National Day of Preparedness is being celebrated on May 18, 2015. The theme this year is “Volunteer for a resilient Cayman, prepare for all hazards!”

National Day of Preparedness is observed each year in the Cayman Islands to encourage residents to prepare for the hurricane season and any other disaster event. The day is observed on a public holiday so that all residents can have the opportunity to review their respective family plans and level of personal preparedness for the hurricane season.

Representatives of Hazard Management Cayman Islands will be on hand at sponsoring hardware stores, meeting with residents, answering questions and handing out disaster awareness information. Residents are encouraged to visit the stores and enter to win! There is no cost to enter to win a preparedness kit.

At the start of hurricane season, five lucky winners of the disaster preparedness kits will be drawn on live television on Daybreak on June 1st. The participating hardware stores have sponsored the National Day of Preparedness activities for a number of years, and as a result HMCI has been able to personally engage thousands of residents about preparedness issues.

Saturday May 16th

• Kirk’s Home Centre (morning)

Saturday May 23rd

• Cox Lumber Company (morning)
• Uncle Bill’s Home Improvement Centre (afternoon)

Saturday May 30th

• A.L. Thompson’s (morning)
• Progressive Distributors (afternoon)

The Cayman Islands are vulnerable to a number of different hazards including hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and floods, but with the beginning of the hurricane season right around the corner (June 1st), it is especially important that residents are ready for the hurricane threat. In past hurricanes (such as Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Paloma) many residents lost passports, photographs, computers and even their vehicles. In some cases people were hungry and thirsty in the days immediately following the impact. With proper planning most of these hardships and losses could have been avoided.

Unfortunately when a hurricane threatens there is a lot to do and many important decisions to be made. If you leave things to the last minute there really is only time to scramble to gather some vital supplies (if there are any left in the stores). So prepare now:

Here are some of the most critical supplies to have on hand, well before a hurricane threatens:

• At least a 3-day and preferably a 7-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day)
• Non-perishable food
• A battery operated radio
• Formula, diapers, and other baby supplies
• Manual can opener
• First aid kit
• Prescription and non-prescription medicines
• Toiletries
• Cell phones and battery-powered cell phone chargers
• Battery-powered radios and flashlights
• Plenty of batteries
• Extra cash
• Blankets, sleeping bags, books, and games (especially if evacuating)

During a hurricane, and possibly for days or even weeks afterward, electricity and other utilities might not be available. Debris and/or water might block the roads, preventing vehicles from getting in our out of your neighborhood. Help might not reach you for days after the hurricane, so you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient during that period. Hurricanes can bring torrential rain, flooding, storm surges and devastating winds that damage homes, destroy treasured keepsakes and disrupt family life. You don’t have to be blown away when a hurricane hits. It’s never too early to prepare and you can take several basic steps right now to protect your family and your home from disaster.

Come to a decision about:

• Where do you plan to ride out a hurricane?
• Where are you going to keep your pets during a hurricane?
• Where will you store your car during a hurricane?

Also:

• Test emergency equipment such as generators and flashlights
• Trim trees that could fall on your roof
• Check shutters are working properly
• Review insurance coverage for your home and business and determine your flood insurance eligibility. Also review your home owner’s insurance policy periodically with your insurance agent or company representative to make sure you have sufficient coverage to rebuild your life and home after a hurricane.

Message from the Deputy Governor, Honourable Franz Manderson

May 18th is National Day of Preparedness in the Cayman Islands. This year the theme is “Volunteer for a Resilient Cayman, Prepare for all Hazards!” National Day of Preparedness is observed each year in the Cayman Islands to encourage residents to prepare for the hurricane season and any other natural disaster. The day is observed on a public holiday, Discovery Day, so that all residents can have the opportunity to review their respective family plans and level of personal preparedness for the hurricane season.

This year with the emphasis being on volunteerism, we are encouraging all residents to do their part to help others get prepared. Assist your neighbour, friends and family in their preparedness efforts. Organize your neighbourhood and family meetings to plan for the hurricane season and how you are going to get prepared. Find some way to contribute to the preparedness of others; it could be the trimming of trees, loan of equipment to clear debris, erecting shutters or just offering a ride to the elderly and assisting them to get their preparedness supplies.

Another meaningful way of volunteering in the preparedness effort is by joining an established Community Emergency Response Team in your neighbour or initiating one. If not, join a civic group and assist in giving back to the community.

As we use the day to enhance our individual and community preparedness, remember the vulnerable persons in our community and in your own family, and ensure that they are planned for adequately. At an absolute minimum, residents should have a supply of non-perishable food (e.g. canned goods) to last at least three days but preferably one week. Water can be bottled prior to the approach of a cyclone but again it is vital to have a supply (a gallon per person per day) to last a week. Take time also to plan for the vulnerable persons in your family such as the elderly and very young. They will need your assistance in coping with the effects of the hurricane.

It is important to take steps to minimize your dependence on Government, family or friends to support you in the aftermath of a storm, so begin taking the steps needed to get prepared.

• Meet with your family and make a Family Disaster Plan.
• Put together an emergency supply of food and water.
• If you have a generator get it serviced and check your shutters; sometimes rust and debris can accumulate in the tracks and this can make them hard to install.
• Check insurance policies to ensure they are current.
• Remove debris from the yard and trim back trees that could fall on your roof.
• Get a battery operated radio and a flashlight.

Civil servants are reminded that they have a duty to maintain a high level of personal and family preparedness at all times. The country depends on our Emergency Services and First Responders to be ready in a time of crisis; following the “All Clear” all Civil Servants are expect to contribute to the recovery, including the performance of additional duties above and beyond their regular work schedule during the response phase.

Residents are reminded that shelters are not equipped to take pets therefore alternative arrangements should be made.

Residents who intend to leave the Islands prior to, or after, a hurricane, must ensure that all travel documents are updated and that visas or visa waivers are obtained.

Regardless of the forecast for the season, it only takes one storm to cause damage and disrupt our lives. So please don’t let your guard down and let us be prepared for the hurricane season and beyond.

END

IMAGE: genprodeliveringstandbypowersolutions.blogspot.com