Five new staff members recently joined the 911 Emergency Communications Centre, strengthening one of Cayman’s most vital services. The new employees bring a variety of backgrounds and expertise to round out the dedicated team of emergency professionals, said a GIS press release.
Armed with a unique understanding of the 911 services through his years in the police force, Sonji Myles was recently appointed Assistant Manager for the unit and he has already proven an asset to the agency.
One of his first initiatives was to assist with spearheading a Hurricane Katrina/Ivan relief drive to provide supplies and monetary donations to victims of the two devastating storms. Working with the Leos Club of Grand Cayman, he arranged for corporate donations and for a collection booth to be manned outside Scotia Bank.
‘There is so much need in the Gulf Coast right now and it just seemed the right thing to do,’ said Mr. Myles about his fundraising effort. ‘Our unit has many contacts throughout the affected areas and we are anxious to help them out. And our own people are still in need here so it’s just something we had to do.’
Also new to the 911 team are four operators who have recently completed basic training: Yendi Parchman, Glynn Griffith, Chelsea Alvaranga, and Ian Charlery.
Yendi is a former youth worker from the Brac. ‘I would love to see the people of the Cayman Islands taking an active role in moulding our youth socially instead of giving up on them and allowing them to self-destruct through their own trial-and-error phases.’
Glynn, originally hailing from Barbados and an avid sports fan, explained that he took the job to keep his brain active. ‘I truly enjoy being able to help others in their time of need,’ he said. ‘Sometimes we have to deal with an abusive public or simultaneous problems, both of which are the type of challenge I readily face. Knowing at the end of the day that I have reached out to help others makes everything worthwhile.’
The need for personal and professional development provided strong motivation for Chelsea when making the career choice to become a 911 operator. ‘The demands of the job – multi-tasking, patience, professionalism – have allowed me to further enhance my communications skills, while providing an invaluable service to the community.’
Summing up his reasons for joining the emergency communications centre, Ian commented: ‘Working at 911 has been the ultimate experience of my life. Helping people in distress on a regular basis makes me feel complete. Every day presents a new challenge that I, together with our team of top-notch professionals, gladly face to help others in our community.’
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