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Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI)

Hazard Management Department Cayman Islands has overall responsibility for the national Comprehensive Disaster Management programme, including preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery. HMCI is responsible for the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), which is activated to direct and coordinate the response to national threats. HMCI also has responsibility for maintaining the National Hazard Management plans for threats such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

National Emergency Notification System (NENS)

Communicating with the public in emergencies is a critical Government function. HMCI currently does that a number of ways including by sending information to local media and also though our website and social media sites. In 2018, HMCI launched the radio alert system in collaboration with Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC). This system enables HMCI and DPSC to broadcast emergency alert messages across all radio networks. The emergency messages interrupt (automatically) radio broadcasts after which normal programming resumes.

In order to reach as many persons in the Cayman Islands as possible, HMCI is continually working to increase the number of ways that emergency messages are delivered to the public. HMCI has now developed a mobile alert application (App) that can deliver emergency notifications to subscribers.

Residents and visitors can download the free app on their phones by going to nens.gov.ky. Once signed up, you will receive emergency notices from HMCI directly to your phone. You can select whether you want this emergency notifications to arrive by email or SMS text or both.

Vision

The protection of residents and visitors of the Cayman Islands by creating a culture of preparedness and resiliency to disasters, Enhancing interdepartmental communication and cooperation between emergency responders to reduce the loss of life, human suffering, property damage and the protection of environmental sensitive areas through Comprehensive Hazard Management.

Mission Statement

Enhance the Cayman Islands resiliency to disaster with full community participation. This will involve participation in the National approach to Hazard Management through mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery thereby ensuring the preservation of human life, property and economic recovery.

Values

• Failure is not an option
• Rapid deployment
• Early and relevant public information
• Equity in the distribution of services
• Appreciation of stakeholder role and contribution
• Political neutrality

Organizational History

The Cayman Islands has had an Official Hurricane Plan since the early 1970s. Regular revision kept the plan current and lessons learned from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 changed the approach to Disaster Management.

The Cayman Islands National Strategic Plan 1998 -2008 lists “comprehensive contingency planning” and establishment of a “national emergency management agency” among its strategies. The document also mentions prevention and mitigation as desirable activities to be undertaken to safeguard the country. The proposal for a national agency with a comprehensive mandate to lead the risk management process is therefore in keeping with the plans for national development.

In January 2007, Hazard Management Cayman Islands was established as the government agency responsible for coordination of all programs dealing with national disasters, whether natural or man-made and implementing the National Hurricane Plan. The National Hurricane Committee was transitioned to the National Hazard Management Council.