HMCI PACARF Workshop Marks Pivotal Step in Strengthening National Disaster Response
Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI) successfully convened the second Pre-All Clear Assessment Readiness Framework (PACARF) Workshop on Monday, 29 June 2026, bringing together more than 80 participants from across the public and private sectors in the Cayman Islands and the wider Caribbean region.
The workshop builds on significant groundwork laid since the inaugural PACARF Workshop held on 25 July 2025, which served as a discovery session to establish the framework's foundational concepts. That first workshop resulted in an initial draft of the PACARF and a structured stakeholder consultation process, during which the framework was further developed and refined in collaboration with key partners across the public and private sectors.
PACARF is directly tied to the Cayman Islands' National Colour Code Alert System, jointly managed by HMCI, the Cayman Islands National Weather Service (CINWS), and the Department of Communications (DoC), which was launched last year to provide the public with clear, colour-coded guidance during hazard events. Within that system, the Grey phase — the assessment period following a storm or disaster — represents the critical window during which emergency responders and critical infrastructure teams assess the safety and readiness of the island before any all-clear can be issued.
It is during this phase that members of the public are asked to remain indoors and off the roads, allowing those assessments to be conducted safely and efficiently. PACARF provides the formal, standardised protocol that governs exactly how that Grey phase is managed — ensuring that the decision to move from assessment to all-clear is evidence-based, coordinated, and consistent across all agencies.
The second workshop, held as a full-day session, marked a significant milestone in that ongoing process. Participants engaged in robust, wide-ranging discussions that examined current protocols, identified areas for enhancement, and explored best practices for conducting safe and coordinated post-event assessments. A practical capabilities assessment allowed agencies and stakeholders to test their readiness and response mechanisms in real time, and the session concluded with a comprehensive tabletop exercise that put the framework's operational elements into practice — providing participants with a hands-on opportunity to stress-test procedures, surface gaps, and refine coordination approaches.
"The Pre-All Clear Assessment Readiness Framework has been a true collaborative effort from the very beginning," said Mark Codling, Deputy Director for Planning, Preparedness and Mitigation at HMCI. "What we saw on Monday — the quality of the discussions, the way participants engaged with the tabletop, the depth of expertise brought by our regional partners — validated the work that has gone into this process over the past year. We are now at a pivotal point, and I am confident that what emerges as policy will meaningfully strengthen how the Cayman Islands manages the critical window between a hazard event and the all-clear."
"The level of engagement and expertise in the room on Monday was a true reflection of our community's commitment to a culture of readiness," said HMCI Director Dani Coleman. "PACARF is about making sure that when a hazard event passes, the steps that follow are just as coordinated and evidence-based as our response. This workshop moved us meaningfully closer to that goal."
For the public, PACARF represents a direct commitment to their safety. When a hurricane passes or a hazard event concludes, the instinct to venture out and assess damage or reunite with loved ones is understandable — but doing so before an all-clear is issued can be life-threatening. Downed power lines, unstable structures, compromised roads, and active hazards are among the dangers that may not be immediately visible. PACARF ensures that the teams responsible for making those assessments have a clear, tested, and agreed-upon process to work through — so that when the all-clear does come, it carries the full weight of a rigorous, multi-agency evaluation.
The next phase of the PACARF process will see the framework formalised as a national policy document, to be presented to senior government leadership for review and approval. Once endorsed, PACARF will be integrated into the Cayman Islands' National Response Plans, providing a standardised, jurisdiction-wide protocol for pre-all clear assessments following hazard events.
HMCI extends its sincere appreciation to all workshop participants, facilitators, and regional partners whose contributions made the session a resounding success.
