Preparing Cayman for the 2020 Hurricane Season

Hurricane season is upon us and in this Annus Horribilis of earthquakes and Covid-19 it would not be a surprise to me for the Cayman Islands to be paid a visit by a sizable hurricane, or two, this year. Scientists at Colorado State are predicting an above-average level of activity for 2020, with 16 named storms. That is four more than in a typical season.

Of those 16, researchers say eight could become hurricanes and four of those could reach major hurricane strength (hitting a category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale).

Many homeowners and business owners, as a matter of course, undertake to have their properties reviewed by a structural engineer for hurricane preparedness on an annual and pre-hurricane season basis. There is no doubt that being prepared is key to ‘weathering’ any storms. So, the big question you should ask yourself is:

“Am I prepared?”

Prior to 1994, there was no legislated requirement for any buildings in the Cayman Islands to be designed and built to any Building Code. The current legislated building code for the Cayman Islands is the IBC 2009 Building Code. It is my opinion that this is a very good code and well suited to the Cayman Islands. However, it should be noted that codes are undergoing constant review and updating. The IBC 2009 Building Code is no exception to this and has undergone several upgrades which, as of now, have not been implemented/legislated in the Cayman Islands.

Many pre-1994 buildings were designed and built with scant, if any, proper hurricane resistance consideration. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 had sustained winds between 130 and 145 mph. Many of these buildings were destroyed, wrecked, or damaged. It must be said that there were also many post-1994 houses damaged; some severely. The Building Code in the Cayman Islands that was in effect in 2004 was not as robust as the current legislated code. Houses today that are designed and built to the current Cayman Islands code should fare much better.

DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN

While August, September and November are the usual months for hurricanes to make landfall in the Cayman Islands, it’s not very long at all (especially if your property needs major repairs or improvements) before the height of what is predicted to be an active hurricane season. Now is the time to act so you will not be caught out making final and probably inadequate moves to reinforce properties defences against hurricanes.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: your best ally to protect your property against hurricanes

Before the hurricane season officially starts in June, it is far better to engage the services of a licensed structural engineer to undertake a structural assessment regarding your property’s hurricane readiness. This will provide feedback on your property’s capacity to withstand high winds as well as measures that you can take to mitigate potential damage.

To discuss your property’s hurricane preparedness needs, contact me today at frank@reedconsultingengineers.com or call 345-922-7430.