0100: `Willis', a Category Four hurricane, hits the east end of Bermuda. It causes a four-metre storm surge which wipes out the airport and leaves significant wind damage. Coastal areas were not evacuated and there are many casualties -- rumour suggests as many as 10,000.

0957: Bermuda declares a state of emergency. International assistance is requested by the UK Government.

Thursday April 5, 2001 0020: United Nations Disaster Assessment and Response Co-ordination (UNDAC) team lands in Bermuda. They somehow manage to land a C-130 military transport plane despite the airport being submerged. They move toward Immigration and Customs with their supplies and minimal personal belongings.

0030: Intrepid reporter arrives on the scene to find the team embroiled in Immigration hassles.

0100: Two members of the team are being interrogated for "smuggling'' syringes into the country. A third person, Frankie, is "incarcerated'' for having a criminal record of which he has no knowledge. Chaos reigns as other team members try to spring them.

0130: The entire team is finally in the country. They are briefed by a member of the Bermuda Regiment who tells them that the causeway is washed out. The team will have to take a boat to mainland Bermuda.

0140: It is an unusually cold rainy night for Bermuda in April as the team plods through the water to climb into two Regiment boats. 0155: We land and walk up to waiting buses. Some people chat on the bus as it makes its way to Warwick Camp. Others doze off. This may be the only sleep they'll receive for days.

0235: Arrive at Warwick Camp where the UNDAC team will set up their headquarters. They assemble satellite phones and computers and begin to organise their tasks.

-- Intrepid reporter is recruited into simulation exercise as "meddling reporter'' intended to pester team members and feed them bad information.

0255: Police arrive at the Camp delivering maps of affected areas and a message and situation report from Deputy Governor Tim Gurney. The team must now begin to process the information that they have on damages and develop a plan of action before they meet with Bermuda's Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) at 0700. (The 26 people on the UNDAC course are divided into two teams of 13, both performing the same roles. From this point on meddling reporter stuck with Team B.) 0300: Meddling reporter barges into Team B HQ and demands an interview immediately in order to meet deadlines. Agrees to come back in ten minutes once they have assessed the information the Police delivered. The team members struggle with information overload.

0310: A course director posing as a lost American tourist barges into the HQ demanding to know what is going on. He is unceremoniously thrown out of the room by Frankie, the previously incarcerated team member now showing signs of stress.

0325: Meddling reporter returns for her update. As Frankie tries to manhandle her out of the room, she takes note that team members are sending situation updates to Geneva by e-mail, posting maps and marking affected areas in red, dividing up tasks and generally organising.

0400: Team leader Carolina informs meddling reporter of the situation as she knows it. Meddling reporter fires misinformation about casualty levels, affected areas, missing dignitaries and impending nuclear disaster. Carolina remains calm and gives what information she has accurately.

0430: The team sends a situation report to Geneva.

0530: Meddling reporter makes another harassment call to Team B. About half the team is now napping. The other half is hard at work. Can you confirm that the Governor's wife is missing? "We haven't heard anything about that''. Is it true the US is refusing to assist Bermuda? "The US was hit by a hurricane yesterday, they probably have their hands full.'' Will you be establishing temporary medical stations? "We have to assess the situation before we determine what action to take.'' 0535: Back to the barracks to sleep until the 0700 meeting with the EMO.

0730: Team B attempts to brief Bermuda's EMO group -- Deputy Governor Tim Gurney with representatives from Police, Fire Service, Airport Operations, Marine & Ports, Works & Engineering, Regiment and RCC Harbour Radio.

-- The EMO is hostile to the UNDAC and demeaning toward the UNDAC team but simultaneously argues among themselves. Nevertheless and plan emerges to assess damage across the Island. The team splits into two groups -- one will assess Hamilton, the other St. George's. The EMO offers transport to UNDAC.

0840: Six team members depart in the back of Regiment trucks for Hamilton. In order to assess the damages to the city they are to liaise with Marine Police, Marine & Ports and the Hospital. The team must be back at HQ by 1130.

0850: The team board a waiting ferry and cross the Harbour to Hamilton. They are carrying packed lunches which they dive into as soon as they sit down.

Meddling reporter feels extremely guilty about her breakfast when they good-naturedly offer her portions of their rations.

-- A support team stays behind to take radio reports from the field team and relays the information to Geneva. In the afternoon, the Hamilton team will return and a second group will move to St. George's to gather information. The team is split up based on differing skills. Doctors will examine the situation at KEMH for example, while engineers and logistics experts check out Longbird Bridge and the pipeline.

0900 to 1500: The team assesses Bermuda's post-Hurricane state at both ends of the Island.

1600: UNDAC team co-ordinates with Geneva office and international humanitarian aid organisations for delivery of personnel, supplies and other support.

1700: UNDAC findings and assistance plan outlined to the EMO.

EMO Emergency Measures Organisation