State Of Preparedness: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ivan
By Taylor Peyton Strunk, Condo Owner Magazine, Volume 18, Issue 3
As the gulf coast learned from Ivan and subsequent hurricane seasons since, sometimes the greatest anxiety stems from the unknown: When should we evacuate? Has my residence been affected? When will power be restored? How do I know what’s going on?
As the old adage goes, communication is key, and that most certainly rings true in the case of a catastrophic storm. Condo Owner spoke with local emergency management officials to share their perspectives on ten years of initiatives and improvements in communication, evacuation, and overall preparation that they believe has readied the gulf coast for the next big storm.
Communication
In terms of communication, both city and county officials agree that the biggest change from ten years ago is the advent of social media. Years ago, “we just had an info line residents could call,” said Landon “Lannie” Smith, Orange Beach emergency management director. “Now people are asking to be contacted through outlets like Twitter and Facebook. In fact, at the federal, state and county level, social media is now a recognized course you can take through FEMA.”
Smith said that social media allows affected cities to put accurate information online in real-time, which can then be shared exponentially by followers in a matter of seconds. “Additionally, we now have our computer servers located offsite so that our availability to communicate should not be affected during a storm,” he said.
In Ivan’s wake, downed phone lines and spotty cell service were huge challenges in communicating vital information among Florida municipalities, according to Randy McDaniel, Chief of the Okaloosa County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management Division.
“To assist with communications after a disaster, we applied for and received a grant to establish an emergency communications trailer,” he said, adding that a 311 service has also been installed in Okaloosa County, which is available at anytime to residents with questions. As in Orange Beach, social media accounts have also been established for the county to keep the community informed on the latest in news and weather reports.
Evacuation
As for evacuation routes, “We are still limited by the same factors [we faced during Ivan],” Smith said, citing a lack of north-south traffic routes as an ongoing problem. “Evacuation decisions have to be made early because it is going to be a lengthy process. The Baldwin Beach Express will help, but it is not going to make a huge difference on evacuation times until the connection is made to I-65.”
While actual evacuation routes may still be a challenge, one major improvement for the Alabama coast is the establishment of an evacuation group, Smith said. “After Hurricane Issac in 2012, (Ala.) Gov. Bentley put together a group with the mayors and other key players along the coast to work together to come to a decision about evacuation plans with each storm. Ultimately, the final decision still comes from Montgomery, but now our areas have a voice in determining when those mandatory evacuation orders will be implemented.”
According to John Dosh, chief of emergency management for Escambia County, Florida hasn’t experienced major changes in evacuation routes, either, due to limited road infrastructure. “We completed an updated evacuation study showing what areas should evacuate based on forecasted storm surge and how long it should take to evacuate those areas. One effort that did take place is that Escambia County provided funding to widen Hwy. 113 in Baldwin County (Ala.) to enhance the northern evacuation route up to I-65,” he said.
Preparation
“If there’s one good thing about hurricanes, it’s that we know in advance that we’re in danger, so we have time to prepare,” Smith said, citing the installation of underground utilities in Orange Beach since Ivan, to aid in fewer power outages that are also easier to fix. “Our number one priority is getting people back in their homes and reopening our businesses as soon as possible. The city now has a reserve fund to aid our community in that process until, and whether or not, federal aid comes in.”
Both Escambia and Okaloosa counties have had a new emergency operation center built since Ivan to provide better facilities supporting the preparation and coordination efforts of their respective communities.
“Ten years ago we were working in a small antiquated facility that could not support the entire response effort,” McDaniel said. Since then, “A new 25,000-square-foot facility has been constructed, which has eliminated all of the problems experienced during Ivan. The new facility can house 200 responders for 24-hour operations.”
“We have also enforced continued education of the public on preparedness planning and being prepared for families and businesses,” Dosh said. “Education is key for all within the community. Contact your local emergency management office, and they will be happy to help with any questions that one may have.”
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