Hurricanes in Florida
Background information of hurricanes
The term tropical is used to refer to the hurricanes geographic origin, which are exclusively within the tropical zones that is, between 30 north and south of the equator. The tropical term is also used to refer to the formation of the tropical cyclones within the air masses of the maritime tropical. Cyclone is used to refer to the manner in which these storms rotate. In the northern hemisphere, they rotate anticlockwise while in the southern hemisphere they rotate in the clockwise direction. Depending on the strength and location of a hurricane, it can be referred by different names like typhoon, cyclonic storm, tropical storm, tropical depression or simply a cyclone (Whitney Means Rudloe, 2004).
While the hurricanes are capable of producing torrential rains and very powerful winds, they are also capable of damaging surges of storms and producing high waves and spawning of tornadoes. The tropical cyclones usually build up over warm water bodies that are warm. The hurricanes usually lose the strength they had gathered in the warm waters as move inland. This is basically the reason why coastal zones can receive a lot of damage from the tropical cyclones, while the inland regions far from the coast receive very little damage if any from the tropical cyclones. However, heavy rains can result to a lot of flooding in the inland regions while the storm surges are capable of producing a lot of flooding along the coastal regions that is, about forty kilometers from the coast line (Kislow, 2008).
Despite the fact that the effects of hurricanes on the human populations are in most cases devastating since they result in the loss of property and lives, hurricanes can also bring about good news especially when they relieve conditions of severe drought. Tropical cyclones also carry energy and heat away from the tropical regions, transporting them to the mid and extra latitudes thus assisting in their distribution. This makes the hurricanes a very significant component of the mechanism of global atmospheric circulation. As a result, hurricanes assist in maintaining the earths troposphere equilibrium and also maintaining relatively warm and stable temperatures around the world (Ahrens, 2007).
Several hurricanes build up when the conditions of the atmosphere around a disturbance that is weak within the atmosphere are favorable. Background environmental aspects of tropical cyclones are modulated by climatological patterns and cycles such as the southern oscillation of El Nino, Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, and the Madden Julian Oscillation. The systems that develop within the tropics then moved into the troposphere by the steering winds. However, this only takes place if the favorable conditions continue to prevail, and there is intensification of the disturbance in the tropics and an eye develops at the centre of the cyclone. However, if the conditions of the tropical system deteriorate or if the hurricane makes a landfall, then the tropical cyclone system becomes weak and eventually dissipates. With the current technology, it is artificially not possible to induce the dissipation process of these systems (Ahrens, 2008).
Area of study
The study area chosen for this research paper is the state of Florida, in the US located in the most southeastern part of the country. The state has a total area of 151,939 square kilometers, with land taking 140, 256 square kilometers and water taking up the rest of the area. The state of Florida extends 581 kilometers in the East West, and its maximum length in the North South is 719 kilometers. Florida includes a peninsula that is surrounded by the ocean on three of its sides. Florida State was chosen because it is one of the regions in the world that has experienced the most devastating tropical cyclones in history. Some of the major hurricanes this state has experienced include Rita, Katrina, Wilma Stan Beta and Alpha hurricanes. Among all these hurricanes, hurricane Katrina was the most devastating for this particular state. The city of Florida has the characteristic of holding many records concerning hurricane frequency, strength and the subsequent damages and deaths arising from the hurricanes. The Keys Florida hurricane of 1935 was one of the most severe tropical cyclones to ever strike land. It passed through the middle Keys of Florida on 2nd September 1935 killing more than four hundred Floridians and caused lots damage to their property. That particular storm was the five entries for Florida in the top ten most severe hurricanes in all states of the US. At number three in this list of the most intense hurricanes in Florida was the Andrew hurricane, which is ranked second in terms of destruction caused. Andrew hurricane caused destruction of almost fifty billion US dollars. Among all the top five most costly hurricanes in the history of the US impacted on the Florida state in one way or another. The 1928 Okeechobee Lake hurricane, which is ranked at position seven in terms of intensity, caused a six to nine foot lake surge, thereby killing almost two thousand people in the state of Florida. It was thus ranked second in the list of the most deadly hurricanes in the United States (Young Stinemetz, 2006).
Considering the events that have taken place over time, should the hurricanes of similar magnitude to the ones that struck in the past strike today, bearing in mind the current demographics of population, a lot of loss of lives and property destruction could be reported. In fact, it is approximated that the 1926 great hurricane of Miami, whose eye went over Miami struck today, it would cause property damage of over 160 billion this is much higher than the property loss that resulted from both Andrew and Katrina hurricanes combined. Furthermore, Florida State suffers from the highest frequency in terms of hurricane strikes and has the lowest period of return after being hit by a hurricane (Lodge, 2005).
This therefore means that the issue of whether or not the changes that are induced by human beings through the greenhouse effects on the atmosphere may have an impact on either the current or future patterns of hurricanes is perhaps more important for the state of Florida than any other state in the US. The states seventeen point three million residents who live along the coastlines account for more than fifty percent of all the vulnerable populations living along the coastlines from Texas all the way to North Carolina. It is therefore very evident that the residents of Florida have a cause to worry each year when the season of hurricanes approaches. The best scientific evidence that is available indicates that the natural deviations on the scales of time ranging from single years to decades, are the ones that dominate most of the small impacts which a climate that is warming might have on the intensity and frequency of hurricanes. The most significant determinant as far as futures vulnerability of Floridians is concerned is not changes in hurricanes themselves or climate, but population changes in the state of Florida as well as the structure of wealth of the coastal populations of the this state. These populations are ranked among the ones that are growing at a very high rate across the whole of the US, they have in fact increased by more than five times since the mid of twentieth century. It is against such a background that makes the study of hurricanes in Florida very essential. This is because, through the use of such studies, it is possible to develop mitigation strategies of these calamities and also be more prepared in addressing the problem when and where it arises (Bush, 2004).
Mitigation measures of hurricanes in Florida
For several decades, tropical cyclones that have struck Florida have proved to be among the worst natural disasters with devastating effects in the state of Florida. The residents of Florida as well as their property are highly vulnerable to the tropical cyclones between the months of June and November each year. It is during this time of the year when the ocean gets heated by the solar energy, the heat energy from the sun heating the surface temperatures of the oceans is usually sufficient to bring about very strong cyclones with winds exceeding seventy four miles per hour. Due to the Coriolis Effect, the strong storms are made to rotate through circular motion leading to the growth of hurricanes several miles across (Pilkey, 1984).
Tropical cyclones usually develop steadily from the system of a smaller storm. It results to a tropical depression which is a well organized system of thunderstorms and clouds with maximum sustained current of air of thirty eight miles per hour or less and well defined circulation. This system of weather is capable of strengthening and resulting into a tropical storm which has maximum wind speeds of between thirty nine and seventy three miles per hour. The tropical storm can in turn develop into a hurricane, which is an intense system of tropical weather with sustained maximum winds of seventy four miles per hour or higher and a circulation that is well defined. Each year, there are several hurricanes that usually develop and end up approaching Florida, fortunately most of these hurricanes dissipate or veer off. However, there are several hurricanes that in the past have struck this state causing a lot of destruction of property and loss of lives. The possibility of other hurricanes striking Florida in future is quite high and cannot be ignored at whatever cost (Fraser, 2009).
Hurricanes should be mitigated as much as possible since they produce very strong winds, storm surge and heavy rains. Storm surge occurs when storm systems of low pressure raises the level of the sea by several feet especially at the hurricanes leading edge. This makes the waves to go much more inland than they would do in normal circumstances. This results into erosion and flooding of coastal areas. Heavy rains resulting from the hurricanes brings about flooding on the upland regions, while on steep slopes, they produce debris and mud flows that end up devastating everything along their path. The strong winds resulting from the hurricanes causes severe damage to utility poles and lines, tear off roofs of homes that are poorly attached, and turn the debris that are small into projectiles capable of damaging homes as well as causing loss of lives and injuries (Schwartz, 2007).
With the current technology, there is basically nothing one can do to prevent a hurricane from developing and striking any place. Therefore, all mitigation measures aimed at reducing the impact of a hurricane should be carried well in advance before the hurricane strikes and not few hours before it strikes. One of the best ways of mitigating losses that result from hurricanes is by making use of the warnings provided by the hurricane watch in Florida. The authorities of Florida should provide a lot of support to the hurricane watch in the state in order to ensure that once it raises the red flag of the possibility of a hurricane, then Floridians should not only know about the news but should also be aware of what they are expected to do (Bush, 2001).
In most cases, hurricanes warning is usually declared once the conditions of a hurricane are anticipated at any given time in the next twenty four hours. For individuals to be in a position to mitigate their losses arising from such hurricanes, they should ensure that they listen to the updates coming from the civil defense in order to be aware of what they are expected to do in case the hurricane eventually strikes. People should review their disaster plans at the family level so that they can reduce the risk involved with hurricanes by being more prepared in addressing its consequences. Other mitigation measures for hurricanes include shutting all the glass doors and windows this minimizes breakages during the period of the hurricane. Tropical cyclones usually result into damage of a lot of property among the property that is usually damaged by hurricanes are important personal documents such as certificates. It is therefore very important for individuals to ensure that they mitigate the loss of such documents by storing them in places they are less likely to be damaged by the hurricanes (Roaf, Crichton Nicol, 2009).
During the period of hurricane warning by hurricane watch, Floridians should ensure that they are well updated with news from the civil defense and also ensure that they remain indoors. While in their houses, the residents of Florida should ensure that they do not stay close to windows since staying close to them might increase their susceptibility of suffering from the hurricane. Due to the fact that it is usually not clear how long the hurricane will take before it weakens and veers off, it is always advisable for the Floridians to ensure that they store enough water and food in their houses to last them throughout the period of the hurricane (McGovern, 2007).
Floridians should be always armed with a survival kit for home emergency purposes to be used when a hurricane occurs. The survival kit should include the following items, a portable radio, candles, flashlight, medications, matches and ice chest. The survival kit should also include supply of non perishable food that can take the family for about one week, sleeping blankets or bags, clothing and cooking stoves. Such a survival kit can be of great help in reducing the amount of suffering during periods of hurricanes. If there is a threat emanating from a possible hurricane, the Floridian authorities together with the federal government of the US can set up evacuation shelters to be used for emergency purposes. The Floridian authorities together with the federal government have to decide whether or not there is need to evacuate Floridians hours before the tropical cyclone strikes. It is only through making such a decision well in advance that the effects of the hurricane can be mitigated otherwise making such a decision when the hurricane has already advanced in the cities will not make any significant difference (Elsner Kara, 1999).
It is highly dangerous for anyone to drive through the strong winds of a hurricane to an evacuation center. This is because the roads may not be passable due to flooded underpasses or bridges. Such motorists may also be obstructed by the power poles that might have fallen on the roads thereby causing accidents.
Furthermore, a vehicle can offer very little if any protection at all from debris that are falling, which are carried by the strong hurricane winds at speeds exceeding one hundred miles per hour. Therefore, one of the measures people need to take in order to mitigate losses arising from hurricanes is avoiding driving to the evacuation centers until such a time when the hurricane will have subsidized and the roads will have been cleared (Kunreuther Michel-Kerjan, 2009).
During the periods of hurricanes, there are certain houses that are highly vulnerable to the cyclones. Such houses include, the ones that are built on the ridges where the hurricane winds accelerate, the ones that are build in the valleys close to streams or rivers where flooding is likely to take place and the houses that are build along the shorelines, where they are likely to experience waves generated by hurricanes or storm surge causing floods far inland. Whenever the hurricane watch of Florida issues a warning on hurricanes, all people in such houses should be evacuated immediately and taken to safer places where they are less likely to be harmed by the hurricanes. Moreover, all the settlements that are built in the areas mentioned should be well checked to ensure that they are strong enough to withstand the hurricanes. For the individuals who are not evacuated and the hurricane winds blows off the roofs of their houses, the best thing for such individuals is to remain inside and not to attempt to get out seeking for better shelter. They should instead shelter themselves in the smallest room of such houses such as closet or bathroom, which can provide them with the greatest protection and strength from the debris that are flying allover (Grossi, Kunreuther Patel, 2005).
For those residents of Florida who live in homes that were built recently, the roofs of their houses are most likely installed with hurricane ties. However, for those people whose houses were built earlier, they are not installed with such ties and such home owners should ensure that their houses are also fixed with such ties so that they can be much stronger and be able to withstand a hurricane and suffer very little if any damage. The roofs of the houses that were built in the past are designed to depend on few connections of nails between the rafters of the roofs and the sill plates on the upper side. Although this design is capable of withstanding the conventional winds, it is highly susceptible to the hurricane winds upward force that is much stronger. Hurricane ties installation can significantly increase the resistance of roofs to the uplift that is emanating from the strong hurricane winds (Godschalk, 1999).
These ties are cheap sheet metal strips that are formed in a way that enables them to accommodate a wide variety of wall to roof transitions. The ties are readily available from virtually all hardware stores and they are relatively simple to install. A dozen of these ties placed strategically at the wallrafter connection are capable of substantially increasing the probability of the roof withstanding the strong winds of the hurricanes. A set of these ties only costs about 500. Considering the amount one is likely to lose if the roof of the house is blown off by the strong hurricane winds, such an investment is very small and it would be advisable for all the home owners in Florida especially those whose houses are in regions that are prone to hurricanes to consider installing such ties (Hyndman Hyndman, 2008).
Another mitigation measure is by securing the doors and windows of the house against hurricanes. When a hurricane is approaching, Floridians should nail plywood sheets over window glass plates. This is a very good idea since it is capable of preventing the debris that are flying from breaking the windows of houses and subsequently exposing the house to heavy rains and winds which eventually cause lots of damage to the house. In fact, most of the houses whose roofs are blown away by hurricane winds are because of the broken windows which permit the strong hurricane winds to enter the house and rush through and thus lifting the roof of the house from below. Therefore, if the residents of Florida ensure that all the windows are well closed and they are prevented from being broken by the flying debris, then fewer roofs can be blown away during periods of hurricanes. However, if one chooses to board the windows, he or she must ensure that the job is full-proof, not half way. The best plywood to be used is the one with thickness of 58 inches and has to be installed using masonry anchors and bolts. This will ensure that the windows are well protected and can withstand strong hurricanes without getting broken and thus protect the house from being damaged by the hurricanes (Barnett, 2007).
One of the major reasons why the winds of hurricanes are dangerous is due to the fact that they usually pick up many objects such as garbage cans, lawn chairs, and even sheet metal and lumber and then hurl such objects into the house causing a lot of damage to the house and also injuring the occupants of such a house. It is therefore advisable for Floridians to ensure that they collect everything that is likely to be picked up by the hurricane wind before the hurricane strikes. Floridians should not underestimate the strength of a hurricane and hence fail to collect much larger objects in their compounds since the hurricane winds are very strong and can turn large objects such as bicycles and BBQ grills into missiles capable of causing a lot of destruction to homes and other establishments. Such objects should be locked in houses and other enclosed rooms where the hurricane winds cannot get a chance of lifting them (Roaf, Crichton Nicol, 2009).
Most of the damage that is caused by the hurricanes takes place in the coastal regions Floridians should therefore avoid visiting such places when a warning of a hurricane has been issued. Several people are usually eager to have a look at the hurricane effects on the oceans and they therefore go to the shorelines in order to see the big waves. While this may be possible and less dangerous for a hurricane that does not reach the shorelines, it is extremely dangerous for a hurricane that will come close to the shoreline or one that will directly hit the inland. If such happens, then most of the people who had gone to the shorelines to have a look at the hurricane might end up losing their lives. They should therefore be advised to stay away from such places as their curiosity can cost their lives (Bush, 2004).
A hurricane is essentially a system of low pressure the magnitude of the low pressure is so massive that it is capable of raising the level of the sea by several feet. This implies that the waves that are generated by these winds, which are traveling at more than seventy four miles per hour, will eventually wash ashore through homes of people, instead of breaking nicely. Furthermore, the flying and floating debris coupled with the effect of the strong winds would result into very unpleasant conditions of surfing. This therefore means that Floridians taking the risk of going to the shorelines to surf will only take a risk that cannot be compared to the insignificant pleasure they will derive from it (Roaf, Crichton Nicol, 2009).
All the mitigation measures discussed above can be implanted by the Floridians at an individual level. This therefore means that it is up to the residents of Florida to ensure that they are well prepared for the hurricanes by building houses that can withstand strong hurricane winds. They should also ensure that they are well updated on the development of a hurricane that is approaching so as to take maximum possible care before and during the hurricane. People should avoid high risk areas where they are likely to be more vulnerable to the effects of a hurricane. The authorities of Florida together with the federal government should also play their roles effectively in ensuring that all the residents of Florida are well protected from the devastating effects of a hurricane. A major role they have to play before a hurricane strikes is making a decision in advance possibly several hours before the hurricane strikes of whether or not to evacuate people in places that are expected to be strongly hit by the hurricane. In order to make such a fast and a crucial decision, they have to make use of all available data from the hurricane watch (Fraser, 2009).
Hurricane preparedness in Florida
Hurricane preparedness covers all the planning and actions that need to be taken and implemented before a hurricane strikes. The main objective of hurricane preparedness is mitigating injury and damage arising from the tropical cyclone. This preparedness may engage the preparations that are made by people at an individual level and also the efforts of that are much centralized from organizations operating in Florida and the efforts of the Floridian authorities and the federal government. Recent hurricanes that have struck Florida causing a lot of damage to property as well as loss of lives have aroused the need for becoming more prepared in dealing with hurricanes in the future. Codes of building are starting to deal with the measures of mitigation in the Florida state. The excellent work that has brought about changes in Floridas building code has been greatly influence by various scientific lessons and observations that were learned by the international research center for hurricanes (Kislow, 2008).
In respect to individual preparedness, the most crucial decision an individual can make is determining whether or not to evacuate from an area that has been predicted by the hurricane watch of Florida that it will be hit by a hurricane in the next few hours. If it is not necessary or possible to evacuate, individuals can use other preparedness actions such as securing their houses against the heavy rains and strong winds, storing food supplies, and planning together with other people, possibly neighbors before the landfall of the storm. Such actions will enable the households of Florida to mobilize their resources at an individual level in order for them to cope and deal with the hurricane effectively. It is also very essential for Floridians to be psychologically prepared for any loss they are likely to incur during the period of the hurricane (Bush, 2004).
Once the warning has been issued by the hurricane watch of Florida, individuals should immediately prepare their emergency kits. They should ensure that such kits contain pre-prepared sealed meals, drinkable water, first-aid kits, waterproof hand crank powered or battery powered radios and flashlights, whistles or any other devices for sound signaling, medical and identification cards, any medical records that might be necessary, portable containers that are waterproof and waterproof bags and any supplies that individuals might consider necessary for surviving the hurricane (Whitney Means Rudloe, 2004).
Hurricane preparedness should always include discussions in regard to evacuation routes and plans, as well as informing everyone within the region that is likely to be affected severely by the hurricane about such evacuation routes and plans in order to avoid instances of people being stranded and helpless once the hurricane finally reaches their area. Evacuating people to hurricane shelters should only be applied as a last resort option. This is due to the fact that the space of such shelters is small and in fact people are served as they come and thus those who arrive late might actually fail to secure any space at all. Furthermore, these shelters are only intended to save the life of people and not protecting their property from being damaged. Buildings that are designated as hurricane shelters in the state of Florida have to be constructed in a manner that enables them to reach the minimum requirements of hurricane code that was applicable during the time they were designed. Such shelters are supposed to protect the people who seek refuge in them during a hurricane. They are however not expected to provide such occupants with bedding, sanitation, water or food (Barnes Lyons, 2007).
Home retrofitting is one of the best ways that Floridians can apply in order to protect their homes from being destroyed by the heavy rains and strong winds of the hurricanes. One of best ways of being prepared for a hurricane is by building ones house outside the high risk areas. However, irrespective of the amount of preparedness one employs in protecting the house, it is still possible for it to be destroyed or flooded by a strong hurricane. In order to lessen the effects of the heavy rains and strong hurricane winds, it is very essential for the home owners in Florida to have their houses checked by professionals who are well experienced in mitigation measures of hurricanes. There are several hurricane protection organizations that provide consultations for free as part of their strategy for marketing. Moreover, Florida State has taken some steps aimed at assisting the home owners in getting prepared for hurricanes through the program of My Safe Florida Home. Through this program, the home owners are offered with free assessment for their homes in readiness for hurricanes. Florida state matches the funds that are spent on the houses by their owners in making their houses comply with the applicable hurricane codes (Young Stinemetz, 2006).
When the homeowners are making such improvements in readiness for the hurricanes, the main areas they should focus in are openings and the roof. Homes should be retrofitted in order to enable them withstand the tremendous conditions of hurricanes. Among the most common modifications that should be done include applying more adhesives to the single roofs, reinforcing the gabled roofs, installing the houses with hurricane clips and straps to make sure that the roofs are not blown away by the strong winds. Shutters that are hurricane resistant as well as glass that is impact resistant can assist in keeping windows locked in order to keep off the flying debris. The garage and the entry doors should also be reinforced through the practice that is commonly known as preparing homes. Doors to the garage can be protected through the use of fabric screens that are made using fabric that is woven strongly, so that they can keep off the projectiles and other flying debris. The main idea behind all these preparedness measures is increasing the probability of a home surviving the extreme conditions of a hurricane (Kislow, 2008).
The Florida State as well as the federal government of the US should always be ready for the hurricanes by setting aside funds within the budgetary allocations meant to assist during the periods of hurricanes. All the equipments that are necessary during a hurricane should be acquired well in advance before the hurricane season starts so that they can be well prepared for any eventuality that might take place during a hurricane. It is also essential for the state of Florida to ensure that such equipments are transported to the areas they are required should a hurricane strike (Young Stinemetz, 2006).
It is very important for the state of Florida to train enough number of people and equip them with the skills for assisting people during the period of a hurricane. Such people should be well trained in all areas that are necessary to save human lives and property during a hurricane. In addition, such people should be trained in the best ways of using the equipments that are required during a hurricane. Apart from the training, the personnel who are responsible for assisting people during such times, the state of Florida should also consider enhancing the knowledge of people in regard to hurricanes so that they can also be in a position of being adequately prepared during a hurricane (Fraser, 2009).
Response operations for hurricane disasters
Once the warning of a hurricane threat has been issued by the hurricane watch, everyone within the state of Florida especially those in areas that are likely to be severely affected by the hurricane should remain alert and take the necessary precautions for mitigating their losses. So that they can respond as soon as possible whenever they are required to by the authorities, the residents should monitor all the radio stations and be updated about the approaching hurricane. Once the hurricane has already struck the area in which one is, he or she should remain indoors and shut all the windows and doors to their houses and garages. Since it is not possible to go outside and see what is happening in order to make a decision on the next course of action, the residents of Florida should listen to the televisions and radios and follow the instructions being issued by the officials of local emergency (Whitney Means Rudloe, 2004).
When the local emergency officials ask people to evacuate from a certain area, they should do so as soon as possible since ignoring such warnings or delaying in acting on such orders can greatly jeopardize ones safety. Everyone should take with him the household survival kit. Floridians should respond promptly when asked by the officials to shut off gas, electricity and water since failure to do so might prove fatal. During the evacuation process, the residents of Florida should be obedient and follow the routes that are specified by the emergency officials. They should as much as possible avoid using shortcuts since they could lead them to areas that are either dangerous or blocked (Barnes Lyons, 2007).
The federal government of the US and the State of Florida should act fast in responding to the hurricanes. Once the warning has been issued, they should release enough funds for arresting the situation so as to reduce loss of peoples lives and damage of property as much as possible. In addition, these authorities should mobilize and employ all the resources that are necessary in minimizing the amount of damage that is likely to occur as a result of the hurricane. The state of Florida should ensure that all the residents of the state are well informed about the development of a hurricane from the moment a warning of a possible hurricane is issued to the time when it subsidizes. The relief team that is employed in the state of Florida should constantly tour the areas that are hit by the hurricane possibly by helicopters in order to ensure that anyone who was caught up by the hurricane while in the outdoors is rescued. The authorities should facilitate the evacuation process and ensure that people are transported safely to less risky areas (Fraser, 2009).
Leadership, planning and emergency communications
The state of Florida as well as the federal government should offer the right leadership in dealing with the hurricanes in order to ensure that the loss incurred as a result of a hurricane both in terms of loss of human lives and property damage is minimized as much as possible. Since hurricanes are natural disasters that take place every now and then in the state of Florida, the authorities should implement sound policies for addressing the challenges brought about by hurricanes that strike the state every now and then. One of the major ways through which the authorities can be well prepared in dealing with hurricanes is by creating a reserve fund for such disasters. The government can also establish a department that exclusively deals with hurricanes and other disasters the Floridians face from time to time (Bush, 2004).
The authorities can also offer the right leadership required in dealing with hurricanes by developing various programs aimed at increasing the Floridians knowledge concerning hurricanes. Such programs can be of great assistance in enabling the residents of Florida to take care of themselves whenever a hurricane strikes. In fact, by enhancing the knowledge of the Floridians concerning hurricanes can result to more effective mitigation and preparedness measures as compared to shouldering the entire burden on the state of Florida and the federal government of the US. The state of Florida should ensure that in each and every area, there are people who are trained in dealing effectively with the challenges brought about by hurricanes. Such people do not necessarily have to be employed directly by the disaster department, but they have to be well equipped with all the necessary skills and techniques as well as equipments so that they can offer assistance during the rescue operations when the hurricane is going on and immediately after it subsidizes (Young Stinemetz, 2006).
During the periods of hurricanes, emergency communications are very essential because they are used in providing people with the necessary information of what they are required to do before, during and after the hurricane. All possible and available means of communication should be used to make sure that everyone gets the right information concerning the hurricanes at the right time. Such communications are very important as they enable people to make fast and accurate decisions in respect to the right course of action when the hurricane warning threat is issued. The people conveying such information should ensure that they give very precise sets of information and in a clear manner so as to prevent instances of ambiguity and hence confusion during such a delicate time (Kislow, 2008).
Psychosocial Aspects of hurricanes
The effects of a hurricane disaster are in virtually all cases quite obvious, thousands of people usually lose their lives as a result of the disaster. Those people who manage to survive the disaster suffer disability and pain. Their workplaces, homes, equipment and livestock are severely destroyed or damaged by hurricanes. Emotional effects that are short-term emanating from a hurricane disaster such as acute anxiety, fear, emotional numbness feeling and deep sorrow and grief are quite common among the survivors of hurricane and several other disasters. For several hurricane disaster victims, such emotional effects tend to fade over time however, there are others who take much longer time before recovering from the effects of a disaster (Barnes Lyons, 2007).
Some emotional effects resulting from a hurricane disaster are due to the direct response of the trauma of the hurricane. Other effects result from the much longer term emotional responses to the societal, economic and interpersonal effects of the hurricane disaster. In either case, lack of interventions that are well designed can make more than fifty or a higher percentage of such victims to develop lasting pervasive anxiety, depression, stress disorders that are post traumatic and several other types of emotional disturbances. In fact, more than even the hurricane disasters physical effects, the emotional effects brought about by such disasters are more long lasting and can cause a lot of suffering, loss of income and disability to the victims. It is therefore very important for the state of Florida and the federal government of the US to assist such victims as much as possible (Whitney Means Rudloe, 2004).
Conclusion
Florida is one of the states in the US that suffers most frequently from hurricane disasters which always results into very heavy losses running into billions of US dollars and thousands of lives lost. There is therefore dire need for the state of Florida and the federal government to take the necessary precautions against hurricane disasters. Despite the fact there is nothing one can do with the current level of technology to prevent a hurricane from striking a certain area, there are several measures Floridians together with their authorities can take in order to mitigate losses emanating from the hurricanes. There are also several other measures that should be taken in order to ensure that everyone in Florida is well prepared in advance in case a hurricane strikes. People and the government should respond promptly and arrest the situation whenever a hurricane strikes in order to minimize the level of damage and loss of both property and lives. There is also need for the right form of leadership to be offered in mitigation and preparedness of hurricanes as well as responding whenever a hurricane strikes.
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