Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

With 260 km/h maximum sustained wind speeds, Category 5 Hurricane Maria tore through Dominica on September 18, 2017, causing mass destruction and directly affecting some 73,000 people (the entire population). Sixty-five deaths in Dominica were attributed to Hurricane Maria. Critical infrastructure - including schools, hospitals, electrical lines, houses, public buildings and government offices, and private structures key to the economy and people’s livelihoods - was significantly damaged. Beyond the immediate impact in Dominica, the 2017 hurricane season highlighted existing gaps in the overall disaster preparedness and resilience levels - as well as forcing queries on north/south responsibilities. Mr. Hypolite and his school, Castle Bruce Secondary School, survived Maria – the tenth most intensive Atlantic hurricane on record. However, the results and challenges, including on the education system, were dramatic. Not only were buildings fully lost or significantly damaged, virtually all educational resource