One community within the four districts of Cayman will soon a disaster plan. So will Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
For the past six months, members of the Cayman Islands Red Cross, in collaboration with the Disaster Preparedness Unit of the European Commission of Humanitarian Aid Office, have been working with residents on Seaview Drive, East End; Swamp, George Town; Boatswain’s Bay, West Bay; and Belford Bodden Town to draw up and finalise a disaster preparedness plan for residents.
Every resident within those communities will have a copy of the plan when the test project is completed by the end of the month, stated Red Cross Disaster manager Hemant Balgobin.
At a Belford meeting held at the Bodden Town Church of God hall Thursday evening, it was questioned why only residents in one community, in each district, were solicited to take part in a disaster preparedness plan.
One Cumber Avenue resident said she was reluctant to attend meetings because advertisements called for Belford residents and not Bodden Town residents.
Mr. Balgobin said the project was limited to assisting only one community in each district due to funding constraints.
‘The project is a sort of a test run,’ he said. ‘We want to see if the project will work and then we are hoping to introduce it into all the districts.’
During the month, Red Cross and European Commission members have been assisting residents in coming up with a disaster preparedness plan, gathering a response team and addressing community vulnerability and hazards.
Two teams will consist of a captain, co-captain, community liaison communications officer and transportation officer.
So far residents have received training in first aid, assisting others during a disaster, shelter training and distribution of essential items.
Resident teams will also be responsible for supplies and relief aid left in the community by the Red Cross.
At the end of the month Mr. Balgobin said there will be a disaster response simulation exercise to see how well the procedure works.
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