreled by the island this week.
“It is a very vulnerable area. The time the people there have to flee if there is a break is very minimal, because they are very close to the dam,” said Vicente Valle, the public safety director in Isabela, where the dam is. “This is serious, very serious. Those sirens are vital.”“It is a very vulnerable area. The time the people there have to flee if there is a break is very minimal, because they are very close to the dam,” said Vicente Valle, the public safety director in Isabela, where the dam is. “This is serious, very serious. Those sirens are vital.”
LRAD Corp., the San Diego company that sold the systems to Puerto Rico and delivered them this spring, said it had not gotten answers. The company’s contract, which includes installation, has had to be extended three times, records show. LRAD Corporation, the San Diego company that sold the systems to Puerto Rico and delivered them this spring, said it had not gotten answers. The company’s contract, which includes installation, has had to be extended three times, records show.
“We have been looking into the delay, and are very disappointed,” said Richard S. Danforth, the company’s chief executive.“We have been looking into the delay, and are very disappointed,” said Richard S. Danforth, the company’s chief executive.
Functioning sirens are vital in Puerto Rico, where even the smallest rainstorm can knock out electricity and cause mudslides. Many rural areas do not have cellphone service and residents depend on the alarms to learn of evacuation orders. During Hurricane Maria in 2017, a family of four died in Toa Baja, about 60 miles east of Isabela, when city leaders opened the floodgates of a different dam. It was later revealed that the sirens had not functioned. Functioning sirens are vital in Puerto Rico, where even the smallest rainstorm can knock out electricity and cause mudslides. Many rural areas do not have cellphone service, and residents depend on the alarms to learn of evacuation orders. During Hurricane Maria in 2017, a family of four died in Toa Baja, about 60 miles east of Isabela, when city leaders opened the floodgates of a different dam. It was later revealed that the sirens had not functioned.
In a statement, FEMA said it was reviewing Puerto Rico’s reimbursement for the sirens, which was managed by the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency, known as PREMA.In a statement, FEMA said it was reviewing Puerto Rico’s reimbursement for the sirens, which was managed by the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency, known as PREMA.
“The only information provided by the applicant (PREMA) is that one acoustic alarm in the Dam was installed during the Emergency Period of Performance. FEMA is still reviewing the invoice submitted by the applicant for reimbursement,” the statement said. “The only information provided by the applicant (PREMA) is that one acoustic alarm in the Dam was installed during the Emergency Period of Performance,” the statement said. “FEMA is still reviewing the invoice submitted by the applicant for reimbursement.”
Carlos Acevedo, the Puerto Rico emergency management commissioner, said three sirens had been installed. However, two of those are portable sirens and one was put up by LRAD at its own cost. The seven permanent sirens that Puerto Rico paid for are still in storage.Carlos Acevedo, the Puerto Rico emergency management commissioner, said three sirens had been installed. However, two of those are portable sirens and one was put up by LRAD at its own cost. The seven permanent sirens that Puerto Rico paid for are still in storage.
“They are not in danger,” Mr. Acevedo said of the people nearby, adding that tests showed that the three sirens now in place were loud enough to reach all the area homes.“They are not in danger,” Mr. Acevedo said of the people nearby, adding that tests showed that the three sirens now in place were loud enough to reach all the area homes.
After an inquiry from The New York Times, Isabela’s mayor, Carlos Delgado, said he checked with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, which owns the dam. The agency said most of the sirens are still in storage, because the electric company is waiting for another government agency to give permits to install the posts required. After an inquiry from The New York Times, Isabela’s mayor, Carlos Delgado, said he checked with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, which owns the dam. The agency said most of the sirens were still in storage because the electric company was waiting for another government agency to give permits to install the posts required.
“They said it was not in their hands, that it depended on other agencies,” Mr. Delgado said. “It’s too long a delay, but normal for Puerto Rico. Basically, it’s bureaucracy.”“They said it was not in their hands, that it depended on other agencies,” Mr. Delgado said. “It’s too long a delay, but normal for Puerto Rico. Basically, it’s bureaucracy.”
A political crisis that gripped the island this summer created a bottleneck in many agencies, which seemed to stand still as Puerto Rico waited to find out who would run the island. Former Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló was widely criticized for his response to Hurricane Maria, and was forced out of office in July for that response and other reasons.A political crisis that gripped the island this summer created a bottleneck in many agencies, which seemed to stand still as Puerto Rico waited to find out who would run the island. Former Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló was widely criticized for his response to Hurricane Maria, and was forced out of office in July for that response and other reasons.
The new governor, Wanda Vázquez, told Puerto Ricans that the government was ready for a potential disaster.The new governor, Wanda Vázquez, told Puerto Ricans that the government was ready for a potential disaster.
“Agencies are working,” she said in a news conference on Wednesday. “We are ready and prepared to respond.”“Agencies are working,” she said in a news conference on Wednesday. “We are ready and prepared to respond.”
But telecommunications workers in Puerto Rico said the Rosselló administration had never upgraded the 911 system, which collapsed during Maria, causing ambulance delays. It was among the reasons cited for the death toll of up to 3,000 people.But telecommunications workers in Puerto Rico said the Rosselló administration had never upgraded the 911 system, which collapsed during Maria, causing ambulance delays. It was among the reasons cited for the death toll of up to 3,000 people.
The government has not purchased the technology that would allow a 911 dispatcher to pinpoint a caller’s location, and has not replaced the dozens of dispatchers who have quit and left the island since 2017, according to Aramis Cruz, president of the local Communications Workers of America union. The government did buy satellite phones for police, fire and ambulance stations, but Mr. Cruz said the 911 operators have yet to be given the numbers of those phones.The government has not purchased the technology that would allow a 911 dispatcher to pinpoint a caller’s location, and has not replaced the dozens of dispatchers who have quit and left the island since 2017, according to Aramis Cruz, president of the local Communications Workers of America union. The government did buy satellite phones for police, fire and ambulance stations, but Mr. Cruz said the 911 operators have yet to be given the numbers of those phones.
The 911 computer maps do not include many newer highways and subdivisions, Mr. Cruz said. If someone calls 911 from a development built in the last five years, he said, “I look at my computer, and it shows a mountain.”The 911 computer maps do not include many newer highways and subdivisions, Mr. Cruz said. If someone calls 911 from a development built in the last five years, he said, “I look at my computer, and it shows a mountain.”
“We are improvising,” Mr. Cruz said.“We are improvising,” Mr. Cruz said.
His boss disagreed.His boss disagreed.
“I don’t understand why they are expressing that information, which is incorrect,” the 911 commissioner, Yazmín González Morales said. “I don’t understand why they are expressing that information, which is incorrect,” the 911 commissioner, Yazmín González Morales, said.
Jenniffer M. Santos-Hernández, who researches disaster response at the University of Puerto Rico, said island leaders had failed in shoring up the emergency response preparation at the local level. Equipment is purchased, but often nobody knows how to use it, she said.Jenniffer M. Santos-Hernández, who researches disaster response at the University of Puerto Rico, said island leaders had failed in shoring up the emergency response preparation at the local level. Equipment is purchased, but often nobody knows how to use it, she said.
“You talk to community leaders and they say: ‘I have a raft to evacuate people in a flood.’ But they have a lot of aging, immobile people in their community. You look at them, look at the raft and think, ‘not sure how this is going to happen.’” She added that technology purchases had created a false sense of preparednes. “You talk to community leaders and they say, ‘I have a raft to evacuate people in a flood.’ But they have a lot of aging, immobile people in their community. You look at them, look at the raft and think, ‘not sure how this is going to happen.’” She added that technology purchases had created a false sense of preparedness.
On Wednesday evening, Ms. Vázquez said that Hurricane Dorian had served as an “extraordinary exercise” in which agency chiefs, mayors and other government employees executed hurricane preparedness plans.On Wednesday evening, Ms. Vázquez said that Hurricane Dorian had served as an “extraordinary exercise” in which agency chiefs, mayors and other government employees executed hurricane preparedness plans.
“There is always room for improvement,” she said. “Where there is need for improvement, we will improve.”“There is always room for improvement,” she said. “Where there is need for improvement, we will improve.”