Perfect Storm Preparation
City leaders attend Governor’s Hurricane Conference
By Bari Auerbach

Sunny Isles Beach city leaders recently returned from the annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Tampa armed with even more valuable information to help ensure optimal hurricane preparedness for the 2005 season.

Building official Clay Parker; Robert Solera of code enforcement; Jeff Maxim, assistant to the City Manager; and Lt. Michael Grandinetti of the Sunny Isles Beach police department had the opportunity to participate in training courses and workshops during the convention covering topics such as:

* General planning and preparation * Evacuation * Crisis communication * Marine community response * Building disaster resistant communities * Floodplain management
* Storms effects on the tourism industry * Business and economic impacts * Logistical staging area operations * Special needs sheltering *Volunteers in response and recovery
* Debris cleanup * Transportation infrastructure * Information management during emergencies * Water matters * Emergency preparedness for families * Public works, fire department, health care and law enforcement perspectives * Electric utility restoration
* Long term recovery * Inland hurricane hazards * Local government policies guide to recovery and rebuilding * Federal state and local entities working together
*Emergency services roundtable * Media relations * Protecting the protectors

Special guest speakers at the Hurricane Conference included: Craig Fugate, Director
Florida Division of Emergency Management; Jeb Bush, Governor State of Florida; Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary, Emergency Preparedness and Response
Federal Emergency Management Agency United States Department of Homeland Security; and Max Mayfield, Director National Hurricane Center.

Another ‘busy season’
Following 2004 - of one of the most deadly hurricane seasons in memory, Colorado State University forecaster William Gray is calling for another busy year in the Atlantic basin for 2005.

As of April, Gray and his colleagues had predicted 13 named tropical storms. Of those, they expect seven to become hurricanes, and three of those to become major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or stronger. “The odds of at least one major storm hitting the U.S. coast is 69 percent,” Gray said.

“One of the reasons we attended the Governor’s Hurricane Conference (May 9-13 at the Tampa Convention Center) was because last year’s season was so busy,” Maxim said. “There were at least two or three thousand other representatives there as well from other states, cities, counties and even other countries so we were able to learn from other people’s experiences; and we also had great networking opportunities to make invaluable contacts with community leaders and public information officers.”

“Shortly after we returned from Tampa, we held a meeting attended by those who went to review priority issues highlighted at the conference…Then another city staff meeting was scheduled for June 2 focusing on our city’s hurricane plan and how to raise awareness levels…When the season comes around, being ‘ready to go’ can save a lot of headaches.”

Message from Governor Jeb Bush
On the website for the 2005 Hurricane Conference, Governor Jeb Bush issued the following message:

“As Floridians continue to recover from the devastating impact of four catastrophic storms in 2004, our state is preparing for the next hurricane season. This year, we come together with a greater knowledge and capacity to manage the effects of disasters. The unprecedented response proved that teamwork and communication are critical to managing and mitigating emergencies.

Efforts to ensure long-term recovery are underway across our great state. Families are rebuilding their homes and their lives. Businesses are reopening and some industry sectors are experiencing an unexpected surge in growth. State officials and local governments are working together to address the shortage of affordable housing and the need for critical infrastructure. And the outpouring of relief from volunteers and charitable organizations continues to help the most vulnerable of our state recover.

Our State Emergency Response Team leads the nation, and perhaps the world, in the ability to respond effectively to disasters. This year’s Governor’s Hurricane Conference brings together many who participated in that response. Our shared experience unites us as Floridians and as first responders. I hope this conference provides you with a sense of accomplishment for your hard work last season and renews your commitment to the mission that lies ahead.”

Message from ‘Hurricane Conference’ Directors & Officers
Michele Baker, Hurricane Conference President also posted the following website message:

“In the early 1990s, Dr. William Gray, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, made the statement that Florida is a sitting duck in the Sahel (North Africa) shooting gallery. That prognostication came true during the 2004 Hurricane Season. In August, Category 4 Hurricane Charley was forecast to hit the Tampa Bay area but the storm took an unexpected turn into Charlotte County and crossed the state causing massive destruction.

In early September, Category 3 Hurricane Frances made landfall on Florida's southeast coast and crept across Florida dumping more than 12 inches of rain in some areas, causing wind and flood damage along its path. In mid-September, Category 4 Hurricane Ivan's eye came ashore in Alabama, causing catastrophic damage in Florida's Panhandle. Then, in late September, Category 3 Hurricane Jeanne came ashore in Southeast Florida, following almost the same path as Hurricane Frances, striking a third blow to many Florida counties.

Not since 1886 have four hurricanes struck a single state in the same hurricane season. This record setting season is not over and it is possible Florida will be threatened or impacted again. Because of Florida's unprecedented experiences in 2004, the 2005 Governor's Hurricane Conference was the most enlightening in its 19-year history.

Program content addressed lessons learned from all of this season's Florida hurricanes, from a variety of perspectives. Presenters included representatives from first responders to federal officials who shared what went right, what went wrong and how we can be better prepared to respond to single or multiple strikes in the future.

There is no doubt that Florida's knowledge base of hurricane preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation is at an unsurpassed level among hurricane-prone states. The conference was the nation's foremost opportunity to learn from those with first-hand experiences from multiple hurricanes with varied characteristics and outcomes.”

City is 'hurricane ready'
This year’s hurricane season also marks the 13th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of being prepared.
“A lot of people have hurricane amnesia,” said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center. “We’re still setting up for disaster because of all the development we have along the coast line.“

If a hurricane warning is posted, for Sunny Isles Beach residents and visitors alike, the word will be "Evacuate." In order to help inform the public about hurricane preparedness and plans of action before and after a storm, Sunny Isles Beach is distributing a "Hurricane Guidelines" pamphlet available at Government Center (305-947-0606).

Reverse 911 System
When a hurricane approaches, evacuating Sunny Isles Beach is a must because of the dangerous storm surge and wind speeds. Thanks to a grant from the Florida Emergency Management Community Affairs Bureau, Sunny Isles Beach has a "Reverse 911" system that can actually call residents to relay important bulletins regarding hurricane evacuations and other vital information concerning the safety and well-being of the community.

The Reverse 911 system is a Microsoft Windows based computer program that allows law enforcement agencies to quickly communicate a message through phone lines to residents in a specified geographic region. The system uses a combination of database and computer mapping technologies that enable calls to go out to the entire city or to specifically targeted addresses. Residents can also call into the system to hear important announcements.

Ready To React
Dramatic advances in technology are helping scientists produce more accurate predictions of where storms will go and how powerful they will become.

Some of the new or improved tools available include satellites; computer models; the GPS Dropwindsonde that can be dropped from aircraft to measure air pressure, wind speed, temperature and humidity within a storm; weather balloons, and Doppler radar.

According to Channel 10 meteorologist Don Noe, “June 1 marks the official beginning of hurricane season and it ends on Nov. 30. In South Florida, the real heart of hurricane season is between August 15 and October 15 - but the time to start getting ready is now…If you wait until the storm is out there it will be too late to get all the necessary supplies.”

Noe also emphasizes, "If you don't have shutters, you're asking for trouble. Once the seal around your house is broken and the wind gets inside, the roof can rip off and everything inside will be wrecked. This weekend, pretend there is going to be a hurricane and ask yourself 'what would I do?’”

In addition to a first aid kit, flashlights canned food and other important supplies, Noe advises having enough drinking water on hand to provide for two gallons per person per day.

"The wolf is always out there," he said. "The good news is we're getting better at forecasting and increasing our accuracy of knowing where the storms are going to."

In the event a hurricane or severe storm approaches Sunny Isles Beach, the city will dispatch inspectors to construction sites to ensure debris is secured. Pursuant with an emergency services agreement, the city's landscape contractor will also be on call. If
trees should fall in right of ways, a work crew would come in, cut up the trees and clear the streets.

The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department is also prepared to double up on patrols, calling for increased shifts. In the event of a mandatory evacuation, officers will man intersections to facilitate traffic flow, help people exit and ensure motorists do not enter the city.

Evacuating Condominiums
"Do not stay in a high rise during a hurricane," meteorologists have advised. "We're finding now that hurricane force winds are much stronger in these high rises, especially at upper levels. You may have a category one storm at the surface but on the 20th or 30th floor, it could be a category three or four storm. For example, there may be 75 to 90 mile per hour surface winds - but at the top of a high rise, winds could be in excess of 130 miles per hour."

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue advises, “When the order is given, we definitely want you to evacuate. Everyone should attempt to identify a friend or family member who lives inland that you could stay with. We will have buses at various locations to take everybody off the beach to shelters. If you don't have friends or you can't get around, you should call the Emergency Operations Center in advance and make special needs arrangements."

For more information about Hurricane Preparedness in the City of Sunny Isles Beach, phone: 305-947-0606.

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