ODM Urges St. Maarten Residents to Monitor Tropical Storm Dolly

Sint Maarten's Fire Department, in partnership with the Office of Disaster Management (ODM), is urging residents, businesses, and outdoor workers to take precautions as the island enters the peak of its annual Caribbean Heat Season. The heat season runs from May through October, with September considered the most intense period. Authorities are particularly concerned about vulnerable populations and those who work or spend extended time outdoors. The joint advisory reflects growing awareness of heat-related health risks in the Caribbean, including dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Officials are encouraging the public to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity during peak sun hours, and check on elderly or at-risk neighbors. The collaboration between the Fire Department and ODM signals a coordinated emergency management approach to what is increasingly treated as a serious seasonal public health concern.

Sint Maarten's Office of Disaster Management (ODM) is urging residents and the business community to closely monitor the development of Tropical Storm Dolly, the fourth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. Dolly formed on Thursday, August 27, 2026, in the central tropical Atlantic Ocean. The Sint Maarten Meteorological Department issued a midday Thursday forecast tracking the storm's projected path and intensity. Authorities are emphasizing preparedness as the storm's trajectory and potential impact on the island remain under watch. The ODM's advisory reflects standard protocol for named storms that form during the active peak of hurricane season, which runs through November.

Sint Maarten's Office of Disaster Management (ODM) is calling on households and farm animal owners to include their pets and livestock in hurricane preparedness plans as the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season enters its peak activity period. The reminder comes from the government's communications arm, DCOMM, and targets both domestic pet owners and those who keep farm animals. Authorities emphasize that animals are often overlooked in emergency planning, which can lead to dangerous outcomes for both the animals and their owners during a storm. The ODM is urging residents to make concrete arrangements in advance — such as identifying shelters that accept animals, stocking emergency supplies, and planning evacuation routes that accommodate livestock. The warning reflects broader preparedness messaging as the most active and statistically dangerous months of the hurricane season approach.