By Ratna Okhai, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Public Affairs, University of South Florida
329 Mohave Terrace, Lake Mary, FL 32746
rvokhai@yahoo.com
- Numerous studies have been undertaken and provided best practices for future hurricane preparedness. This article provides readers with a few of those key points
- Readers will either learn or be reminded of some critical aspects that are often overlooked or underutilized when considering their jurisdiction’s preparedness.
It’s that time of the year! June 1st marked the beginning of our annual hurricane season. And while most of your communities are already prepared with the physical resources, agreements and financial contingencies, there may be some considerations that were not considered or could be applicable based on the resident make-up of your community. Below are some interesting preparedness points based on studies undertaken in Florida.
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- Preparedness is a shared responsibility. A study of South Florida households found “households feel more prepared if they perceive government is ready to respond and they also understand preparedness as a shared responsibility of the household and institution (Basolo, et al., 2017).” Governments should resonate with this shared responsibility as they prepare their communities.
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- Tailored communication is good communication. Communities that must work within college towns and with universities have unique demographics to deal with, considering student populations. A study of a Northeast Florida college town found that “different tools of communication … and evaluation of the emergency communication system should be an ongoing priority (Abukhalaf and von Meding, 2020).” While this may not come as a surprise to many, it is critical for municipalities to consider their methods of communicating with all of their residents (e.g. mobile alerts, Twitter updates, Facebook).
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- Prepared partnerships are key. When considering health and social care that residents may or do need, “increased communication and collaboration between families and providers,” including governments, can help improve community resilience and preparedness. (Scott, et al., 2022). Many communities in Florida have great partnerships with nonprofit and private organizations that are ready to mobilize when disaster strikes. Fostering those positive relationships in the preparedness stage takes work but can mitigate larger response issues down the line.
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- Shelter management can impact the willingness to evacuate. Considering the diversity of our communities and recent intolerant occurrences in the U.S., emergency management offices need to plan effectively and emphasize the safety of the residents who choose to evacuate to shelters. A case study looking at a religious minority evacuating to a shelter highlighted that existing biases of that minority could potentially lead to conflict at shelters (Samad et al., 2020).
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- Training partners can lead to better outcomes. Specifically thinking of residents that are in assisted-living communities (ALCs), a study looking at ALCs during Hurricane Irma found that smaller ones are more likely to evacuate, but they are also more likely to have more impaired residents. This study also noted that “access to training and other resources for safe sheltering in place” ( could assist in reducing vulnerability during storms. Considering these residents are the ones that may need specialized care, or particular care at a special-needs shelter, this training could reduce the burden for emergency management administrators as well.
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- Clearly marked evacuation zones can encourage compliance. A 2021 study conducted on the evacuation behavior of 170,000 vulnerable residents in Florida (i.e. mobile/manufactured homes, low-income tracts) found that counties that provide a specific zone for evacuation are more likely to see residents evacuate (Younes, et al., 2021). Unsurprisingly, mandatory evacuations are more likely to see compliance than voluntary evacuations. By preparing distinct safe areas, municipalities can further reduce safety issues when the storm hits.
Much of this information may not surprise many of our seasoned practitioners, but the evidentiary support for many of these points highlights how these considerations could positively impact jurisdictions for effectiveness and life safety. Additionally, these studies indicate that not only is the hurricane preparedness subject critical to study in Florida but there are solutions emerging and being utilized.
A full list of references can be obtained from the author at rvokhai@yahoo.com
