The 2021 hurricane season is here, and the Cayman Islands needs to be prepared for this period. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Cayman Islands encourages the community to be ready to activate their personal and family hurricane plans. But how can a person be prepared for a hurricane? Here are three things that will help.
Develop an Emergency Family Plan
The first thing you will want to consider is to develop an emergency family plan. Look around and discuss with family and community members where you and your family would be the safest to ride out the storm. Ensure the house you choose is well constructed and is high enough to avoid too much water getting in. It is essential also to consider some critical issues you may face if you need to evacuate your home and prepare. For example, if I have small children and the area is flooded, do I have a rope on hand to help secure my kids if we have to head out to a different location? In addition, it is critical to have all medical supplies, prescription medicine and special items your family may need. Don’t forget to plan for your youngest and eldest.
In the hectic preparation of a hurricane, people worry about protecting their lives and property. But the loss of certain vital documents can make recovering from the disaster more difficult. Individuals should store documents such as deeds, passports, stock or bonds certificates, naturalization papers and copies of insurance in a way that lessens the probability of the documents being damaged. As best as possible, persons should store documents, so they are easy to take with them if they need to evacuate. (Ziplocs are priceless in this case) In addition, having some cash stored with these documents will help if the hurricane is major and there are no ATMs available. These and more are all things you want to consider when developing an emergency plan.
Have the Necessary Supplies
Knowing what to do when a hurricane hits could save you a good deal of discomfort. However, having the right supplies when a hurricane hits could save you a GREAT deal of pain. Here are a few items to consider:
- Drinking-Water
- Non-perishable Food and Beverages
- First Aid Kit
- Whistle
- Face Mask
- Small tools
- Can Opener
- Cooking and Heating Equipment
- Large Igloo
- Disposable Utensils
- Batter Powered Radio
- Flashlights
- Cash
You can never tell the damage a storm will cause until the storm is over, so it is hard to say how long recovery will take. So it is best to have supplies that can last at least a week after the storm has passed.
Know the Locations of Storm Shelters
While you may have decided on your safe place and ensured your entire family is there on time, things happen. And if situations threaten to the point where you have to change your location, you need to know where you are heading long before that time comes. So, know the locations of storm shelters in your district, especially if you plan to take pets; you need to know which shelters can accommodate pets since not all of them will. Having a Grab bag (a bag filled with clothes and supplies for each member of your family) will help you quickly evacuate if needed.
Keep in mind there are certain items that shelters will not allow you to enter with, such as weapons, alcohol, cooking equipment and glass bottles.
What we have here is nothing but a summary of a few things to get the gears in your head turning. Natural Disasters are unpredictable, but if individuals prepare, it helps. For a more detailed plan for Hurricane preparation, here is an excellent resource that can help. Hurricane Resource (click to open)
Other Useful Information
For further hurricane preparedness, please visit the Hazard Management Cayman Islands website http://www.caymanprepared.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/hmchome.
Hurricane Information and Preparedness Slideshow : https://bit.ly/3dXWNLa
Powered by: The Adventist Development and Relief Agency Cayman Islands. Written by: Devarro Whittaker, Associate Television Producer
