MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
We're going to begin this hour following two developing stories. Odessa, Texas, police officials say at least five people were killed and 21 others injured in a shooting spree. Three law enforcement officers were shot. And a person believed responsible was also shot and killed. We are going to continue to follow that story and provide updates as details are confirmed.
But now we're going to turn to the Bahamas, where they are bracing for Hurricane Dorian. The Category 4 storm is gaining strength and approaching Category 5 status. It's expected to make landfall on the northwestern part of the islands tomorrow, and some short-term models predict as much as 64 inches of rain could could fall over the Northern Bahamas once the storm stalls. Joining us from the Bahamas is Rick Lohr. He is the general manager of the Abaco Beach Resort. That's in Marsh Harbour on the island of Abaco, which is in the path of the storm.
Mr. Lohr, thanks so much for joining us.
RICK LOHR: My pleasure.
MARTIN: Could you just tell us what the weather is like right now?
LOHR: Well, currently, it's been blue day. I mean, we've had some bands of rain come through from time to time, but it's a nice day. The water is calm. It's clouding up a little bit.
MARTIN: Do you have any guests at the resort at the moment?
LOHR: Oh, yes. Well, we have some media people, and we have some insurance people. We have people locally that have come in. The resort is well-prepared for this type of situation because we have generators, we have water. So should anything - disaster happen, we're self-sufficient.
MARTIN: And I understand that a number of resorts have already closed. And I understand that the Grand Bahama International Airport has closed. You were telling me earlier that you've been through a number of storms in the past. You know, you're from Florida, and you've been through some things on the islands and throughout the Caribbean. But how does this one feel in comparison to others that you've been through, if you can kind of try to describe that for me?
LOHR: Most certainly. You watch the speed of the storm - how fast the winds are and the level of rain and water and water surges. But as this is growing - and this one here is - the last time I monitored, it was eight miles an hour, which is slow. So the slower they are, the longer they're going to last and the more rain you're going to get. And you're going to have a lot more potential damage when that happens.
MARTIN: You sound very calm, which I appreciate.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: You've been through these before, as you mentioned. But for people who haven't, what do you recommend that people do at a time like this to prepare? I mean, obviously you want to, you know, charge up your phones and your devices and secure your property as best you can. But what should they do right now?
LOHR: Honestly, water is very important. Be patient. Get as much as you can from the standpoint of water because when you don't have water, it's critical. So fill your bathtubs up. Fill any jugs up if you've got it. Go get some fresh water, bottled water. You know, get - if you've got a generator, make sure you've got your gas. Make sure you've got gas for your vehicles. And then stay in the house until the storm is completely gone. You know, think about your neighbors. Think about your fellow man. You know, everybody be safe. Work together. And, you know, work through this thing because there's nothing you can do.
MARTIN: That was Rick Lohr. He's the general manager of Abaco Beach Resort. That's in Marsh Harbour on the island of Abaco. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.