Across the Island in advance of Hurricane Igor, the message residents are telling each other is: "Be safe."

Roselyn 'Rozzie' Symons, who lost her son Constable Stephen Symons to Hurricane Fabian seven years ago on September 5, said: "That's the only thing I can say —Bermuda, please be safe."

With Hurricane Igor predicted to hit Bermuda on Sunday night, the storm's similarities with Fabian — in which four people lost their lives — have been at the forefront of many Bermudians' minds. For those who lost loved ones in the Island's last serious hurricane, such comparisons are all the more painful.

P.C. Symons, 37, along with colleague P.C. Nicole O'Connor, Station Officer Gladys Saunders and civilian Manuel Pacheco perished during Hurricane Fabian when the Causeway was inundated by the storm.

Describing her reactions, an emotional Mrs. Symons said: "The more I hear about it, the more tense it makes me.

"It opens wounds from Fabian. I've been listening to the weather station and the way this storm is coming, it opens old wounds. I'm still trying to deal with Fabian. As they say, life goes on. And you have to strive to move on. All I hope is that everybody is safe and no lives are lost. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what our whole family went through when it came to Fabian."

Mrs. Symons will spend this weekend at her home in Hamilton Parish, sheltering with her family. "We are all prepared but you can never be prepared too much," she said. "You never know what will transpire."

P.C. Symons' grandmother Cecily Tuzo said: "We'll all be here. I have my daughter in the apartment downstairs and my son in the studio apartment, so we're all here together."

Describing her relationship with Stephen as extremely close, Mrs. Tuzo said that her grandson's office had been upstairs with her. "This hurricane has brought back memories," she said. "When my grandson left here to go to work that day he called out to us and to his son, 'Check you later! I love you!' and they called an hour later to say that he had been swept off the Causeway. We were fortunate because his body was found. We gave him a burial and had some closure. But it will never be closed. He's not coming back."

Mrs. Tuzo said that she was optimistic and hopeful that Hurricane Igor would not turn out as bad as Fabian. By yesterday afternoon, Igor appeared comparable to Fabian and the Emergency Measures Organisation was preparing for some damage to the Causeway.

Mrs. Symons requested that her message of safety be reiterated. "My heart just goes out to everybody," she said. "No more casualties like Hurricane Fabian. Every time there's a storm, my mind goes back. It's a hurting thing. I'd also like to thank the Police and the Longriders Club, who remember every year the 5th of September with the memorial. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts."