As Cayman marks National Day of Preparedness on Discovery Day, Hazard Management Cayman Islands is urging the community to use the time to get themselves ready for hurricane season.
With just two weeks to go before the kick off of what is expected to be an “extremely active” season, with as many as 23 named storms projected to develop, Hazard Management Cayman Islands’ Leslie Lennox Vernon said the time is now to get organised.
“The key here is preparedness, preparedness, preparedness, we can’t say it enough. Have yourself prepared in a personal way at home, ensure that your family has a plan, ensure that you have food stock for three to five days. [Have an] understanding of where the shelters are and if there’s anyone who’s vulnerable have a plan for them,” Vernon, who is Hazard Management’s Logistics and Telecommunications manager, said on Saturday.
Hurricane season starts 1 June.
The theme for this year’s National Day of Preparedness is “Preparedness Makes Sense”.
Forecasters have predicted that 11 storms may become hurricanes, with winds at least 74 mph; five of those hurricanes are expected to strengthen to Category 3 or higher, becoming major storms with winds at least 111 mph.
On Saturday, Vernon and Teresita DaSilva, Hazard Management Cayman Islands Preparedness and Planning Manager, distributed the new ‘All Hazards’ preparedness booklet to members of the public at Cost-U-Less.
The public campaign is part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to get the community ready.
Vernon said during May, Hazard Management is making its resources available at various hardware stores where the community can generally buy preparedness items to remind shoppers to get the essentials.
“Most times people also have questions, they understand that we are in a hurricane area, and they don’t know exactly how to prepare, whether it’s putting up shutters, or just knowing where the shelters are across the island. Knowing that we have two animal shelters is also information we’d like to share with the public as well,” he added.
He reminded residents to keep important documents in sealed in a bag, or even a safe, and to take video or pictures of those items “so that should your house be damaged, you have them available if you need to travel or anything like that.”
On its official Facebook page, Hazard Management said the day is observed as the public holiday “so residents can take the opportunity to review their respective family plans and level of personal preparedness for the hurricane season and other hazards that may threaten the Cayman Islands – such as earthquakes and tsunamis”.
During the Hazard Management pop-up visits, residents can also enter to win a free preparedness kit, which each of the participating stores donate in support of National Day of Preparedness activities.
The winners of the kits are drawn on June 1st during a live media event.
More information on improving preparedness visit www.caymanprepared.ky.
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