Most weather experts have predicted a below average hurricane season this year in the Atlantic but Cayman residents have been warned by local officials not to be complacent and to make their preparations now as government begins its hurricane checks. The public works department and the National Roads Authority will be shuttering over 100 government complexes and buildings, including 16 hurricane shelters on Grand Cayman Wednesday (7) as well as checking standby generators and water cisterns and ensuring that shelters and other buildings are all secure, as part of the annual hurricane preparation exercise. Hurricane season is less than four weeks away and residents are urged to review their own home-protection plans too.

At a minimum everyone needs to consider how they will cover windows and glass doors in the event of a hurricane, and prepare ahead, where you will go if your home is on the ocean, in other vulnerable areas or is not hurricane safe. Due to the limited number of hurricane shelter spaces, residents are encouraged to make every effort to stay in the safe home of a friend or relative, or available workplace. Shelters are safe refuges to ride out a hurricane, but they are not designed to be comfortable accommodation, and may become crowded.

Compared to the years 1981 through 2010 however, which averaged around 12 storms the long range forecast is very much below-average for major hurricanes making landfall along the United States coastline and in the Caribbean.

See iNews Cayman story published April 13 2014 “Tropical Storm Risk’s take on 2014 hurricane season” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/tropical-storm-risks-take-on-2014-hurricane-season/ where the prediction is 12 tropical storms including five hurricanes and two intense hurricanes. This compares to long-term norms of 11, six and three respectively, and to 2004-2013 norms of 16, eight and four respectively.

For additional information about preparing for the season contact the Public Works Department at 949 2547 or Hazard Management 945-4624 visit: www.caymanprepared.gov.ky

PWD/NRA HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS EXERCISES

Don’t be alarmed if you see hurricane shutters being erected on numerous Government buildings and hurricane shelters in Grand Cayman this Wednesday, 7 May 2014.

No hurricane is approaching the Cayman Islands.

Instead, the Public Works Department (now inclusive of the Parks Unit) and the National Roads Authority will be carrying out the annual Hurricane Preparedness Exercise, in preparation for the hurricane season which begins on 1 June.

In Grand Cayman, all PWD employees and several NRA employees will be involved in the exercise. Organized into teams, each with specific responsibilities, they will shutter up and protect over 100 Government complexes and buildings, including 16 hurricane shelters.

This exercise duplicates the activities that will take place in the event of a real hurricane. In addition to shuttering the buildings, standby generators in shelters and other buildings will be checked and started, and cistern-water levels checked.

On completion of the securing of shelters and buildings, they will carry out detailed inspections of the shelters and buildings to certify that all facilities are adequately secured.

Some Statutory Authorities are also participating in the exercise, by securing their own facilities.

Residents are encouraged to review their own home-protection plans, as the start of the hurricane season is only weeks away. At a minimum, everyone is encouraged to consider the following items:

1. Materials to be used to cover windows and glass doors in the event of a hurricane (usually plywood or purpose-built aluminium shutters).

2. Where will these materials be obtained, and how will they be installed (once a hurricane warning has been issued it is often too late to consider this, as materials are often in short supply on-island)?

3. Is your home a safe place to stay in the event of a hurricane? If situated on or near the sea, or if it is of poor construction, then it is not safe.

If not, where will you stay? In the home of a friend or relative; or at a workplace or a public hurricane shelter?

Due to the limited number of hurricane shelter spaces, residents should make every effort to stay in the safe home of a friend or relative or workplace. Staying are safe refuges to ride out a hurricane, but they are not designed to be comfortable