National Hurricane Survival Initiative

Saving Lives & Minimizing Damage -- Is your community prepared?

As 2021 Active Hurricane Season Arrives & Pandemic Eases, Floridians Less Worried – and Less Prepared – for Storms Ahead

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – There’s a flip side to the recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions: Far fewer Floridians say they are prepared for hurricane season than a year ago – yet significantly fewer are concerned about the storm season that officially begins Tuesday, despite projections that it will be another very active six-month storm period. These are among the key findings of a “pre-season” survey by the “Get Ready, Florida!” public education initiative.

One year ago, amid widespread restrictions in the early months of the pandemic, more than 9 in 10 Floridians expressed concerns about at least one aspect of hurricane season – including a large majority (62%) who worried that storms could pile additional strains on first responders. Twelve months later, respondents with at least one concern have fallen from 91% to 73%, and worries about first responders were cut in half, from 62% to 31%.

At the same time, however, the portion of Floridians who say they are better prepared for hurricane season this year has dropped by more than half. A year ago, 51% said they were more prepared than in the past, but now that number has fallen to just 21%. And it’s likely the pandemic had a lot to do with it, as Floridians stocked-up and stored supplies in the early months of the shutdown.

“A year ago, everyone was already hunkered down at home, with as many emergency supplies as they could stock up as a safeguard against COVID-19 shortages,” said Craig Fugate, former FEMA administrator and a consultant to the Get Ready, Florida! Initiative. “With so much reopening now, people seem more interested in getting life back to normal and less focused on hurricane preparation – and that will be a major problem if and when a powerful storm hits.”

The survey of 1,000 Florida voters was conducted May 5-17 for “Get Ready, Florida!,” a long-running statewide public education initiative produced by Sachs Media in cooperation with the nonprofit FAIR Foundation. The initiative serves to help Floridians plan, prepare, and respond to the threat of the annual six-month-long official season of hurricanes and tropical storms.

Among the survey findings:

  • Almost three-quarters (73%) of Floridians report being concerned about at least one aspect of the upcoming hurricane season, down from 91% a year earlier.
  • Despite this increased level of confidence, the portion saying they are more prepared fell significantly, to 21% this year after more than half (51%) said they were prepared one year ago.
  • Asked to identify one or more concerns from a list, respondents voiced concerns over
    • More strains on first responders – 31%, down from 62% last year
    • Business closures or more hits to the economy – 41%, down from 58%
    • Fewer shelters open due to social distancing – 20%, down from 43%
    • Uncertainty over where to safely evacuate – 20%, down from 30%
    • Caring for elderly or special needs relatives – 21%, down from 35%
    • Being able to afford supplies – 25%, down from 30%
  • Fewer Floridians say they are concerned overall about hurricane season. One year ago, 73% said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned, but now that figure stands at 62%.
  • The number of Floridians saying they are not concerned about this year’s hurricane season grew to 37%, up from 28% last year. The number saying they are “not at all concerned,” though relatively small, doubled from 4% to 8% in one year.
  • Identical portions as last year expressed confidence in the state’s emergency preparedness and response (78%) and knowledge regarding unsafe locations to run a generator (73%).
  • A slightly smaller portion of Floridians said they have put off necessary home repairs due to COVID-19 – 22% this year, down from 25% last year.

“Floridians are excited about the progress against COVID and ready to get back to normal activities, but this is no time to ignore the very real threat that hurricanes pose to our state,” said Jay Neal, CEO of FAIR. “People should be updating their hurricane plans, stock up on supplies, and do everything they can to get ready.”

As Florida is America’s most hurricane-vulnerable state, residents and governments  are advised to plan for expected storms, and also for their aftermath. Leaders in Tallahassee have started to focus on ways to make the state more resilient to the impacts of storms, but the state’s recent history with major storms has underscored the need for local communities and residents to have their own plans for post-disaster recovery. Experts say families should have enough supplies – including food, water, medicine, shelter – to survive on their own for at least three days.

Active, Record-Setting 2020 Hurricane Season Closes

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Preparedness and Recovery Key to Protection for Floridians.

Tallahassee, FL – 2020 will be remembered for making history in the most active Atlantic hurricane season since 2005, when a record-setting 28 storms formed. But that’s history now, as the 2020 season shattered the mark and now holds the record for the most named storms in a season at 30. This year’s storm season, which started early when Tropical Storm Arthur formed on May 16, officially ends today as the most active since official record keeping began in 1851.

Despite the many challenges posed by the global pandemic, Floridians largely escaped the full fury of hurricane season thanks to the preparations of emergency managers, the attentiveness of residents – and a measure of luck. Four of the storms touched Florida, but only one – Hurricane Eta earlier this month – made direct landfall in the state.

Twelve storms made landfall in the continental United States, a number of them targeting our neighbors to the west in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The 2020 hurricane season also brought more devastation from the storms and longer-lasting effects than in recent years. And because additional storms are possible even though the calendar says hurricane season is ending, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center will continuously monitor the tropics for storm development and activity.

“Like most things in 2020, this hurricane season was truly one for the record books,” said Craig Fugate, former Federal Emergency Management Administrator. “Thankfully, we now have an advanced lead time that emergency managers need to evacuate vulnerable areas and stage resources ahead of landfalling storms so we can help people withstand the worst impacts of wind and water.”

Paul Handerhan, a spokesman for Florida’s FAIR Foundation, said preparedness efforts among federal, state, and local emergency managers, and community groups helped protect lives and property. The FAIR Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to creating safer, stronger, and more resilient communities in the face of natural disasters. Even though 13 of the storms became hurricanes – including six major hurricanes with winds topping 111 mph – the continental U.S. was largely spared the devastation experienced in Central America and elsewhere. 

“The 2020 hurricane season caused at least $14 billion in damages in the U.S., and Florida alone has over a million homes that are vulnerable to storm surge but are uninsured for flood risk,” said Handerhan. “It’s critical that Floridians access affordable private flood insurance to properly insure their properties and narrow the insurance protection gap so they can get their lives back without the lingering impacts of financial devastation.”

This historic season saw record water levels in several locations, including along the Gulf Coast – soaked by Hurricane Sally, Pensacola experienced its highest observed water levels since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But taken together, the collective U.S. damage caused by all the storms this season likely won’t come close to matching those of individual catastrophic storms that caused massive destruction in highly populated areas such as Katrina in 2005, Sandy in 2012, and Michael in 2018.

This is the fifth consecutive year with an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, in keeping with a pattern that has seen 18 above-average seasons out of the past 26. Preparedness for this increasing number and intensity of storms by Floridians is a key factor also cited by Brittany Perkins Castillo, CEO of AshBritt Environmental, a rapid-response disaster recovery and environmental services company. 

“We see the physical and emotional toll these storms have on entire communities long after the actual storm has passed,” Perkins Castillo said. “Our goal is to get families and communities back on their feet as quickly as possible. Every year carries the potential to be another record-breaker, and that’s why it’s so important that as part of annual hurricane planning, Floridians have to make it a priority to check in with their insurance providers ahead of time to review coverage and insurance plans.”

Hurricane 2019: Get your documents and your data ready for a storm

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As hurricane season begins, make an effort to implement a “set it and forget it” approach by preparing your physical and digital property ahead of time.
Missing Roof and Walls of Apartment on Gulf Coast in the Aftermath of Hurricane Michael
Missing Roof and Walls of Apartment on Gulf Coast in the Aftermath of Hurricane Michael

Preparing your property, papers and photos for a hurricane should start long before an approaching storm’s so-called “cone of uncertainty” falls upon the Tampa Bay area.

Implement a “set it and forget it” approach to this storm season by preparing your property — your home, your business and your most important documents and photos — ahead of time.

You may not have time to do all that as a storm approaches and handle other critical tasks, such as assembling food and water supplies. The following are some basic rules, and specific information that can be found online using resources such as the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (www.flash.org) or the National Hurricane Survival Initiative (hurricanesafety.org.)

Protect your home

Seal it: Make sure all of your windows and doors are tightly sealed to keep wind and water out. This will help keep your possessions safe. But if you’ve been taping your windows all this time, experts say, that’s not doing much to protect them. Skip this step in favor of installing heavy hurricane shutters or boarding up windows with plywood that is at least five-eighths of an inch thick. Google the best way to install plywood for your particular house. If you do lose a window, you’ll need more plywood and some tarps to keep it covered until it’s fixed.

Fix your roof: Got a leak? It’s going to get worse. If you’re having issues with your roof, have it inspected to ensure it will not let water into your home and that there are no serious structural issues before a storm arrives. If something goes wrong, you’re going to need even more plastic tarps on hand to keep the roof covered until it gets fixed.

Disarmament: Remove anything from your yard that strong wind gusts could turn into an airborne weapon. That includes lawn decorations, furniture, planters and anything that isn’t tied or bolted down.

Reinforcements: The most vulnerable part of your home might be the garage door, depending on how old it is. A garage door that fails during the storm will leave the house and roof far more vulnerable to wind and rain damage than a broken window. Kits and products for bracing and reinforcing garage doors are sold at home improvement stores.

Protect your business

All of the advice for your home goes for your business, too. Check the structure’s roof, board up windows, bring everything inside and make any necessary repairs.

Needs a trim: Cut away any branches from nearby trees that may impact your business’ office during a hurricane. That goes for any unhealthy or rotting trees, too.

Power down: Turn off utilities, such as electricity, before a storm hits to help prevent surges after power is restored. Don’t forget about large appliances, such as the break room fridge (clean it out before you turn the power off, too; in fact, just clean it out).

Information security: Crucial documents that have not been backed up on hard drives and the cloud should be placed in waterproof containers. If the building is in an endangered area, or you’ll need to access them right after a storm, consider moving them to a safer, more accessible location.

Road trip: Make sure you have the equipment, documents, information and passwords you may need to run the business remotely after a storm.

Protect your documents, photos

Make a checklist of all your important documents and photos and consider storing physical copies in another location.

One word, plastics: Store your important documents and photos in a waterproof container or bag to protect them from being ruined by rain or flooding. It could be a waterproof lockbox or just a binder with plastic sleeves.

Card game: Don’t forget to gather, organize and store important items such as your driver’s license, passport, insurance information, medical documents, financial records, checkbooks, birth certificates and Social Security cards. You’ll want to bring cash along, too, because ATMs and credit cards may not function after a storm.

Portability: If you have to evacuate, make sure to take physical and digital (or both) copies of important documents, photos and records that you cannot do without, just in case you’re cut off from home for a period of time.

Self-preservation: The same steps should be taken to protect irreplaceable family photos. But it’s 2019, are you on the cloud yet? Digital photos and scanned PDF of documents can be stored on hard drives and using cloud services such as Apple’s iCloud, DropBox, Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive, or Amazon Cloud Drive. Some services offer free storage space, so why not save multiple copies of your stuff?

Contact Malena Carollo at [email protected] or (727) 892-2249. Follow @malenacarollo.

Financing to help Florida’s SNFs meet power requirements

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Revered for its year-round warm temperatures and relaxing lifestyle, Florida is home to the largest population of aging and elderly Americans who retire to the Sunshine State. However, Florida is also known for its disruptive weather, especially during the summer months that often bring with them devastating hurricanes and record-breaking heat waves.
2017’s hurricane season was particularly destructive in Florida. Hurricane Irma cost the state billions and took more than 70 lives. Among the victims were 12 residents of a Hollywood, Florida nursing home, who died after the facility lost power in the days following Irma’s wrath.

In response to this tragic event, a new mandate from Gov. Rick Scott requires all senior living facilities to install power generators, and to have enough fuel supply to run the generators for 72 hours. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have until July 1 to comply. Although thousands are already in compliance, many are without the financial resources required to make these expensive system upgrades.

There is a widely available, but lesser known, program that can help. Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing (C-PACE) is a program that provides business owners with funding for improvement projects such as the installation of impact-resistant windows and doors, roofing, HVAC and solar panels.

Through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill, property owners pay for the improvement projects over time. C-PACE loans are tied to the property itself and not the property owner, offering a rare chance for property owners to overcome common barriers of the upfront costs.

Ygrene is one of the nation’s leading providers of C-PACE. Our program is currently available in more than 150 cities and counties in Florida; however, most property owners do not know that C-PACE is an option for them. In fact, a recent survey commissioned by the National Hurricane Survival Initiative revealed that less than 8% of Floridians are aware of the program.

It’s important that nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida know that they are eligible for the C-PACE program, as they all share the same goal of ensuring residents are kept safe and cared for during disasters. C-PACE providers like Ygrene can help nursing homes meet the governor’s new mandate for backup power supply, but beyond that, C-PACE is a practical option for affording other projects that will improve facility conditions for the seniors in their care.

With the official start to Florida’s hurricane season having begun on June 1, and the deadline for complying with the new state mandate just around the corner, facility upgrades for nursing homes should be a top priority.

As we all know, when the stifling heat and punishing storms hit Florida this summer, our seniors are among the most vulnerable. They’ve taken care of us, now it’s time to take care of them.

Kate Wesner is the Senior Director of Government Affairs at Ygrene, national leader in residential and commercial energy efficiency and resiliency project financing.