Government Information Services (GIS) television and social media channels join Radio Cayman this month in showcasing memories of Hurricane Ivan, 10 years after the storm passed through the Cayman Islands.

Hurricane Ivan was the tenth most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and caused billions of dollars in damage to the islands that it came in contact with, including Grand Cayman.

On Thursday 11 September at 8.00 pm CIGTV looks back at the destruction and re-emergence of Grand Cayman after Ivan had passed our shores. Producer Donna Bush and editor/videographer Stephon Johnson bring together photos and video from 2004 with modern day interviews of some of the key players in the civil service response.

The documentary focuses on how the storm affected the Cayman Islands Government, in particular civil servants on the front line. It looks at the destruction caused by the storm in the context of crisis preparedness in 2004 and 2014.

GIS will also recount the story of Hurricane Ivan on their social media channels, sharing archival photos, messages and reflections on the storm, alongside hurricane preparedness tips that aim to ensure that the public is ready to face the present hurricane season.

Radio Cayman will air its programme, In the Eye of the Storm, on 11-12 September at 7.00 pm, featuring interviews with more than a dozen public and private sector officials as well as community representatives.

This programme will cover a range of topics, from response by the uniformed services, to local utilities and insurance companies, as well as the Ivan’s impact on the environment and on individuals. It also looks at the perspective from Cayman Brac.

Then on 13 September, at 3:30pm, former Director of Broadcasting Loxley Banks will host the live call-in show “Commemorating Ivan”. Guests will include the former head and deputy head of the National Hurricane Committee Kirkland Nixon and Donovan Ebanks, as well as the former Director of the National Weather Service Fred Sambula, and Hazard Management Deputy Director Lee Madison.

The radio station has also dedicated a number of its talk shows over the month to discussing advances in hurricane preparedness since 2004.

GIS and Radio Cayman were among those agencies that contributed significantly to Government’s communications efforts before, during and after Ivan.

Government Information Services was responsible for distributing information to the media from the National Hurricane Committee, from the point that a hurricane alert was declared through the end of the recovery process.

Radio Cayman meanwhile broadcast into the height of the storm, when it lost its generator and link antenna. It was also the only station on air for about two weeks after the hurricane passed. Staff worked first from the emergency communications centre at the fire station, then returned to Radio Cayman once electricity was restored to the area.