By ANGELO ARMBRISTER

Freeport News Reporter

In the event Hurricane Hanna proves to be a real threat to residents, officials from the Grand Bahama Health Services (GBHS) have assured that they are ready to meet the needs of the community and tackle any related emergency.

Rand Hospital Administra-tor Sharon Williams, who met yesterday with the GBHS Disaster Preparedness Committee, said they have already completed the major preparations necessary to respond to emergencies during the pending storm.

"While we cannot predict all eventualities, we are quite ready to manage the effects of conditions as they present," explained Williams. "Out-staff has been advised and adequately prepared for coverage of our facilities that will be operational during the storm.

The hospital administrator pointed out that over the last few years, the GBHS has invested a significant amount of resources to ensure that its facilities are adequately prepared to function during and after storms.

"Medical and pharmaceutical supplies have been checked and are in place to support the system," she said. "Water, gasoline and emergency back-up electrical supplies to all facilities have been checked."

Williams explained that emergency hurricane shelters are all manned to some extent by personnel from the GBHS, who are ready to execute their duties whenever and wherever need be.

She added that the Eight Mile Rock Clinic and the Rand Memorial Hospital will be the only two government health care facilities open during the storm.

"The East End clinics, that is from High Rock to McLeans Town, are closed effective today (Wednesday). All other clinics with the exception of Eight Mile Rock will be closed effective tomorrow (Thursday)," she said.

She said the Eight Mile Rock clinic will be open solely as an emergency response centre only.

Williams added that precautions have been taken to evacuate in the event that the need arises.

To that end she explained that contact has already been made with local private health care institutions — including The Kidney Centre, Lucayan Medical East and the Sunrise Medical Centre — so that in the event the Rand becomes inoperable, GBHS officials will get the use of those facilities.

As far as physical preparation goes, Williams explain-ed that hurricane shutters are in place and only need to be pulled shut when the time is right.

Up to 6 p.m. yesterday, a hurricane warning was in effect for the northwestern Bahamas, which includes Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera and the Berry Islands, while a tropical storm warning was declared for the southeasterly islands of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos,

A hurricane warning means that winds in excess of 73 mph and heavy downpours could be experienced in the warning area within 24 hours.

Hanna is forecasted to pass over the eastern end of Grand Bahama sometime this evening as a category one hurricane and will be north of the island by Friday.

Residents in the warning areas should have already taken the necessary precautions to secure their outdoor properties and are advised by the Freeport Weather Depart-ment to pay close attention to the advisories.