Prioritising Preparedness – Hurricane Season and Beyond

23 July 2026 | Blog | By: CIG Communications

The Kearney Gomez Doppler Radar was upgraded ahead of the 2026 Hurricane Season. 

Safety begins long before a crisis occurs. Smarter planning, better coordination and practical action, both at home and on a national scale, ensure that the Cayman Islands remain prepared to manage an emergency and protect the safety of its residents. 

With Cayman’s hurricane season running from 1 June through 30 November, here’s a reminder of how to prepare your home for a crisis, plus an inside look into what Government is doing to protect our community. 

 

How The Government Has Prepared Cayman 

Led by the Cabinet Office, a significant achievement during this Government's first year in office was strengthening the Cayman Islands' emergency preparedness capabilities. This included: 

  • Introduction of a NOAA storm surge model calibrated specifically for Cayman's coastline, providing more accurate flood-risk warnings for specific neighbourhoods rather than the island as a whole 

  • The flood sensor network across George Town and Bodden Town was doubled, meaning faster, more localised flood alerts. 

  • Government ran a live readiness exercise in May 2026, securing shutters and testing generators and water systems across 124+ government buildings, including all 16 official shelters — so if you do need to shelter, the building itself has already been checked. 

These assets help ensure communities receive timely, reliable information before, during and after severe weather events. They also strengthen the country's ability to monitor risks, coordinate responses and support recovery efforts when emergencies occur.  

Learn how the Cayman Islands Government is modernising governance systems and strengthening institutional performance on GOV.KY. 

 

How The Government Continues to Advance Preparedness  

Bringing together public and private sector partners to strengthen preparedness. 

Preparedness also requires ongoing investment. Looking ahead, the Government is focused on: 

  • The CINWS Operations and Research Centre, expected to be completed in 2026, will support enhanced operational efficiency, and strengthened capacity in forecasting across the Cayman Islands. 

  • The expansion of the weather sensor network with the installation of four new Automatic Weather Observing System (AWOS) towers across all three islands. 

  • Enhancing weather coverage through the CINWS’ transition to 24-hour Operations, to facilitate rapid response to weather related threats. 

  • Improving shelter capacity by advancing initiatives across the Cayman Islands, including enhancing emergency shelter infrastructure and ensuring accessible, inclusive, and equitable protection and support for vulnerable and at-risk communities during an emergency. 

These investments in disaster preparedness and emergency management mean better early warning systems, clearer evacuation plans, stronger infrastructure, and more resilient supply chains.  

This is why enhancing public safety, modernising government systems, and strengthening institutional performance remain a key priority for the NCFC government. Learn more about Good Governance and Public Safety at GOV.KY.

Evidence-based planning is used to improve emergency response.

 

How To Prepare Your Home During Hurricane Season 

Before the first named storm shows up, ensure your home is prepared by having: 

  • A written family plan: Who calls whom, where you meet if separated and your nearest shelter or evacuation route. 

  • A 5 to 7-day supply kit: Water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlight, battery radio, first aid, cash (ATMs and cards may not work post-storm). 

  • A full tank of gas in every vehicle, and a plan for where to park if you're near a flood-prone area. 

  • Copies of important documents: ID, insurance policy, medical records — kept somewhere waterproof or digital. 

  • A current insurance check: Confirm your policy is active and actually covers storm and flood damage before hurricane season, not during it. 

The Cayman Prepared website provides practical guidance, including family preparedness resources, shelter information and emergency planning checklists. 

Beyond Hurricane Season 

The government runs live exercises to test and improve how we communicate, coordinate, and respond in emergencies.

Preparedness extends beyond hurricanes. It also involves having robust systems in place to manage everyday disruptions such as power outages, medical emergencies, infrastructure failures and public health concerns. For the Cayman Islands Government, these systems include: 

  • Cross-ministry action with strengthened collaboration across departments responsible for policing, emergency management, health, infrastructure, and social services. 

  • Prioritising evidence-based planning to identify where risks are highest, where resources are needed most, and which interventions deliver the best results. 

Together, these systems help ensure that government services remain coordinated and resilient, and that residents can trust public institutions to respond when it matters most. 

 

Where To Go From Here 

For more home preparedness tips, shelter locations, and real-time alerts during a storm: 

  • GOV.KY — for the wider first-year progress update on public safety and preparedness 

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