Category Archives: Bahamas

11-year-old boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reach over 1,200

An 11-year-old Florida boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something.

With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas.

"I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother.

The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies.

Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."

The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered.

Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes, and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "

Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out."

The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

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11-year-old boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reach over 1200 - Greenwich Time

Tourism in The Bahamas is rebounding fast following Hurricane Dorian, which made landfall on two northern islands in September.

Grand Bahama is already welcoming travelers at its cruise port and the island's airport will resume international services next month.

Ferries and cruise lines, including Balearia, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line, are already bringing travelers to Freeport as a number of excursions and sites have reopened, while numerous hotels and resorts are already open or expect to resume operations within weeks, according to a statement

Nassau and Paradise Island, home to the countrys most extensive array of resorts, hotels, restaurants and tour operators, were not affected by Hurricane Dorian and are operating normally, as are The Out Islands.

While The Abacos face a longer road to recovery, the country remains resilient in its commitment to help the island rebuild by maintaining a healthy flow of tourism which accounts for half of the countrys GDP to the islands that were not affected by the storm.

According to the Bahamas National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), Dorian left 65 dead and 895 people housed in shelters.

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Tourism In The Bahamas Rebounds After Hurricane Dorian - Cruise Industry News

An 11-year-old Jupiter boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something. With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas. "I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother. The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies. Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered. Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out." The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

An 11-year-old Jupiter boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something.

With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas.

"I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother.

The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies.

Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."

The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered.

Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "

Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out."

The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

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Local boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reaches over 1,200 - WPBF West Palm Beach

With more than 15 million pairs of new shoes donated to kids in need since 2011, the BOBS from Skechers movement continues to aid disaster-impacted families through its charitable shoe program. Beginning this month, the company plans to distribute thousands of pairs of new shoes to Hurricane Dorian victims in the Bahamas and Storm Imelda-affected families in Houston.

Together with its donation partner Soles4Souls, the Company will ship more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to Nassau; charity organizations Women Supporting Women and Urban Renewal will initially distribute 1,080 shoes to displaced victims of Hurricane Dorian this month, with more distributions anticipated in early 2020. Skechers and Soles4Souls also plan to send more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to the organization Communities in Schools of Houston to support the regions families during the holiday season, as well as in the new year based on need.

Through our relief efforts for previous disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, we understand how challenging it can be to connect with victims when a communitys infrastructure is so deeply impactedand how crucial it is that we continue to offer support to these affected areas months after the media spotlight dims, said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. Healing a community is not a sprint, its a marathonand we are doing what we can to help thousands of these families in the months to come. Although we cant provide shoes for every disaster, we aim to do so for as many as possible, exploring ways to support other communities as they are impacted.

Skechers has donated new shoes to children affected by poverty, homelessness and natural disasters in more than 60 countriesfrom the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Haitis 2010 earthquake; to Superstorm Sandy; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma and Maria; and the 2018 fires in California. The Company most recently donated thousands of shoes to children in need at back-to-school events in Miami and Milwaukee.

Along with its philanthropic efforts for children, the Company also partners with Petco Foundation to help animals nationwide through sales of BOBS from Skechers shoes, apparel and accessories. Since 2015, Skechers has donated more than $4.23 million to animal welfare organizationsfunds that have helped more than 750,000 pets in the United States, including more than 396,000 dogs and cats saved through adoptions.

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Skechers Distributes New Shoes To Storm Victims In The Bahamas And Houston - SGB Media

CHARLOTTE Before the Timberwolves opening game against Brooklyn, Karl-Anthony Towns pulled out a book by the Lebanese-American author Kahlil Gibran and began reading.

Towns is a fan of Gibran, specifically his most famous work, The Prophet, which has sold millions of copies since its original publication in 1923. Its a collection of over two dozen prose poems that touch on lifes major issues love, family, freedom, friendship and death. It came recommended to Towns by his cousin, and then Towns saw it in a bookstore.

That book, at a time in my life I needed help and needed wisdom, it gave me everything I needed Towns said. I always feel like when I go into Barnes & Noble, its more God telling me what he wants me to read. I just felt that was the book that he was telling me I needed to read at that point. I did and it was very fortunate.

Towns swears by Gibrans philosophies so much that he gifted a copy of it to the rest of the Wolves before the season with an accompanying note.

It said how the book would empower us, guard Josh Okogie said. Little things like that show what kind of leader he wants to be.

This is Karl-Anthony Towns, the leader of the Timberwolves. There is no one in his way any longer.

Not Jimmy Butler, whose Heat will play the Wolves in their home opener on Sunday (though without Butler, who recently became a father to a baby girl). Not Tom Thibodeau. Towns has help in the form of veteran forward Robert Covington, but President Gersson Rosas has made clear this is Towns team in every way.

Over the past few months he hasnt been shy about imprinting his style across the team, whether that be spearheading a team trip to the Bahamas or giving the team a book to read.

No matter what the circumstances were, whatever it was here, I just kept leading by action, Towns said.

In a better place

The results have been nothing but positive. Towns has had two monster games to open the season, averaging 36.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, and the Wolves have two wins.

Im in a spot right now where I got to lead these guys, Towns said. Ive got to lead them. And no matter what I go through in life or whatever I went through, I got to make sure I take those experiences, teach the guys, especially young guys, how to go from boys to men, no pun intended.

When Towns earned his second All-Star appearance last season, he spoke about how trying the season was for him personally and professionally. He didnt name names, but Butlers presence loomed large when he was here. Butler was the dominant personality, the alpha dog, and wasnt afraid to call out Towns for what he perceived as shortcomings, like not working hard enough.

Now he has the unflinching support of the organization, his teammates and a coach with whom he is close in Ryan Saunders.

Ill say for one, hes definitely more confident, Okogie said. Last year, it was kind of like, especially the start of the season with Jimmy it was him and Jimmy. And then when Jimmy left, I dont want to say he wasnt ready, but that confidence that Ive seen now wasnt there. Now, hes more vocal.

Towns college coach, Kentuckys John Calipari, said Towns is better for having experienced adversity early in his career.

You got to have some failure, Calipari said in a phone interview this week. You have to have things happen to you that knock you on your heels so you can learn about yourself. That was a trying year on a lot of different fronts. But it was good for him, because he had to deal with it, and you know what? He came out the other side OK.

If you poll his teammates, Towns has changed in one major way he is more vocal.

I think hes trying to take it upon himself to embrace that role, guard Jeff Teague said. He definitely got better, way more vocal. Takes criticism. Talks to guys and does it all.

Towns has done his best to try to bring these Wolves together, to form a bond within this team that was lacking in others while he has been here. He did things like attend the charity basketball game Jordan Bell had.

I was new to the team at the time, so he was going out of his way to show theyre going to be here for me on and off the court, Bell said.

Then there was the trip to the Bahamas, of which a picture hangs in the Wolves practice facility. Towns invoked that trip after the Wolves season-opening overtime win at Brooklyn, calling out those who mightve found the whole thing hokey.

Unity, cohesiveness, Bahamas was not a joke, Towns said. This is something that was real. We bonded, and you saw, when the game got close, no matter how close and how rough it was getting, we stayed very unified, and we kept to each other.

Object: Winning

Calipari has seen a fair share of his players go on to make big money in the NBA. Towns, he said, has remained the same person throughout his career, even as the checks have gotten a lot bigger in the first year of a max deal.

Im rooting for him because hes one of the great kids, most loyal part of our family that Ive coached, Calipari said. Hes not changed. Hes a wonderful kid, and thats hard. You got a max deal, more money than you know what to do with, youre being treated like royalty, can you stay who you are?

Another effect of the Butler trade was it brought Covington, who knew Towns previously, to the Wolves. Covington said he hasnt been afraid to prod Towns where he feels like Towns needs a little push.

When you got a like me thats always on his head, it causes you to adjust, Covington said with a laugh. I see the capabilities in him. I know the type of leadership he has within him. He just needed the right person to bring it out. Im fortunate enough to be that guy. But Im also going to tell him when he does something wrong. He expects that about me.

Towns has said individual accomplishments dont matter much to him, that the people where he grew up in New Jersey dont care how about his points or rebounds.

Every time I go home they look at me and go, Wow, youre really good, but you never win, Towns said.

Towns has played so far like a man out to prove people wrong, whether its the people back home, his doubters around the league like Butler or just random folks on social media.

But he knows hell need his teammates along for the ride, and hes doing his best to make sure everyone has each others back.

Its up to me to do a lot of things Towns said. And I accept the challenge willingly.

Link:

The Timberwolves are Karl-Anthony Towns' team now - Star Tribune

In a major step for the recovery of Grand Bahamas crucial tourism industry, the islands Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort is reopening.

The all-inclusive resort will be reopening on Nov. 1, tourism officials confirmed to Caribbean Journal.

The property will be reopening with more than half of its rooms having been newly renovated.

When it reopens, it will be the first hotel in Grand Bahama to resume normal operations since Hurricane Dorian.

Viva Wyndham is Wyndhams all-inclusive brand, with a footprint of resorts concentrated in The Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

Its one of several hotels set to come back on line over the next few months, including the Flaming Bay Hotel, which already reopened earlier this month.

Grand Bahamas cruise sector has already rebounded, with dominant cruise line Carnival Cruise Line already running cruises to Freeport once again.

For more, visit the Viva Wyndham.

CJ

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Grand Bahama All-Inclusive to Reopen in November - Caribbean Journal

Using a baited remote underwater video system (BRUV), a team of scientists led by Assistant Professor Brennan T. Phillips of the University of Rhode Island has provided the first recorded in situ observation of the sharpnose sevengill shark (Heptranchias perlo) from the Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas.

Gallery of BRUV video stills of individual H. perlo, filmed at 718 m depth.

Distributed in tropical and temperate regions, these sharks are almost circumglobal in their range. As a deepwater species, they are often observed on the outer continental and insular shelves at depths from 89 to 3280 feet (27-1000 m). Usually found on or near the bottom, sharpnose sevengill sharks are voracious predators that feed on a variety of animals such as shrimp, crabs, lobsters, squid and cuttlefish, small bony fish, and small sharks and rays. The smallest hexanchoid shark, they grow to a maximum length of 4.5 feet (1.37 m) total length for males and 4.6 feet (1.40 m) total length for females. With a narrow head, bright green eyes, comb-shaped teeth, and seven gill slits, it is a distinct looking shark that has never been seen in the tropical waters of the Bahamas.

The Tongue of the Ocean is a large (25 miles wide, 124 miles long), semi-enclosed deep ocean trench separating the islands of Andros and New Providence. The southern portion of the Great Bahama Canyon, little is known of what life is here, with abundance and diversity estimates available for only some deepwater corals and sponges. And while the nearby Exuma Sound has notable recent chondrichthyan (shark, skates, rays, and chimaeras) observations, it wasnt known what species the Tongue of the Ocean was home to.So, down the BRUV went. Ive been developing BRUV technology over the past few years so Im always looking for interesting projects to deploy them on, so I can keep pushing with my tech development. Dr. Austin Gallagher has been working the Bahamas for a long time as a shark researcher [with Beneath the Waves], and wanted to bring in more deep-sea science it turns out that a lot of shallow-water sharks actually dive quite deep for feeding and mating, so the idea was to try and get some visual imagery of them at depth, explained Phillips.

UNSPECIFIED - OCTOBER 08: Fishes: Hexanchiformes Hexanchidae, Sharpnose sevengill shark, ... [+] (Heptranchias perlo), illustration (Photo by De Agostini via Getty Images/De Agostini via Getty Images)

BRUVs are stationary, seafloor camera stations that use bait to attract fish in their vicinity, recording the species attracted to the bait or swimming past the camera lens. The camera is held in a steel frame that allows for some protection from animals that bite at the nearby bait or the camera itself. With this tech, scientists can observe fish in hard-to-reach habitats in both shallow and deep waters, such as the Tongue of the Ocean. The individual sharpnose sevengill shark, a male, was recorded at a depth of 2355 feet (718 m) and was estimated to have a total length of approximately 3.3 feet (1 m). With that length, it means this is a mature male capable of mating with any mature females. However, no other sharks, let alone female sharpnose sevengills, were recorded during this BRUV deployment.

The lone mane circled the BRUV for about 10 minutes and then left. This wasnt the only exciting discovery, however, for the team of scientists. Temperature recordings of about 48.24 F (9.02 C) at this depth indicate that sharpnose sevengill sharks are physiologically capable of thriving within the lower mesophotic zone. This oceanic zone is known as the middle light zone due to it being a world between worlds - between light and inky darkness and varied marine life calls this region home.

The results, the authors of this study emphasize, underscore the need for further research into deepwater chondrichthyan biology in the Bahamas. Its the first time the species has been seen in situ all previous knowledge about this shark has been gained using traditional fishing methods (catch the shark on a line, and pull it up to learn more).Our observation shows it goes pretty deep (>700m) and also it qualifies as a range extension, since it hasnt been seen before in The Tongue of the Ocean, said Phillips.We have very, very limited data on deep-sea shark diversity so this observation just adds to our knowledge base, which is thin (at best).It is entirely possible that this species goes much deeper than 700m, and is more widely distributed in the Bahamas in general.

Thankfully this kind of research can be readily facilitated by BRUV-based methods. Phillips is excited to see what more can be discovered with this marine technology, saying: I think BRUVs are an important tool for discovery for several reasons.First, they are compact and can be run off small vessels.They are also relatively cheap (<$10k per system) allowing for scientists to deploy multiple systems at the same time.They are simple to operate too, no extensive training is required.For all of these reasons, a wider user base can access BRUVs as a scientific tool allowing for a more democratizeddeep-sea research community (e.g. the My Deep-Sea, My Backyard initiative).

Hopefully more BRUVs will be deployed in the deep waters of the Bahamas in the near future to uncover more shark secrets.

Update: The headline of this story was modified after publication to be specific to the Tongue of the Ocean, as the sharpnose sevengill shark has been spotted near the Bahamas before - just not in this region.

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This Species Of Shark Was Spotted For The First Time In The Tongue Of The Ocean Near The Bahamas - Forbes

During the period 2nd - 4th September. 2019, Hurricane Dorian unleashed its destructive power on the Commonwealth of Bahamas and in particular, the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. Following the passage of the hurricane, Trinidadians and Tobagonians once again demonstrated their generosity for their Caribbean neighbours and donated critically needed relief supplies to assist in relieving the suffering and hardships of those affected.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) of the Ministry of National Security, coordinated the national relief effort and after approximately 5 weeks, on Thursday, 17 October 2019, a vessel carrying 7 containers with over 115 tonnes of supplies, sailed from the Port of Point Lisas for the Bahamas.

Witnessing the loading of the vessel was the Honorary Consul for the Bahamas, Dr. Elaine Davis, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ODPM, Major General (Retd) Rodney Smart; Lt. Colonel Patrick Gomez, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Forces (TTDF) Director of Strategic Logistics; Mrs. Elena Villafana-Sylvester, CEO of the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL); Mr. Riad Gouridath, Sales Manager of Tropical Shipping; and Mr. Clint Duncan, Manager of Cargo Handling, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Limited (PLIPDECO).

At the gathering Dr. Davis expressed her sincere gratitude to the Government and People of Trinidad and Tobago for the kind generosity extended to her country. She indicated that the contributions will go a long way to assist many a Bahamian family rebuild their lives post-Dorian.

Major General (Retd) Smart also took the opportunity to thank all citizens and organisations that partnered with the ODPM to provide foodstuff, water, hygiene products, building supplies, equipment, tools, manpower, warehousing facilities, transportation and financial assistance. He also thanked the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) for the organisations role in assisting with the cost of transporting the items by sea.

The ODPM would like to specially recognise the following organisations that contributed or otherwise assisted in the coordination of the relief effort.

Link:

Trinidad and Tobago ships relief items to the Bahamas - Bahamas - ReliefWeb

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With more than 15 million pairs of new shoes donated to kids in need since 2011, the BOBS from Skechers movement continues to aid disaster-impacted families through its charitable shoe program. Beginning this month, the Company plans to distribute thousands of pairs of new shoes to Hurricane Dorian victims in the Bahamas and Storm Imelda-affected families in Houston.

Together with its donation partner Soles4Souls, the Company will ship more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to Nassau; charity organizations Women Supporting Women and Urban Renewal will initially distribute 1,080 shoes to displaced victims of Hurricane Dorian this month, with more distributions anticipated in early 2020. Skechers and Soles4Souls also plan to send more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to the organization Communities in Schools of Houston to support the regions families during the holiday season, as well as in the new year based on need.

Through our relief efforts for previous disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, we understand how challenging it can be to connect with victims when a communitys infrastructure is so deeply impactedand how crucial it is that we continue to offer support to these affected areas months after the media spotlight dims, said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. Healing a community is not a sprint, its a marathonand we are doing what we can to help thousands of these families in the months to come. Although we cant provide shoes for every disaster, we aim to do so for as many as possible, exploring ways to support other communities as they are impacted.

Skechers has donated new shoes to children affected by poverty, homelessness and natural disasters in more than 60 countriesfrom the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Haitis 2010 earthquake; to Superstorm Sandy; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma and Maria; and the 2018 fires in California. The Company most recently donated thousands of shoes to children in need at back-to-school events in Miami and Milwaukee.

Along with its philanthropic efforts for children, the Company also partners with Petco Foundation to help animals nationwide through sales of BOBS from Skechers shoes, apparel and accessories. Since 2015, Skechers has donated more than $4.23 million to animal welfare organizationsfunds that have helped more than 750,000 pets in the United States, including more than 396,000 dogs and cats saved through adoptions. To learn more, follow BOBS from Skechers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, or visit http://www.BOBSfromSKECHERS.com.

About Skechers USA, Inc.

Based in Manhattan Beach, California, Skechers (NYSE: SKX) designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. Skechers footwear is available in the United States and over 170 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 3,300 Skechers Company-owned and third-party-owned retail stores, and the Companys e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, and throughout Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Skechers future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as believe, anticipate, expect, estimate, intend, plan, project, will be, will continue, will result, could, may, might, or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international economic, political and market conditions including the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2019. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or operations or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

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Skechers Distributes New Shoes to Recent Storm Victims in the Bahamas and Houston - Business Wire

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL After learning that its fire station and all of its equipment was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian, the City of Temple Terrace and the Temple Terrace Fire Department are donating a retired fire engine to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas.

Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp will hand off the vehicle to representatives from the Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue at Fire Station #1, 124 Bullard Parkway, in Temple Terrace on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. The Marsh Harbour personnel will oversee the transport by freight and barge to the Abaco Islands.

The Abaco Islands were among the hardest hit islands in the Bahamas when the Category 5 hurricane struck Sept. 8. Fifty people have been confirmed dead in the Bahamas, most of them in the Abaco Islands where 17,000 people live.

"When a storm or other emergency threatens the City of Temple Terrace, residents, city staff and elected officials look to the fire department and four first responders to keep our community safe both during and in the aftermath of disaster," said Kemp. "But what if the fire department also was impacted? Such was the case in Abaco, Bahamas. Knowing that we had a truck in our fleet that has been replaced, City Manager Charles Stephenson suggested, and I wholeheartedly agreed, that it could be put to good use in the Bahamas."

"We suffered major damages in Abaco with results to our fire department trucks, equipment and building losing just about everything we had," said Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief Danny Sawyer. "We were extremely delighted to hear from Chief Kemp."

Keith Chapman, president of Ten-8 Fire Equipment in Bradenton, also is donating four MSA Fire Hawk Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and 4,500 PSI / 60 min air cylinders, valued at more than $4,000 each, along with some hose. Alan Davies, of Hydro Dynamic Solutions, is helping to coordinate the shipment of the truck to the Bahamas.

On Thursday, Kemp will transfer title of the vehicle to a representative from the Marsh Harbour Fire Department during a brief ceremony. Temple Terrace fire personnel also will offer training on some of the donated equipment to one of the Bahamian firefighters.

The engine then will be transported by Deberardini Heavy Haul to the Riviera Beach port in Palm Beach County, from which it will be dispatched by United Abaco Shipping to the island. The expected arrival date in Marsh Harbour is Oct. 28 or 29.

More:

Temple Terrace Donates Fire Truck To Ravaged Station In Bahamas - Patch.com