With all that’s happened in recent months, it’s easy to forget that the pandemic isn’t the only challenge facing different regions. Hurricane season only just officially starting now, and Florida emergency management professionals are continuing to discuss how to best handle a response which would require balancing sheltering those displaced by a storm with protecting those same people from the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Says Brock Long, emergency management consultant at Hagerty Consulting and former FEMA administrator, of the challenge emergency officials face, “They will do everything they can to mitigate further spreading the virus, but they cannot guarantee it. You first have to save lives from the immediate threat of the hurricane. You have to save them from flooding and drowning.”
To help prepare for hurricane season, the following recommendations are offered:
- Prepare multiple plans, as traditional backups for sheltering may not be available
- Consider sheltering in place at home, rather than going to centralized shelters
- If space is available, look to extend offers of shelter to family members and friends
- Ensure hurricane kits include wipes, hand sanitizers, and masks
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