from Wendy Auxillou....

I am not a graduate of the school of emergency management but as a lay person I can tell you what they did right in my eyes.

1. Right from the beginning via the media they made the populace aware of the approaching storm.

2. They placed BDF and police in strategic locations early on.

3. As much as I did not see the need for the Sunday evacuation, by Monday morning when the storm had slid West at 17.5 for more than 15 hours straight, I believe they were dead on in "ordering" an evacuation of the islands. It was not until after most people were evacuated from the islands and perhaps maybe even late Monday night just before landfall that the storm jogged north. Thank goodness it did, and thank goodness the people had evacuated in case it hadn't.

4. I called the police station on Caye Caulker several times during the course of Monday night and each time I was answered politely by someone and apprised of the situation on CC. I thought the PR was excellent.

5. I did not agree with the Belize City evacuation but then again I haven't heard the reasons why "they" did that. If you will notice, I keep putting "they" in quotes because I really don't know if there was an "official" evacuation order give or if it was a request for volunteers.

6. We have stopped getting updates on this list, but not because the information flow re Dean has stopped means NEMO is not on the ground working. You don't know that and I don't know that. For all we know they could be on foot or in doreys across flooded villages all over Corozal and Orange Walk distributing relief supplies as we speak. In fact, from past experience, I would lean towards beliving this is the case as we speak.

And THAT is what makes me give them the thumbs up.

Thanks and cheers,
Wendy

Ditto Wendy....I sent Jim Mohammed an email yesterday thanking him and his staff for all their direction and hard work. The updates via email were very important and informative, and their "voluntary evacuation" order was a good way for us to get our guests inland so that we could complete our own preparations. Once we lost power, they were timely in their updates on the radio, and things went very smoothly. My hat's off to them.

Jim Jan--is the Man--Let him sleep for a few days--No body bags this time--that says it all!!!