GRAND
CAYMAN (GIS) - With the
2019 hurricane season starting 1 June, the Department of Children and
Family Services (DCFS) is now seeking persons interested in becoming
shelter volunteers in Grand Cayman.

As
part of its annual hurricane shelter volunteer programme, the DCFS,
in partnership with the Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI) is
holding training sessions on Monday, 27 and Tuesday, 28 May 2019.

This
year, DCFS plans on training approximately 100 volunteers. This
number will ensure there is an adequate pool of volunteers to draw
from to assist with shelter operations in the event of a hurricane
during the six-month long season.

Persons
interested in volunteering for hurricane shelter training must sign
up on or before Friday, 17 May.
Interested parties are required to attend both
training sessions from 5.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at John Gray School
Hall. Those who completed their training in 2017 and 2018 need not
attend the upcoming sessions but must
still
register.

During
the sessions, attendees will be instructed in all areas of shelter
management. Trainee volunteers will learn, among other procedures:
basic radio skills to liaise with the National Emergency Operations
Centre; the rules and regulations governing the shelter; child
protection protocol; the hurricane activation stages; safety
precautions including an understanding of what items are not allowed
in a shelter.

Once
volunteers complete the DCFS/HMCI training, they will receive
certification and their contact details will be added to the register
of volunteers.

Some
of the 16 shelters in Grand Cayman will be staffed by Cayman Islands
Red Cross volunteers. Additionally, some shelters are designated as
Emergency Medical Shelters which will be staffed by Health Services
Authority personnel.

To
sign up to attend this year’s hurricane shelter training sessions,
email DCFS.SMT@gov.ky
or call 949-0920.