Cayman Islands Regiment reservists kicked into action on Thursday morning to rescue an elderly couple marooned in their home as flood waters rose in the heart of George Town during Hurricane Beryl’s passage.
Lance Corporal Bennard Ebanks Jr. and trooper Lenord Reid were tasked with evacuating the couple when the woman called for help as the Category 3 storm battered the island.
“We were out the door in minutes and found her address just as quickly,” Ebanks, in a comment to the Cayman Compass Friday on the incident.
Ready to rescue
When they got there, he said, the residence was in a cluster of “small and closely-packed homes” in the heart of George Town.
“Although we didn’t see any significant damage, there was some flooding so we were concerned for her safety. After a bit of walking in the water and calling out to her we located her home and met her at the door,” Ebanks said.
At first, he said, the husband was hesitant to leave their home but his wife “managed to convince him to come with us and be evacuated to the nearby Red Cross shelter. We evacuated and helped them get settled in and got back to base shortly after.”
He said when he was deployed on Wednesday, “I prayed that Beryl would pass without causing a lot of damage”.
“There wasn’t a lot of action and I’m grateful the Lord heard all of our prayers. We train and prepare for emergencies and disasters, but we’re always relieved when we see that no one was hurt,” Ebanks said.
The entire 88-member regiment team was deployed on Wednesday ahead of Beryl’s arrival to assist with rescue-and-relief efforts.
Lt. Colonel Roger Carter, who leads the regiment, said he was pleased with his troops’ response when called upon to assist the community.
“We are happy that Regiment was able to work effectively with our partner agencies at the [National Emergency Operation Centre] to bring relief to members of the Cayman Islands community. We appreciate the opportunity to be of service, and we want to especially applaud the work of the members of the NEOC Emergency Response Cluster,” he said.
Road clean-ups
Ebanks said after evacuating the couple, he had some time to “clean our kit and get a snack” before being deployed on a five-member patrol in George Town.
“While out on patrol we reported a low-hanging power line, and then cleared out a fallen tree along South Sound Road, but we continued on through the Hurley’s, Patrick’s Island, and Prospect Point areas before returning to base to report that our patrol route had been mostly clear,” he said.
From cases of water to medical kits, the reservists loaded the critical supplies into the cabs of their trademark green vehicles on Wednesday before heading out to operational bases at the Clifton Hunter and John Gray high school campuses.
Captain and Logistics Officer Theo Kelly, speaking with the Cayman Compass Wednesday morning at the regiment vehicle park on Fairbanks Road, said all members had been called ahead of the arrival of Beryl.
He said the team was trying to get everything sorted and make sure their “t’s were crossed [and] i’s dotted”.
Kelly said the reservists and troopers were all hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
“Ultimately, we’re just trying to be as successful and as safe as possible. That is the ultimate goal,” he said.
Now that Beryl has passed, all eyes are focused on what the rest of the hurricane season may bring after the record-breaking storm. The regiment is already turning its attention to dealing with the next threat.
“The Regiment will continue to train and prepare its personnel to provide the excellent service that the residents of the Cayman Islands expect and deserve,” Carter added.
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