Seven Cayman Islands Red Cross (CIRC) volunteers put in an overnight shift at the hurricane shelter on Huldah Ave, George Town on Monday night, ensuring there was a safe place for residents who needed emergency assistance or accommodation due to Tropical Storm Helene.
The hard-working group, headed by experienced Shelter Manager Marsha Thompson, opened the shelter on Monday evening and were still there until mid-afternoon on Tuesday when the facility reverted to standby mode.
Due to its proximity to many low-lying areas of the island, which are the most prone to flooding, the Red Cross shelter is usually the first to open in case of inclement weather, with another facility, in this instance John Gray High School, ready to open at short notice in case more capacity is needed.
The Huldah Ave location is equipped with camp beds, sheets, blankets and food and drink supplies, and can take up to 95 people if needed. As well as housing people in need of shelter, Red Cross staff also help with relief efforts around the island.
As part of the CIRC’s Support our Seniors program, which assists vulnerable seniors, volunteers delivered 15 sandbags to one resident’s home on Monday evening, which helped prevent the property being flooded.
On Tuesday morning, CIRC volunteers transported a woman whose house had been flooded, from George Town to her family’s home in Beach Bay, and spent the day checking that everyone in the Support our Seniors program was safe during the storm.
While no-one has so far required emergency accommodation at the Red Cross shelter during the current bad weather, volunteers are prepared to reopen the facility at a moment’s notice. “We’ll always be there if you need us,” says Thompson.
Related Videos
