Threat #2 (National Planning Scenarios) – Major Hurricane

June 1, 2012 was the inaugural day of the 2012 Hurricane Season. With that, I felt as though it would be appropriate to create an entry for a Major Hurricane. For many people living on the East Coast of the US, the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes are a way of life. Luckily, however, for many other people in the US and abroad, the threat of a hurricane of any type is so remote as to be virtually impossible. 

I grew up in Orange County, California, where I am not sure I knew how to spell hurricane until I was 18. The conditions for a hurricane have to be just right: the temperature of the ocean, the wind, the humidity, the currents and the type of ocean topography all play a role. And, let me just say: on all fronts, California just doesn't have it.

My grandparents (rest their souls) lived on the islands of Hawaii, where the climate is humid and is perfect for hurricanes. But even there, storms of that type are relatively rare. However, when I graduated college, I soon found myself in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a novice emergency manager, and discovered an entirely new type of disaster.

If you had the opportunity to view any of the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, Andrew, or any of the other major hurricanes that has struck in the last couple decades, you probably have a taste for their destructive potential.  However, like any major disaster, I tell people that they don’t fully comprehend an event unless they are actually there, experiencing it firsthand.

My third week living in Louisiana, the state was hit with a Category 1 hurricane. What I noticed about it was the completely anti-climactic nature of it. I was expecting complete devastation, flooded streets, and FEMA debit cards. What we got was…nothing. A little rain, a little wind, and that’s it. The lights were on, internet was working, and I went to work as normal.

Hurricanes severity is measured by the Saffir-Simpson Scale. The scale measures 1-5, with 1 being the lowest end and ascending in severity to a 5. Typically, a “Major Hurricane” is defined as a 3 or higher.

A couple summers ago, I was training a group of engineers about hurricanes in the Panhandle of Florida. One of the participants approached me later and said, “You know, I don’t even stop mowing my lawn unless it’s a 3 or higher.” To the rest of us, that may seem a bit cavalier, but that is the typical mindset for residents of Florida.

The reason for that is pretty simple: Florida gets them a lot.

Hurricanes typically give a long lead-time before landfall. We can now track storms all the way from their genesis out in Africa (where they begin to form off the coast) to their dissipation point. Sometimes the storms don’t make landfall at all. For example, the 2010 Hurricane Season was one of the least active, while 2005 one of the most active.

While the Gulf of Mexico is known as the hotbed for hurricanes, they can easily strike the East Coast. In fact, until Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst known hurricane landfalls struck New York City in the 1930’s. It almost single-handedly ground that city to a halt, and caused immense chaos. This was about 50 years before FEMA, but was an event that spearheaded the movement in the US for a more organized government response to disasters.

As a business owner, your employees need to have a family disaster plan. Hurricanes are incredibly disruptive events for your business.  Make sure your operations are reinforced with the following:

Emergency Response Plan

Make sure your plan covers a major emergency, and has contingencies for evacuations and communications. Remember, phone lines may be out, cell phone towers may be knocked down, and things may be difficult. Redundant communication methods are the key.

Business Continuity Plan

Make sure your BCP contains the operational contingency plans. Your facilities may be damaged, and I can 100% guarantee that you will be disrupted.

Training

Of course, your employees need to be trained on communications and hazards. But they also need to know your company's policies. They need to know what you expect from them when disaster strikes.

Exercises

If you live in a hurricane area, you should be running at least one exercise per year (preferably in the March/April area). The exercise should be for a major hurricane, should include flooding, and incorporate local responders. In your area, your local emergency management agency will hold an annual exercise. Work closely with them.

Certification 

Like clockwork, every March or so, I start to see advertisements for disaster planners who are selling disaster programs. Do NOT invest in any disaster plan that does not have a Certified Emergency Manager and Certified Business Continuity Professional. Otherwise, you roll the dice with quality.

Conclusion

Remember, that very disruptive events like a Major Hurricane can be the crucible test for your business. It has the potential to disperse your employees, erode the infrastructure, create confusion, and prevent you from reopening quickly. Make sure your disaster program is ready for it. This is the only way to Reverse Disaster.

Patrick Hardy