On September 28th, 2022, I found myself and my dog Sadie weathering through what will hopefully (knock on wood) be the last Category 4 storm I ever stay home for. Growing up in Florida, I was never scared of Hurricanes. Like so many others, I’ve been through my fair share. You hunker down for a day, throw a party and afterwards watch for some limbs and maybe a streetlight or two. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to experience a storm like Ian. I won’t rehash it. We all know how awful it was and we know it’ll take at least a couple more years before everything is normal again out on the barrier islands. One thing is for certain. I will take Hurricane season more seriously now. I had the pleasure to sit down with Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman to talk about Hurricane Season and why its important to stay ready should we have storm come our way.
First, we need to remember Hurricane Season takes place from June 1st - November 30th. Yes, that is six months. That said, history shows us the most active parts of the annual season takes place from August through October. Katrina, Ian, Matthew, Harvey, Maria, and many other terrible storms all took place from August onwards. Does that mean we should write off early summer? No, but historical context is incredibly important when preparing for storms. Now is the perfect time to restock non perishable items like water and canned goods and testing out those portable batteries and generators.
How we, as citizens, prepare is incredibly important. Equally as important is, how does the County and their government partners prepare for Hurricane Season? Folks, I have good news. Our County Commissioners and their dedicated staff are prepared. In fact, they prepare year round for Hurricane Season. I asked Commissioner Hamman to tell me more about their year round exercises.
“We prepare all year round. We run table top exercises, we look at locations for where shelters can go, where we stage vehicles, and where we will put debris. We also have contingency contracts with vendors to assist in these efforts that trigger into effect should our area take on a storm. So when it’s coming, we flip a switch and go into active mode.”
In February (speaking for myself), I know the only thing I think about is how long I’m going to sit by the pool and what flavor of high noon I want to enjoy while I do it. The County on the other hand in February? On guard, preparing, looking at ways we can respond and mitigate more effectively. Incredible.
In our conversation there were a couple other important topics he brought up and I cannot echo them enough. “Water is unpredictable” and “have enough resources to last 3 days”.
Today’s homes are not what they used to be. I may be off by a little, but today’s building codes call for homes to withstand speeds well over 156mph. Our homes today are extremely resilient against wind damage. Storm surge, on the other hand, is incredibly unpredictable and violent. Go to Fort Myers Beach, and you’ll find signs 18 feet high saying “Ian was here”. Storm surge happens fast and can irreparably damage your home and put your family as risk. Which is why Commission Hamman also mentioned “If you’re in a flood zone, make plans today to find a place outside of the flood zone. Make that plan now”.
As we wrapped up, I asked Commissioner Hamman if he had any final thoughts. I was expecting something about storms or evacuations, or something else. His last point showed me, and I hope shows everyone reading this, how amazing and selfless people can be in the face of disaster.
“In the aftermath of the storm there were hundreds and hundreds of county staff who stepped up and served our community. Many of them had their own homes damaged but they answered the call in service of the community we love.” One staffer, in the sports development department, had his home completely destroyed and basically lived in the EOC to help with response and recovery. In the moments after tragedy there are still those who help. It gives me hope and I hope gives you hope too. Remember to stay prepared, and especially remember:
“It only takes one.”
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