EMERGENCY GUIDE 20221 FRIDAY, 27 MAY 2022 2024 HURRICANE FORECAST FIRE SAFETY EARTHQUAKE SURVIVALOne of the most important steps you can take is to review your insurance policies. Make sure you’re covered in the event you need to make a claim. HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE AGAIN. BE PREPARED WITH ISLAND HERITAGE. Discard perishable food Get rid of perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fi sh, eggs and leftovers) that have been above 40°F for 2 hours or more. Inspect your property Secure your house and property against the possibility of further damage. If you hire anyone for repairs, keep receipts. Note the damages List and photograph all damages sustained. Get two written quotes for repairs. Call Island Heritage Call +1 345 949 7280, the Island Heritage team is standing by and ready to assist. Stay alert Continue to monitor local news for the latest updates. Keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles. Check everyone’s safety Ensure all family members, friends and neighbours are safe, especially senior citizens. AFTER Monitor the news Stay tuned to the Government Emergency Broadcast station. Secure important documents Store valuables and personal papers (e.g. insurance, medical records, passports, etc.) in a waterproof container. Remain indoors Stay in the structurally strongest part of the house, and away from windows and doors. Follow offi cial instructions Do not go outside unless local authorities announce an evacuation or if it is safe to step outside. DURING Stock up on food and water Have a three-day supply of drinking water and non-perishable food. Fill bathtub and buckets with water. Charge up Make sure to charge your mobile device and save all emergency phone numbers. Protect your property Board up windows. Clear yard of loose objects. Move your vehicle and/or boat to a secure location. Have a family plan Develop an emergency plan for your home, property and pets. BEFORE Check your policies Make sure your insurance policies are up-to-date. Prepare an emergency kit Check supplies including a battery-operated radio, fl ashlights, extra batteries, fi rst aid kit and medications. Count on Island Heritage—we’re here for you. For insurance coverage and property claims, call +1 345 949 7280 or visit islandheritageinsurance.com. Claim forms can be found online at islandheritageinsurance.com/claim. To submit property claims, email us at claims@islandheritage.com.ky. AD hurricane general_infographic_FINAL_april.25.2023.indd 124/04/2023 6:05 PM2 Nor’wester, February 2024. Image: Taneos Ramsay Compass Centre, 319 Shedden Road, George Town, PO Box 1365, Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands. Emergency Guide Editor Laura Munyard Durston Contributing Writers Laura Munyard Durston Jenny Gabruch Catherine MacGillivray Graphic Design (editorial) Beth Ormerod - outside contractor Graphic Design (advertisements) Alex Angel Taneos Ramsay Head of Sales Cheryl Birch-Gillies Sales Representatives Kate Knox Cindy Oostvogels Brenda Rubes Fame Varona Eric Vincent • Know where your home’s water valve is located and how to operate it. • Don’t plant trees or shrubs near water meter boxes or over your home’s buried water pipe, as they can uproot during storm winds and damage the pipes, causing water leakage. • If you evacuate your home or leave your place of business, TURN OFF your watervalve before you leave. • In the event of a major storm, normal water service will most likely be interrupted, so stock-up beforehand. • If water service is interrupted, Cayman Water will make announcements as to where service will be restored and when piped water will be available. Listen for these announcements through the Hazard Management Cayman Islands or other disaster recovery media. • After the passage of a storm, if you suspect your home’s plumbing is damaged, close yourvalve until your plumbing can beto prevent wastage. • To check for water leakage in your plumbing, observe your water meter. Once water service is restored, carefully turnall taps, faucets and toiletvalves, so no water is being used anywhere in your house. Open your mainvalve if closed and observe your water meter. If it moves constantly your plumbing is most likely damaged and the water is leaking. Close back your main valve until you can locate and repair your plumbing’s leak. RegattaPark, Windward 3, 4th Floor, West Bay Rd Mon to Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm info@caymanwater.com Tel: 345-945-4277 Fax: 345-945-4191 ww w . c a yma n wa t e r . c o m reminds its valued customers to be prepared this storm seasoncgcoralisle.com | @cgcoralisle Good Like That. British Caymanian Insurance Company Limited BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, P.O. Box 74 George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands tel: Grand Cayman 949-8699 | Cayman Brac 948-1760 Hurricane season is here. There’s no time like now to assess how you are protecting your home. Call us to ensure you have the right coverage at the right value. Don’t waste time until there’s no time to waste.4 2023 2024 6 MESSAGE FROM DANIELLE COLEMAN Director, Hazard Management Cayman Islands. 8 EMERGENCY NUMBERS Numbers to have on hand in case of emergency. 10 HURRICANE IVAN - 20 YEARS AGO Anniversary of historic storm. 12 GUIDE TO STORM ALERTS What do different levels of warning mean? 14 HIGHEST-EVER HURRICANE FORECAST FOR 2024 Sobering predictions for 2024. 16 BE PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES First aid kits and AEDs improve your chances. 18 ATLANTIC STORM NAMES FOR 2024 Storm names for the season. 19 THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE Learn what to expect with each category of storm. 20 BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES Home preparation tips for storms. 22 PUBLIC SHELTERS Where to go to stay safe. 24 FIRST AID KIT What essentials to include. 26 WHEN YOU NEED TO BE EVACUATED Mandatory evacuation information. 28 PREPARE FOR YOUR PETS Include pets in your disaster preparedness plans. 30 SURVIVING AN EARTHQUAKE Steps to take when the ground is shaking. 31 TRAVEL DOCUMENTS Paperwork to keep on hand in case of emergencies. 32 ENSURE FOOD IS SAFE TO EAT Tips for before, during and after storms. 34 TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY SITUATIONS On-island options for improving emergency response skills. 36 THE CAYMAN ISLANDS REGIMENT The role of the regiment in times of emergency. 38 SAFETY IN A TSUNAMI Tips for survival if the water rises. 40 CAYMAN ISLANDS COAST GUARD Assistance during disasters at sea. 42 DON’T START A FIRE Tips for fi re and fi rework safety. 44 MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Where to seek help in times of distress. Where to seek help in times of distress. Tips for fi re and fi rework safety. 44 MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Where to seek help in times of distress. Assistance during disasters at sea. Tips for fi re and fi rework safety. 44 MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Where to seek help in times of distress. Include pets in your disaster preparedness plans. 40 CAYMAN ISLANDS COAST GUARD Assistance during disasters at sea. 42 DON’T START A FIRE Tips for fi re and fi rework safety. 44 MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Where to seek help in times of distress. Where to seek help in times of distress.5 PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY: *Designed to help minimize blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes compared to high-glycemic carbohydrates. ©2024 Abbo FLASHLIGHT To avoid accidents during a power outage and to easily find your Glucerna to help you manage your blood sugar*. PORTABLE COOLER & ICE To keep your frozen foods safe and your Pedialyte cool for fast rehydration. BOARD GAMES To keep your kids entertained while they drink their Pediasure to support their growth and immune system. BATTERIES To update you with the latest bulletins on your radio while you enjoy your Ensure with key nutrients for strength and energy. PROUDLY DISTRIBUTED BY: In addition to your emergency kit, get ready for you and your family’s nutrition and hydration needs. *Designed to help minimize blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes compared to high-glycemic carbohydrates. ©2024 Abbott Laboratories ANCARENSGLUPDSPED2024362086 MESSAGE FROM DANIELLE COLEMAN - DIRECTOR, HAZARD MANAGEMENT CAYMAN ISLANDS The 2024 hurricane season will be an active one if the seasonal forecasts are correct. Record sea surface temperatures (fuel for tropical systems to rapidly intensify into powerful and destructive hurricanes) and an expected transition to La Niña conditions (less wind shear in the Atlantic and Caribbean Sea) present an ideal environment for tropical cyclone formation. Residents and businesses should take note and start preparing now. For many years, the Compass Media Emergency Guide has been supporting the efforts of Hazard Management Cayman Islands in getting the word out about what preparedness actually looks like: it is about ‘taking action’ well before a hurricane is bearing down and approaching the islands. Preparedness pays off. There are ways to get through a hurricane with minimal impacts and we endorse the suggestions found in this guide. Hazard Management has been steadily expanding Cayman’s infrastructure resilience including business continuity planning, expanding shelter capacity, telecommunications equipment, improving our incident response systems through training and exercises and ensuring our members of the National Hazard Management mechanism, at all levels, are ready to respond at all times. We know we can’t change the elevation and coastal nature of the Cayman Islands, so we keep emphasising the importance of knowing your risks and getting out of harm’s way when hurricanes and tropical storms approach. Hurricane-driven waves and storm surge can be significant threats, especially in Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, where so much of the land areas are less than six feet above sea level. For those living in low-lying areas, especially if the property is single storey or directly on an open coast, the threat from hurricane waves and storm surge is real, so having a plan of where to ride out a hurricane is a key part of an emergency plan. At Hazard Management we are especially concerned about the well-being of the more vulnerable members of our society, who may be less likely to go to a public shelter. This could include our seniors, persons with disabilities or additional needs, persons with mental health challenges, or those with more hidden disabilities or vulnerabilities. We are working with a number of stakeholders to ensure our shelters can accommodate such needs, including the introductions of ‘quiet rooms’, for those who may experience sensory issues. However, we strongly encourage the entire community to ensure that disabled or vulnerable persons are not left in dangerous locations or situations when a storm approaches and that we all do our part, whether it be offering a room in your own home for a few days (if it is strong and suitable) or helping others buy supplies or board up windows. Whatever it takes, please make it your responsibility to keep yourself and others safe, especially those who are more vulnerable. As with every year, we obviously hope we will be spared again from hurricane impacts, but as always, we are not leaving things to chance. We are preparing at Hazard Management and we certainly encourage you to do the same. As we approach the beginning of another hurricane season, it is with a solemn yet determined heart that we reflect on the events of two decades ago when Hurricane Ivan ravaged our beloved islands. This year marks the 20th anniversary of that fateful storm, a time to remember the resilience and unity that defined our response and recovery and to acknowledge and be grateful for how far we have come in regards to readiness for all emergencies. As director of Hazard Management, I urge each and every one of you to take proactive measures to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Let us honour the memory of Hurricane Ivan by ensuring that we are resilient, prepared, and united in our efforts to safeguard our families, our homes, and our community. Together, let us reaffirm our commitment to resilience and preparedness as we face the challenges that lie ahead. With vigilance, preparation and cooperation, we can weather any storm that comes our way. 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