The company was founded in 1987 when David Rowntree recognised a gap in the market for offering aluminum products to replace wooden windows, doors and shutters.

He combined his last name and his wife’s maiden name, Conyers, to produce the company name.

Today, the thriving business has a purpose-built showroom and warehouse on Cemetery Road in Pembroke.

Known for its professional, efficient and friendly service, TreeCon sells window, door and shutter products, and is a popular supplier to residential and commercial property owners, architects and contractors.

Assistant manager LuVince Cann said TreeCon is dedicated to providing the best products at the best prices.

“We have systematically chosen our suppliers to ensure that they meet our requirements for reliable and cost-effective products.

“Bermudians are very demanding with their wants and needs when it comes to their homes. They demand a quality product that accentuates their living spaces. We have been meeting those needs for nearly four decades.”

TreeCon is the only company in Bermuda offering products by PGT Innovations, the largest American manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors.

Mr Cann said: “Hands down, they deliver the best in storm protection by using impact glass in their windows, sliding glass doors and French doors, which is a process where two panes of glass are connected by a vinyl interlayer and baked to create an almost impervious windowpane.

“That, coupled with either an aluminum or vinyl frame (also known as PVC), creates a superior product that is perfect for Bermuda. Not only is it strong, it provides a layer of security that will help keep you safe by making it more difficult for burglars to break in.”

Impact windows can help reflect outside heat and regulate temperatures inside your home.

“Glass tint on impact windows is a very effective way to reduce energy costs and save money on your electricity bill. Impact windows also dramatically reduce outdoor noise.”

TreeCon sells a variety of folding doors, also known as folding glass walls, or accordion-style doors. Available with an interior veneer wood finish, they come in various colours.

Mr Cann said: “This product is quite popular in Bermuda as it provides safety and accessibility.”

Vinyl garage doors, meanwhile, are strong, made for Bermuda’s climate, and customisable in various styles and colours.

Two other types of hurricane screens are available: insect screens and shade screens.

“They are durable, cost effective, available in several screen colours, and they last a long time in the Bermuda environment,” Mr Cann said.

TreeCon also supplies glass railings.

“We can fit out your entire balcony, pool area (wind break), living area, garden – and even your entire house – with customised glass enclosures,” Mr Cann said.

He said canvas awnings are a popular, affordable option to bring shade and provide outdoor comfortability.

“They are stylish, and available in your choice of canvas colours in solids or stripes. The awnings are very stable structurally, another benefit.”

Retractable screens for protection from the elements, including flying debris and insects, are also popular.

Mr Cann said: “The Dreamscreen, for which we are the sole provider in Bermuda, is an affordable option to achieve these goals. The screens are retractable, durable, and there is an option for a motorised horizontal screen that spans up to 20 feet.”

TreeCon also supplies a wide variety of swinging doors in both aluminum/steel and PVC and has a wide range of locks and handles from premium brand, Schlage.

Mr Cann added: “If something is not available on island, we will source it for you.”

The post Shelter from the storm appeared first on RG Magazines.

For more than three decades, Bermuda has played a huge role in helping the world cope with the unpredictable devastation wreaked by hurricanes.

In turn, this has helped Bermuda build a crucial pillar to its economy by establishing itself as the world’s risk capital.

The historical roots of our global (re)insurance market stem from Hurricane Andrew, which hit South Florida as a catastrophic category 5 hurricane in August 1992.

In Andrew’s aftermath, eight highly capitalised property catastrophe reinsurers were established in Bermuda, offering much needed capacity, particularly in a Florida insurance market where prices were rising sharply.

These include RenaissanceRe, which has since grown to become the world’s fourth largest reinsurer, and Partner Re, which likewise continues to be an important global participant.

As a global leader, Bermuda’s reinsurance market consistently grew over time, enhancing its relevance and helping to close protection gaps for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. For example, following the devastating hurricanes of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005, the market grew substantially.

Today, Bermuda consistently holds about one-third of global reinsurance capacity, and is a premier hub for catastrophe reinsurance, Insurance-Linked Securities and most recently, InsurTech companies. According to the latest figures, the island’s internationally respected, independent and integrated financial services regulator, the Bermuda Monetary Authority supervises more than 1,200 (re)insurance companies managing $1.9 trillion in assets.

Someone who experienced much of this exciting period of growth firsthand was Stephen Weinstein, the founder and CEO of Mangrove Property Insurance, whose career began at Wall Street in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.

In between those roles, Mr Weinstein has two decades experience as a senior executive and

was an executive committee member at RenaissanceRe.

Mr Weinstein is also a past chair of the Bermuda Business Development Agency, where he guided important strategic initiatives to support Bermuda’s position as a premier international financial hub.

“Over my career I have seen Bermuda build decades of strength in natural catastrophe risk management,” Mr Weinstein said.

“As a market, Bermuda has invested in a superior understanding of climate-driven perils like tropical windstorms.

“Consistently following disruptive natural catastrophes, the Bermuda market has responded quickly. No one understands the risks of hurricanes and other extreme weather events better than the experts in the Bermuda reinsurance market, and no one has a better track record of honouring their claims promises than the companies here. The historical default rate in Bermuda’s third-party market is literally zero.”

Helping vulnerable communities rebuild

“Bermuda is the best place in the world to capitalise, operate and domicile global business-to-business technical strategies,” Mr Weinstein said.

“As a global leader in property insurance and reinsurance, Bermuda plays a vital role in helping to close the protection gap for some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.”

As former chair of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Mr Weinstein knows about the importance of protecting the natural environment.

“Bermuda has been leading on climate for 400 years and had the first-ever piece of legislation passed in the western world to protect an endangered species, for sea turtles in the early 1600s,” he said.

“Today, part of what BIOS does is share the results of its research with the Bermuda’s (re)insurance market as a public good but also to enhance the market’s understanding of hurricanes.”

BIOS’ chief operating officer, Dr Mark Guishard, expounded further upon on the important partnership between Bermuda’s scientific community and its global (re)insurance market.

“BIOS has been engaging with the local risk market for over 30 years, since Hurricane Andrew’s devastating impact led to questions about storms and climate,” Dr Guishard said.

“Through our science/business partnership, the Risk Prediction Initiative, we’ve focused attention on trends and variability of hurricanes, severe weather and winter storms.

“This has led to meaningful breakthroughs that have resulted in adjustments of views of risk, and updates to catastrophe modelling methods.”

The Bermuda/Florida Trading Partnership

This is one of the most important trading relationships in the world and is estimated to be valued at

approximately $60 to $65 billion annually.

Mr Weinstein said: “I have no doubt the post-Andrew Florida homeowners’ market would not exist without Bermuda. But I think the reverse is true, in that Bermuda’s market leadership begins with

its unique access to the world’s peak risk, which is Florida Property.”

In 2025, Mr Weinstein became founder and CEO of Mangrove Property Insurance Company.

“We launched Mangrove in part to reflect a partnership ethos with reinsurers, particularly Bermuda-based reinsurers,” he said.

“We reflect in our very name that we put down roots in both of my homes. Mangroves are resilient, adaptable, and essential to the protection of vulnerable coastlines.

“These unique trees thrive in challenging conditions, saltwater, shifting tides and low-oxygen

environments yet they grow strong, stabilise the shoreline, and create safe havens for life to flourish.”

“It’s part of our core identity and competitive advantage that our leadership team has unique strong relationships with some of the world’s leading reinsurers, who are disproportionately resident in

Bermuda,” Mr Weinstein said.

“The part of my strategy that I have the most conviction in is, I know our partners in the reinsurance

community will support us.

“In our inaugural year, we bought more reinsurance than any Florida start-up ever, and we believe we bought deeper in the tail with real protection than any Florida home-owners carrier.

“We are trying to reflect both the expertise of the Mangrove team but also the information we glean in partnership with our reinsurers.

“When Mangrove rebuilds a home in Florida, we want to build-back better. Our white labelled Grove Repair Solution is structured to reflect both excellent claim service as well as the insights that we glean in part from our partnership with reinsurers including Bermuda reinsurers.”

Mangrove Insurance has been approved by Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation to provide property and casualty insurance to Florida homeowners.

To learn more, visit www.mangrove-fl.com.

The post Helping vulnerable communities recover appeared first on RG Magazines.

But as storm awareness increases – and technology becomes more advanced – many of us have stepped up our game in recent years.

Jonathan Gaugain, the owner of J&S Home, which makes and sells shutters, said: “People are calling ahead of time, in the off season, so they’re ready for hurricane season.

“Some people are even buying storm shutters for their whole house. They want to close it all up, perhaps putting the shutters on the entire south side of their home, or maybe on their whole second level instead of closing a traditional shutter.”

The long-running family business in Elliott Street West, Hamilton, is Bermuda’s first and only manufacturer of motorised shades, vertical blinds, roller shades and exterior storm shutters.

The company makes its own hurricane roller shutters, whether manually controlled or motorised, from its in-stock inventory.

Mr Gaugain, who also owns JAG Construction, said: “We buy the raw materials direct from a factory in the United States and assemble the storm shutters here in Bermuda. Other companies get the shutters assembled away and it adds cost.

“We can also do it way faster. You can get the storm shutters from us in two to four weeks from the time of ordering, depending on our workload.

“That quick turnaround time is our biggest advantage – and we are offering the same product at a lower price. So, we have an advantage in two areas over everybody else.”

J&S also offers traditional-style aluminium colonial shutters, awning shutters and clear hurricane panels. While the roller storm shutters are Category 4 hurricane-rated, the storm panels are not.

“Those clear panels are nice and they work, and we can supply them if an owner wants them. Unlike the roller shutters, though, you have to have somewhere to store them. For convenience, security and privacy reasons, the roller storm shutter is probably best.”

J&S also offers storm protection services, an annual check-up that ensures that storm shutters are ready to provide protection when the time comes. As the shutters are manufactured here, J&S Home has a vast inventory of spare parts should the need arise.

Mr Gaugain said: “It’s best if you’re proactive about taking care of your storm shutters. We can come out, oil them, and make sure nothing’s broken. That way, when a storm does come, you’re ready to go.”

Evolving with the times

Innovation has been the driving force behind J&S Home for seven decades.

Starting out as a carpentry shop in Royal Naval Dockyard in 1950 as Jeffery and Sons, the company progressed through several iterations and locations – a hardware store on Front Street in Hamilton, a dry cleaners in North Hamilton, and a move to Shelly Bay during the 1960s which saw it become the custom blind manufacturer and retail store that continues today.

In 1991, David Jeffery – the third generation of the family to run the business – took over management before purchasing Jeffery and Sons outright. He introduced custom roller shades and exterior storm shutters to the company’s manufacturing line.

Mr Jeffery died in 2010, and the company has since undergone a transition to a more modern business, sporting a 500-square-foot showroom and new product lines including fibreglass pergolas and custom closets.

Four years ago, the company made one more move from rented space on Cemetery Road in Pembroke to its own premises at Elliott Street West.

Now rebranded as J&S Home, the company’s three staff operate from a sensitively restored historic cottage located just steps from the eastern entrance to Bull’s Head Car Park.

The book, Hamilton Town and City, part of the Bermuda National Trust’s architectural heritage series, says the building was built by merchant and Mayor of Hamilton, William Thomas James, who owned the property in the mid-1800s.

Mr Gaugain, who is the stepson of Mr Jeffrey, bought the building about five years ago from businessman Kenneth DeFontes.

In addition to housing a modern showroom, the building features a 1,200-square-foot manufacturing and storage space.

Blinds, shades, pergolas

Aside from storm protection products, the company’s vertical blinds, which have been a best-seller for 30 years, and roller shades, have proven particularly popular with both residential and commercial property owners.

“We were probably the leading supplier of vertical blinds in the commercial sector for many, many years. We’ve done jobs like HSBC and Bank of Butterfield. We did the entire Butterfield building with verticals. We’ve always had a good product. They’re practical, affordable and durable, and we have provided good service.

“The same goes for the roller shades. They’re really durable, and you can easily clean them. We’ve done a lot of them in the hospital because they have anti-fungal and bacterial ratings. Roller shades have become our biggest seller.”

Of the company’s new product line of fibreglass pergolas, Mr Gaugain said: “Being made of fibreglass, the pergolas are like a boat. They keep their colour, require no maintenance, and are strong and attractive.”

Protect your home

RG Hurricane top tips

• Check for damage all-year-round, not just in hurricane season. Fix problems as soon as you spot them.
• Maintain roofs and gutters. Get a professional to look for cracks and seal them to prevent leaks.
• Block rainwater drains to prevent debris getting into your tank.
• Ensure doors and windows are locked. If they don’t lock properly, secure with a screw.
• Secure outdoor items so they don’t become projectiles.
• If you don’t have shutters, board your windows and doors with material at least half-an-inch thick. Drill them into place, but do not drill directly into the glass frame.
• Secure gas tubes and cylinders by anchoring them upright to a rigid structure using straps or chains.

The post Shutting out the storm appeared first on RG Magazines.

While headlines focus on categories and numbers, those who have lived through these storms know that their true power lies in the experience itself: how they sound, how they feel, what they take, and what they leave behind.

In Bermuda, hurricanes are remembered not by statistics, but by the stories they leave in their wake.

My own first real experience of hurricanes was Hurricane Emily in 1987.

At that time, I worked for a captive management company which was headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.

We closed our local office early that day and everyone went home. Right in the middle of the hurricane, I received a call from head office. The woman told me that she wasn’t getting an answer from the office.

So, I explained that we were in a hurricane and I was at home. Not to be outdone she declared that she could not hear any strong winds, especially if it was a hurricane.

Fair point – however as luck would have it (or not) at that very time we were experiencing the eye of the hurricane, hence there was absolutely no noise. Even the birds outside my window were hushed. Emily was a direct hit on the island.

To this day I’m not sure she believed me.

Hot nights without power

In another serious blow, I will never forget the impact of Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

By then we were living in Hamilton Parish, and we had a lovely lady who lived next door. A most talented schoolteacher who lived on her own. So, as neighbours do, we invited her over the first night we were without power.

Needless to say, we had every excuse to partake of an alcoholic beverage (vodka as I recall) because tea, coffee, even a cold juice, were not available.

We were thoroughly convinced we were doing right. And while I haven’t drunk much (if any) thereafter, including to this very day, our one-night party turned into nine nights – in fact 220 hours to be precise.

We say outside, even though September was hot (even worse inside), on our balcony overlooking Shelly Hall and beyond, all the way to Dockyard.

Thankfully, our beverage of choice helped to combat the annoyance of watching the rest of the neighbourhood, and for some distance, get their power back, one by one, night after night. Each night for the nine nights, we kept convincing ourselves that it is “getting closer”.

Worse than the jungles

We had good friends back at that time, who lived across from the hospital, in a slightly hilly area. Apparently, the same hurricane blew the windows of their house out at both back and front in the middle of the first night.

He told me: “Bill, for a few years I served in the British Army in several tough places around the world. From astonishing heat in the Middle East to jungles in the Far East, to typically English rain. But I have never been so scared as I was that first night. There was nothing I could do.”

The wind and rain were coming in the front side of his house, blowing straight through and out the back side, taking everything in its wake.

“While I never served in heavy combat in the Army, there were many skirmishes now and again and I honestly believed they were the most frightening times of my life. Until I was faced with Hurricane Fabian.” A not-forgettable time of life.

Community spirit

Hurricane Franklin, in 2023, caused enormous damage not only to the Crawl Hill gas station itself but heavily impacted the entire community.

The station took the full brunt of the winds from the ocean right across the street and severely damaged the large metal canopy that covers the gas pumps. The result was that the remaining structure was deemed to be a serious structural risk. It had to close and did not reopen until early 2024.

According to Joe Marable, the station’s operator, while the long closure was a clear and frustrating struggle in terms of rebuilding, the loss of revenue was catastrophic.

“It took us over a year to get back on our feet and in some respects, we are still not back to full strength,” he said.

Mr Marable, however, added: “Throughout the ordeal, the community supported us immensely. Neighbours would sometimes just swing by to say hello and make sure we were on the mend.

“It is sometimes hard to fully appreciate how the community relies on essential services such as gas stations across the island.”

In other words, the impact of severe storms is not just what happened during the storm, but in many cases, throughout the time it takes to rebuild not only the physical damage but the knock-on effect to other people and the emotional toll.

It is abundantly clear that advance warnings of impending storms and the advice to have essentials like food, water, plywood perhaps, tools, tarpaulins and some form of light in the house or business premises is critical to support people, property and perhaps above all, emotions.

Predicting localised damage is almost impossible, but being prepared is clear, simple and essential.

Many years ago, I was speaking with an insurance executive who had visited Bermuda many times. He said he couldn’t figure out why an island in the middle of the Atlantic, only 20 miles long, can be battered so severely by major hurricanes.

How does it even find the island? he asked.

After I had tried to explain that hurricanes typically follow a standard path emanating from the Caribbean, travelling over warm waters, sometimes skirting the Eastern Seaboard and then normally barrelling north-east, there is no doubt that Bermuda is always on the lookout.

I asked him: “Do you accept that Florida can easily, sometimes regularly, be hit with hurricanes?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“And do hurricanes move north, not south?”

“Yes,” said he.

I rest my case.

The post Hurricanes that shape us appeared first on RG Magazines.

“Even if you skip one milking, it can get really bad,” explained McLaren Smith, 35.

Mr Smith is one of the owners of Westover Farm in Sandys, the family farm where he grew up, and, in addition to their dairy herd, they also have sheep, goats, and a wide variety of vegetables and grains.

On the day we meet, his 40 sheep are all pregnant, and he is expecting about 60 to 70 lambs within the next two months. His dairy herd consists of 17 cows – 16 Holstein Friesians and one Jersey cow. He is hoping to increase this herd to about 60 or 70 milking cows.

Like everyone else, when a major storm threatens the island, it’s all hands on deck securing the farm infrastructure.

“We make sure all the roofs are fixed, properly tied down. We’ve got to cut the trees away from the wires,” he said.

The livestock not be under these roofs. With the exception of the very young calves, he lets the animals out into the open fields where they take care of themselves and each other.

“They all huddle. They’ll move around the field as a herd,” he explained.

For the sheep, he added: “If there’s any young stock, they’ll put young stock in the centre and all of them will surround them, and they’ll take turns going in the middle. The cows tend to do the same thing, but they’re big animals, so they’ll just find a spot in the field and hunker down for the night and they’ll move around as the wind changes.”

Any calf of three months old or younger cannot remain outside in these conditions because their bodies haven’t developed enough to handle it, and the constant wind could make them sick, or worse. Instead they will be brought into the milking area, where they can be shut in securely.

While hurricanes are far from ideal conditions for dairy cows, they only have a minor impact on milk production, and this isn’t caused by stress, but by the fact that they are moving around a lot.

“They’re not able to lay down so we will see a slight decrease in milk, the next milking. But, once the storm’s passed, then you’re back up. So, we’re only looking at one milking where the milk will actually decrease,” Mr Smith said.

Nervy times

The process of getting them milked during the hurricane can be quite stressful for the farmer, especially as cows do not like being in the holding pen during a storm, while waiting to be milked. They will run around in circles and kick, so he said he just has to get it done as quickly as possible.

Once the power goes, a generator fuels all the equipment and gets the milk cold.

In addition to bringing his dairy herd in to be milked, Mr Smith also needs to bring the sheep in to be fed and has to walk the fields, checking the animals and making sure the fences are still up.

“We don’t want to put them in barns because if anything happens to the structural integrity of the barn, then they could injure the cows,” he explained.

Does he ever feel nervous about being out in a hurricane? “Yeah, I had a piece of roofing fly across my head a few years ago and I didn’t see it until it went past me.”

Taking a dip

Mr Smith has witnessed his fair share of storms and, without wanting to tempt fate, his animals have been kept safe so far. This doesn’t mean he hasn’t had worries or surprises, such as after one hurricane, when they woke up to find almost all their sheep had jumped into the ocean.

“I was probably about 16 years old when that happened,” he recalled. “It wasn’t hurricane force winds, but it was still pretty strong, and we went to check the sheep and they weren’t there. When we looked in the water, we could just see little white heads in the water.”

Amazingly, and in spite of the weather, none of them drowned, thanks to Mr Smith and his Uncle, Richard Bascome Sr.

“I had to jump in the water and swim them in, one by one. That was fun,” he laughed.

His uncle was on the rocks, hoisting them up. Back then they had around 60 sheep, with all but 10 going for a swim.

He can’t be sure exactly why the sheep did that, but something likely scared them. Either that or, he joked, “maybe they were hot and went for a dip”.

On another occasion, both their hay barn and main barn blew away. The main barn landed in a field, but the hay barn was never found and had to be completely rebuilt.

While he has been able to keep his livestock safe during all these hurricanes, unfortunately the same can’t be said for the vegetable side of the farm, which is managed by his cousins, and for which the timing of Bermuda’s hurricane season is particularly cruel.

“Hurricane season is prime planting season, not prime harvesting season,” he said. “That’s when everything’s in the ground so when storms hit, they normally hit when plants are young and you just have to refit and refix.”

In advance of the storm, they will harvest whatever they can and then prepare the crops as much as possible.

For cassava, for example, this means cutting the leaves so there’s nothing for the wind to catch. For everything else, he explained: “You just have to mole them up, which is bringing soil closer to the plant to hopefully keep them steady. It’s a gamble, but that’s all you can do.”

The post The farm must go on appeared first on RG Magazines.

She is a veteran storm-weatherer, and the winds on that high hill have been quite violent over the years.

Her roof has been removed by hurricane force winds more than once, but there was one experience that she recalls most vividly.

“There have been a couple of times storms have taken my roof off. More recently, it was Hurricane Humberto – which happened in September 2019. This was a frightening hurricane to say the least. It was a category 3 storm, which I will always remember,” Mrs Burgess said.

“While I felt there was some movement on the roof of my house during the storm, it wasn’t until after the storm had ceased that I saw that the roof of the house had erupted and broke open like a volcano.

“I do remember trying to get the lawn lights out of the path of the storm. I fell down on the back porch and split open my lip. Fortunately, my teeth were intact. Suffice to say cocoa butter was best friend for the next couple of months.”

Howling winds

The physical toll of a strong hurricane hitting our homes can be devastating, but the lingering trauma and emotional effects can be even more difficult to deal with.

Mrs Burgess was fearful during the storm, but also remarkably brave in the face of nature’s fury.

“I did think it was curtains for me,” she said.

“Prayer was ever present on my mind: I thought I was going to meet my maker. But God had other plans for me at that time.

“Having no lights and no phone service was of no comfort – at least with lights you don’t feel so isolated. All I had were the howling winds to keep me company. I was by myself. During Humberto, two police officers did come by to ask if I wanted to relocate to lower ground. My answer was no – if ‘All-Shays’ went down, I was going down with her!

“While that was a valiant thought, that really wasn’t too smart in retrospect. I think it was more of a romantic idea, if anything.”

Prepare to survive

Protecting our families and homes are the only priorities during a hurricane, and preparation is key. Although there’s not much you can do to prepare for a storm strong enough to rip the stone-slate roof off your home, being prepared to survive inside remains of paramount importance.

During Humberto, Mrs Burgess was determined to see ‘All-Shays’ – which is the name of her home – through, so her preparation had to be on point.

“As with all hurricanes, I made sure I had at least three or four flashlights in working order. My bathtub was filled with water. The tea kettle had been boiled. I also had enough water to drink on hand. I do have an electric stove, so I had to keep foods that do not need to be heated up. I had fruits and canned goods on hand, like sardines and tuna fish, which usually does the job.

“We have such an excellent prediction system of when the hurricane is going to hit that one should take advantage and take care of your business, which does not mean go grocery shopping, because we know that electricity may not be on, and then you would have wasted your money.”

Get insured

While having your roof stolen by a storm is stressful and scary, the aftermath does not always have to be overly traumatic. Depending on who you deal with, getting back to baseline could be quite smooth, even for a single lady homeowner.

“After the storm, I assessed the property and went about getting someone to fix it up. Most contractors I asked were accommodating, and gave me a quote, which I passed onto my insurance company.

“The insurance company came out and assessed the property. Some of the structure was covered, other parts were not covered. I would strongly recommend getting a detailed, itemised list of what is covered and not covered – it does become frustrating when you think you’re fully covered only to find out that certain items are not. That is stressful to the 10th degree.

“Most contractors are sympathetic to your needs. But in some instances, I have met a few that were not sympathetic to my situation. Fortunately, I got rid of them and turned to someone who is willing to help a ‘sister’ out. If you are not familiar with the language pertaining to building structures, get familiar. Ask questions.”

Power of prayer

Some years later, ‘All-Shays’ is still standing tall on that hill in St George’s. Bermudian homes are built to last – and withstanding the wrath of a particularly strong storm is what lasting is all about!

Yes, we lose a roof from time-to-time, but more often than not, we get through. Mrs Burgess closes with the blueprint to getting through.

“My house is an old house. While it has been renovated, there is always cause for concern. My advice to homeowners is to get fixed what you can today – procrastination is not the name of the game!

“With our weather patterns being so unpredictable, it really is to your benefit to do what you can today to prevent any damage to your house or land.

“Prayer is a powerful tool that has served me through all the hurricanes I have experienced on the hill. Get in touch with your Supreme Being – it is helpful and reassuring to know that while you may be physically alone, The Almighty is with you in Spirit.

“Capitalise on that and the dependence factor will be a little easier. If you are with someone, appreciate them and form meaningful memories together, while always remembering to keep God first.”

The post Raising the roof! appeared first on RG Magazines.

Many could be asking how they can best take care of themselves when the power goes out, and possibly panicking about going into labour while the hurricane howls outside.

The good news is that while most of the island hunkers down in their homes, the maternity ward at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is a hive of activity.

“We would have a lot of nurses and moms here,” said Nicole Harvey, Bermuda Hospitals Board clinical manager for the maternity and special care baby unit, who described the atmosphere as “fun”.

This is because the unit is usually full, not just with medical staff, but also heavily pregnant women. “Once we know that a hurricane is likely to be hitting Bermuda, we contact all the mothers that are close to being due, at least a week or two away from their due date, and they get offered a stay at the hospital,” she said.

“They can stay overnight and come maybe 12 hours before the hurricane hits. Just in case they go into labour, they will be here and be safe.”

Twelve hours allows the women to get to the hospital safely before the hospital goes into lockdown for the duration of the storm. The hospital advises ahead of time when that lockdown will begin.

In order to ensure full staffing throughout the duration of a hurricane, there will also be more than one shift of nurses.

Nurse Harvey said: “On any given shift, we have four maternity nurses on days, four on nights, and then in the SCBU, we have three on days and three on nights.

“If the hospital’s going into lockdown, the nurses that are supposed to work that night would have to come in before lockdown and the nurses that will be on the following day shift would have to be here before lockdown.”

An obstetrician is also on duty.

“They take turns, so every hurricane, they have somebody designated to come in, so one obstetrician will stay over and deliver everybody who needs to be delivered,” she said.

“Usually, thankfully, it’s only two or three deliveries and they’re not too overwhelmed.”

In the event that a lot of babies do want to make their entrance into the world however, all the maternity unit nurses are trained midwives who know how to deliver babies.

The downside of having so many staff members in the hospital is that there isn’t always room for the fathers. Nurse Harvey did emphasise however, that wherever possible, they do try to make room for them.

“If they do go into labour during the hurricane, the partner is going to want to be there. But, we do have rooms and we have couches in the rooms for partners to stay.

“If they’re really, really close to the delivery we can allow it, if we have enough space, but that’s after we calculate who’s going to be staying in and how many beds we’ll need.”

While this may not be ideal for the expectant mother, especially if this is her first baby, the nurses try their best to keep everyone’s spirits up.

“It’s a community. They do make it fun because everybody’s stuck here for at least 24 hours,” Nurse Harvey said.

WHAT IF AN EXPECTANT MOTHER DOESN’T WANT TO GO INTO THE HOSPITAL?

“Some of the mothers opt to not stay and they either have family that live close to the hospital or they just feel like they’ll be fine. The obstetrician will express their concerns and they would prefer them to be in hospital, but it’s ultimately the mom’s decision whether they want to stay or not.”

For anyone who is pregnant during a storm, regardless of which stage of pregnancy, Nurse Harvey said it’s important that they

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It was 1609. There was no GPS, no coast guard and no way to track the winds. Hundreds of miles off course, the 300-ton flagship of the London Company was battered for three days and four nights after cruising into the “dangerous quarter of the storm, at about 33 degrees north latitude”.

In command of the journey from Plymouth, England to Jamestown, Virginia were some of Britain’s finest seamen: among them Admiral Sir George Somers, a war hero dubbed “lion at sea”; Captain Christopher Newport, an experienced New World sailor on his fourth journey to Jamestown; and Sir Thomas Gates, appointed to be the governor of the Jamestown colony by King James.

The Atlantic storm that hit them on July 24 was a new danger for them all.

“A hell of darkness turned black upon us,” is how Strachey, an English writer whose works are among the primary sources for the early history of the English colonisation of North America, laid out the ordeal in a letter which is believed to have inspired William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The Chesapeake Research Consortium, a US nonprofit, drew on the letter for its 2005 retelling where it describes how Captain Newport “ran before the gale” hoping to save the ship. The move left them “trapped in the strongest winds swirling about the eye and spiralling towards the centre”.

The monster storm overwhelmed them completely. Waves “as high as mountains” broke over the ship, “swelling and roaring as if in fits, covering the ship from stern to stem, like a garment”. Lightning crackled and the ghostly lights of St Elmo’s fire leapt between the masts.

“Six and sometimes eight men were not enough to hold the whipstaff in the steerage, or the tiller below in the gunner room: by which may be imagined the strength of the storm, in which the sea swelled above the clouds and gave battle unto heaven,” Strachey wrote.

“The violent wrenching literally worked the caulking out of Sea Venture’s seams; the crew was sent creeping below decks with candles to look for leaks and staunch them with anything at hand.”

According to Strachey, although a massive leak in the gunner’s room was stuffed with “I know not how many pieces of beef”, it wasn’t enough; the waters kept rising, presumably because of holes that couldn’t be found.

All of the ship’s 30 seamen and its 120 passengers — many of whom had never been to sea —got to work bailing.

“The water was five feet deep above the ship’s ballast. A huge rogue wave — an unpredictable and abnormally large surface wave — completely buried the ship from her forecastle over the entire waist or central decks. The crew thought the ship was so long submerged that she would simply sink, but slowly Sea Venture laboured up again, still floating.”

Sparks at the rigging added to the terror of the wind, the dark, the huge waves and the rain.

“For four-and-twenty hours the storm in a restless tumult had blown so exceedingly as we could not apprehend in our imaginations any possibility of greater violence…the waters like whole rivers did flood the air…winds and seas were as mad as fury and rage could make them.”

According to Strachey, even though they were removing about 100 tons of water six times a day, the water in the ship’s hull remained ten feet deep.

“Every hour, the passengers bucketed 7,200 to 8,000 gallons of water overboard and they had three deep pumps in continual operation pumping 4,000 strokes at each four-hour watch.”

By July 28, the fourth morning, everyone was close to exhaustion and agreed to simply “shut up the hatches” come nightfall and “commend their sinful souls to God”, having “committed the ship to the mercy of the gale”.

“Prayers might well be in the heart and lips,” Strachey wrote, “but [they were] drowned in the outcries.”

Around midday, they noticed that the water level had “growne five feet deepe above the ballast”, Strachey said. Men were floating rather than walking, it was obvious to everyone that the Sea Venture was going down.

At the exact moment “when no man dreamed of such happiness” Admiral Somers spotted land.

It was so close that he could see the trees swaying.

“But the seafloor, rising quickly beneath them, threatened to split the ship before they could reach shore. Calling on every skill, Somers steered hard, veering between two outcropping rocks. The ship wedged fast and splintered. Sea Venture was destroyed,” wrote Nick D’Alto on Historynet’s The Hurricane that Saved Jamestown.

“It must have seemed like a miracle. Braving the breakers in longboats, everyone was able to make it to shore. Passenger John Rolfe’s wife, ‘who was with childe’, was probably carried into the boat. A resourceful mate even rescued the admiral’s dog. Despite the potentially murderous storm, there had been no fatalities among roughly 150 aboard.”

This miraculous escape, with the ship succumbing close to a tiny area of land in the middle of the vast North Atlantic, proved the start of Bermuda’s history as an inhabited island. And perhaps no story better sums up Bermuda’s motto, “Quo fata ferunt” — whither the fates carry us.

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Gorham’s the hardware and building supplies business based on St John’s Road, Pembroke, has a long history of ensuring generations of Bermudians have had what they need to ride out ferocious storms successfully.

Gorham’s offers a  convenient card that lists essential items for hurricane preparation, which is available at the customer service desk. But even the seasoned professionals at Gorham’s have to be reminded of some essentials.

“The least thought-about item when it comes to hurricanes is tennis balls,” Andrew Mackay, general manager of Gorham’s Ltd, said. We Bermudians know how to use them to block the drains on our roofs, to prevent vegetation and salt spray from getting into our tanks.

The team at Gorham’s prepares thoroughly to be regarded as a one-stop-shop for hurricane supplies. They even transform the layout of the store to be “hurricane central” with smaller, essential items near the front.

They want to ensure that they have what Bermuda needs without running out. Ask any local about where to go to get hurricane supplies, and you’ll most likely get: “Just go to Gorham’s.” As the supplier for everyone, from homeowner to the Department of Works and Engineering, they have the most stock. From gloves, chainsaws, hard hats, tarps, and plywood to rope, buckets, coolers, water, first aid kits, and radios, you truly can find everything you might need.

Their hours are convenient, they’re in a central location and have a staff ready to work as soon as it’s safe again after a storm.

“Our goal isn’t necessarily to have the best price on everything,” Mr Mackay said. “It’s the nature of the beast. However, we aim to have enough diversity and depth of product that you can secure your home and be safe, quickly getting your purchases and heading home to secure your premises.”

They are proud to be known as reliable and having the most useful items in stock when they are needed the most. “If someone needs 30 pairs of gloves or four bundles of plywood, we can supply it without running out,” Mr Mackay said. They are there when everyone needs them.

Gorham’s is affiliated with several major suppliers capable of meeting the spike in demand when a hurricane is looming, and they understand the urgency. Being on standby for hurricane season is the norm. Gorham’s’ hurricane experience, resources, and connections make it possible to have items quickly sent to the island. On arrival, they are moved off the docks as quickly as possible, onto the shelves, and into the hands of the customers who need them.

“Communication is important,” Mr Mackay said. “And we do our best to inform the stevedores team on the Hamilton docks, the shipping lines, and the trucking companies. Everyone realises the importance of hurricane supplies, and everyone is connected. While not considered an essential service provider during a pandemic, we are a priority in the arena for potential natural disaster.”

You will find a hurricane supply list at Gorham’s’ main store, through the Bermuda Government’s website, or through your insurance agency.  Better yet, you might just listen to some good “old-timers” who know what to do.

When the season starts however, it’s best to act early and build your kit.

“People typically only make purchases if there’s an actual emergency and everyone generally buys at the last minute,” Mr Mackay said. If you purchase your supplies ahead of time, you can avoid the rush. As the saying goes, the time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining.

As you’ve probably guessed, tarpaulins, batteries, and duct tape are the first things people look for. Gorham’s carries a variety of everything to meet everyone’s needs. Board games, disposable plates, cups and cutlery, flashlights, battery-operated fans and small propane BBQ’s  — these items are easy to store and can be on hand so that you aren’t caught by surprise.

Given the likelihood of power cuts in a storm’s aftermath, generators are also a big seller, while air-conditioning systems or fans during the summer months are an added benefit during this season, while obviously reliant on a working electricity supply.

“People will also purchase large bottles of water, even though we collect the water from our roofs,” Anne Lindo, the purchasing manager at Gorham’s, said.  It’s true – water is used for drinking, washing, cooking, and cleaning, but we might not trust what is in our tanks. Especially if we forgot to buy the essential tennis balls.

Here is a short list of steps to take and supplies to get in order to ride out the storm:

• Make a plan, review it, practise it, and use a checklist to keep yourself well equipped and aware
• Stock up on medications
• Ensure your insurance policies, for example covering your home, boat, car and home contents, are up to date
• Non-perishable food for up to three days. Don’t forget the manual can opener
• Batteries, gas, portable stove
• Fully-stocked ifrst-aid kit
• Generator
• Pet supplies
• Games and books to stay sane
• Tools
• Sufficient sanitation items, such as toilet paper, feminine products, soap and detergent
• Water (one gallon per person per day)
• Keep important paperwork in waterproof containers
• Special personal needs items such as diapers and formula for a baby, glasses or contact lenses when necessary
• Change of clothing
• Gas in the car or bike
• Cash

The post Resilience comes from preparation appeared first on RG Magazines.

One of our neighbours showed up with a chainsaw, as soon as the wind subsided. Several others wandered up with their brute strength. One thing led to another, and the massive tree section was cleared from our driveway in no time.

I remember lifting the cut pieces of that tree – it was not light! Our neighbours, however, made remarkably light work of it.

This is what it means to be a Bermudian after a storm. If we are able-bodied, we get out and make sure that we all made it through the chaos unscathed. Then we help each other to clear up, or give avocados to those in need, or provide hot meals for folks who don’t have electricity yet … the list, of course, is exhaustive.

Lovitta Foggo, MP for Constituency 3 (St David’s), has always tried to help where she could during hurricane season.

“For me, especially with seniors and those in need, I have helped by providing hurricane supplies, such as LED lamps, batteries, and non-perishable foods; making sure those who did not have the means were adequately supplied with such,” Ms Foggo said.

“I have engaged persons in my constituency who have the means and willingness, to donate supplies such as plywood and free labour, ensuring those in need are properly boarded up and protected.

“I have, with friends and able-bodied persons – especially once a hurricane has passed – gone out to survey the constituency to ensure persons who need assistance are helped. When there was no electricity, my neighbours and my family have cooked our food on grills, ensuring that we, and others could have hot meals. We have also shared our generator so that persons’ refrigerated goods didn’t spoil.

“Hurricanes have a way of humbling us, and reminding us of who we are as individuals. The aftermath of a hurricane reminds us of the value and importance of neighbourly love. It brings to the fore that we are our brothers’ keepers, and that, together, we can overcome.”

Perry Thompson, food and beverage captain at The Loren hotel, has a post-hurricane attitude like my neighbours in the story above.

“Once the hurricane has passed, and it’s deemed safe to go outside, the first thing to check is your property for any damage — roof, yard, fences, vehicles,” Mr Thompson said.

“If there is nothing major, then you take a walk around the neighbourhood. There may have to be clearing of trees and branches from the road. Inspect surrounding houses to see if they need any help in clearing up debris that might have been scattered from the high winds. Almost everyone has tarpaulins stored, so if there’s a roof that needs covering, they would be brought to the house, and the holes covered.

“I know our neighbourhood does not wait for Belco or Works & Engineering to come clear the roads. We come with our goggles, gloves, clippers, rakes, and buckets, and proceed in getting the areas back to normal.”

Retired police officer Hiram Edwards said that during and after a hurricane, “emergency services step up to the plate, and residents and businesses come together for Bermuda. From the engineers and communications folk at Belco and Bermuda Telephone Company, to the staff at the hotels. I am confident our neighbours will continue to always look out for one another.”

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