Riding out Hurricane Ivan

by Sally Aldridge

Friday, September 17, 2004

Thousands of residents of all three Cayman Islands were forced to flee their homes to ride out the storm in safety. People that live in low lying areas and those that were concerned about the construction of their houses moved to their offices, the homes of friends and family or public shelters for protection.

Cable & Wireless offered protection for employees and their families at their One Technology Square bunker. As the storm raged the facility was also opened to many others seeking refuge.

Other private sector entities opened up their doors to the public.

More than 4,000 people were in public shelters for the duration of the storm.

Many made last minute decisions to leave their homes Saturday afternoon as news broadcasts predicted the hurricane may make landfall on Grand Cayman and His Excellency the Governor declared a State of Emergency.

This last minute rush of people meant some shelters, such as the West Bay Primary School, became full and were forced to close their doors early.

Others were able to accommodate all who needed their services until the official closing of the doors at 9:00 pm to batten down as the storm passed.

Residents from all sections of the community, including judges, journalists, hotel staff and many more, used the public shelter facilities.

Some shelters also housed tourists who had been unable to leave the island and were evacuated from their hotels.

With hundreds of people crammed into some shelters, conditions were uncomfortable, but the excellent staff and volunteers worked diligently to provide comfort and safety for those seeking refuge. Often the people in the shelter pulled together and assisted where they could with plumbers and electricians volunteering their services.

In the John Gray Assembly Hall there were several tourists from a number of Seven Mile Beach resorts at the peak of the hurricane.

The public shelters in Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are buildings that have been chosen as places of safety, with the capacity to hold a large number of people. However, the exceptionally strong winds of Hurricane Ivan proved too much for some of the shelters and many experienced roof damage and some degree of water entry.

As Hurricane Ivan passed on Sunday, those who were still in the safety of shelters with minimal damage felt very lucky to be safe and well, and settled down for another night in the shelter before returning to inspect their homes on Monday. Having survived the storm, this was still a tense time as people's thoughts turned to their property and workplaces.

From the relative safety of a shelter, with limited communication, many people simply couldn't imagine what would face them when they went outside.

Sadly, hundreds of people remain in shelters at this time. Many left upon the all-clear to check their property, only to find extensive damage and were forced to return.

Other people whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Ivan have gone to the shelters since the storm passed. Resources are being pushed to the limit and many shelters are appealing for donations of food, water and blankets.

Others would like more volunteers to assist with serving meals and other essential services.

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