FOUNDER,
STACY BOURNE, FAIA, NOMA
SPENT HURRICANE MARILYN IN A BATH TUB

Arriving to the US Virgin Islands with little knowledge of hurricanes, I quickly learned their unpredictability and the need for preparedness. Each storm brought its own unique challenges, from escalating wind speeds to sudden floods.

I spend Hurricane Marilyn, a category 5 hurricane in 1995, in the bath tub, covered by a mattress, listening to the freight train sounding wind, startling sounds of objects crashing onto the house and praying without ceasing. Stacy Bourne’s story in her own words.

After she passed, I was devastated and hopeless. I stepped into flooded waters in my house, while precious memories were floating. I opened my front door to an unrecognizable world. My lush tropical environment was no more. Everything was completely brown, including the ocean, not a single leaf left in the forest. To the right, what was left of the giant mango tree, laid to the ground. My mangled jeep was upside down against the house. To the left, my neighbors roof laid in tack on the ground in my yard.

Over the next 9 months, I learned how to live again. With no running water, electricity, phone, or internet, survival became a full-time job. Each morning, we bailed water from the cistern to wash, cook, bathe and flush toilets, using whatever containers we could find. Brewing a cup of coffee on a car wheel turned barbecue grill took 30 minutes, and a car’s cigarette lighter became our only source of power. Facebook, with its brief moments of connectivity, was our lifeline to the outside world.

The aftermath of my first hurricane left lasting scars. For years, I couldn’t sleep when it rained and jumped at every sound. I stockpiled solar gadgets and kept six cases of bleach in my home, determined never to be caught unprepared again. But through it all, our community’s resilience shone. We learned to prepare, not panic. After all, more hurricanes were coming —and there was nowhere to run.

However, as hurricanes became more frequent, I couldn’t help but notice a troubling trend in the Gulf states—a lack of preparedness and a sense of invincibility. Determined to make a difference, I found Hurricane Havoc—a beacon of hope and preparedness in the face of uncertainty. Our vision extends beyond just preparedness— it’s about fostering a sense of hope and resilience, charting a path towards a future where hurricanes are faced not with fear, but with readiness..

Stand with us in the face of uncertainty to build a future where every community is equipped to weather any storm. Together, we can turn the tides of uncertainty into waves of hope and preparedness.