“Guam Power Authority has a Memorandum of Agreement with the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to assist in times of natural disaster, but more importantly, we have a responsibility to help our neighbors in the North. As simple as it may appear, providing assistance of this magnitude is a very complex process with many layers that involve transporting over 100 tons of equipment and materials as well as over two dozen skilled personnel from GPA to Saipan. This requires full coordination of federal and local government agencies including the respective offices of Guam and CNMI governors, Homeland Security, the U.S. military, FEMA, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and GPA. Despite the challenges, GPA is continuing to help Saipan recover from Typhoon Soudelor.”

—    Melinda R.  Camacho

Assistant general manager of operations, Guam Power Authority

“We’ve just got to help out our neighboring brothers and sisters in time of need. Everyone is in the typhoon alley; it’s automatic that we provide recovery efforts.”

—    Matthew L.G. Sablan

Acting director, Guam Department of Agriculture

“[Guam] learned from [Typhoon]Pongsona that we had to harden our system with concrete poles and major circuits going underground. … We wish [Saipan] well. [Guam Power Authority] is sending engineers, transformers and concrete poles. We’re sending as much we can afford to send without risking ourselves. There’s always a risk, so we should always be prepared. Guam stumbled through a couple of typhoons and learned the painful lessons that Saipan is learning now. Guam has learned to make the adjustments, and we hope Saipan can make adjustments as well because typhoons are going to happen.”

—    Simon A. Sanchez II

Chairman, Guam Consolidated Commission on Utilities

“I’d like to express my sympathies to the people of Saipan during this difficult time. It was heartbreaking to see the devastation and to hear individual stories of property damage and, in some instances, total loss of home. When called upon, the Department of Defense team was quick to spring into action and support the efforts of the CNMI government, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and others through various means, such as providing water and transporting essential equipment and supplies from Guam to those in need. I know that the spirit of our people is strong and that someday soon, beautiful Saipan will be back to normal.”

—    Rear Adm. Babette Bolivar

Commander, Joint Region Marianas

“I am glad that our militaries and the public and private sectors are giving help to this time of calamities in Saipan. I was there when Soudelor hit Saipan. Everybody [was] so relaxed because it was just a Category 1. Nobody [was] prepared. [In the future] we should [fill] our vehicles [with fuel], get water, canned foods, batteries, everything that we need to survive. My prayers are always with my home island Saipan.”

—    Eduardo Elenzano

Owner and tattoo artist, Megavision El Drako

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to our brothers and sisters in Saipan. Guam is right there providing different forms of support in their recovery from Typhoon Soudelor, and we are confident they will be back on their feet in no time. With the El Niño season in full effect, it’s an important reminder for everyone to stay connected and be prepared at all times in the event another impending storm approaches our way.”

—    Jon Nathan P. Denight

General manager, Guam Visitors Bureau

“Recovery efforts are going pretty well and pretty quickly, but not quickly enough for people who have been displaced or lost their homes. The lessons learned, simply put, would be from the epic failure of [the] weather forecasters.  It would have been better to have known [the typhoon] was coming at us with 160 mph winds. We got the wind completely knocked out of us.”

—    James T. Arenovski

Owner, Delta Management Corp.

Principal, Island Training Solutions