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Editorial Collection
Chalk art of displaced children at Red Cross Shelter in Davie, Florida, on Thanksgiving day, 2005 McNichol Site Closed...Davie PAL Building Turns Into Newest Red Cross Shelter What if the displaced number was 6,000...60,000...or even 600,000? Thoughts about a shelter crisis that will not end with the closing of McNichol (Thursday, Nov. 17)- Residents of the Red Cross Shelter at McNichol Middle School in Hollywood left that facility Friday for relocation to the Davie Police Athletic League building at Potter Park on Orange Drive. Some residents have spent in excess of two weeks at McNichol. Some came from the Fox Trail Elementary School shelter. According to a Red Cross estimate on November 16, 180 displaced residents were housed at the McNichol site with cots and scant personal belongings. Shelter life has been hard for those at McNichol, and hopes were raised several times that FEMA or Broward County would step in with another, more comfortable housing solution. It was not until the Town of Davie offered a solution, and much hard work ensued between public officials, the Red Cross, Memorial Health Care System, the Davie Police Athletic League (PAL) and Nova Southeastern University that a solution was found late Wednesday evening. Work continued throughout the day on Thursday, as the Town Attorney's office worked tirelessly on the legal details that would produce a definite result. Time was running out, as McNichol needed to switch back to an educational mode for the resumption of classes immediately after the Thanksgiving holiday. (Text of Town of Davie press release). With the move to the PAL site, there are serious challenges ahead. First, the displaced residents who will homestead there need to find more meaningful and permanent solutions to their housing crisis. The Red Cross told the Davie Town Council Wednesday evening that an "exit strategy" was being devised to place the residents in long lasting housing within 45 days of the opening of the PAL shelter. The Town of Davie has approved the PAL site for use up to 60 days. Finding affordable housing for those at PAL will be a daunting task in a county where realistic housing solutions were scarce even before Wilma was a named storm. Funding from FEMA may be a part of the solution, but remember, many of these people have had their homes destroyed, and most of their possessions, and in some cases their clothing, taken from them. The Sun-Sentinel reported Thursday morning that FEMA has promised Broward County officials "it would speed up housing aid..." to the McNichol group. The newspaper reported the stagnation of these lives at McNichol did not have to happen. Poor communication between FEMA and the County was cited as the reason for the failure to find other housing alternatives besides another public shelter. As local and federal officials discuss how local relief worker and cleanup funds can be used with now guaranteed federal reimbursement to provide motel rooms, mobile homes and apartments, this lack of communication or misunderstanding will have to be put behind so real progress can be achieved on an immediate basis. It remains to be seen if any of the McNichol and now PAL residents will get into FEMA trailers, and how long they can stay in that temporary housing. It is important to remember that according to the Sun-Sentinel, 87,000 people in Broward County alone have sought federal housing assistance from FEMA due to Wilma. That's eighty seven thousand. Second, lives need to be rebuilt. Those at McNichol were toughened by the experience, but walk from the shelter in a shell shocked state. Some were near nervous breakdowns. Some were humiliated. For them, the reality of a comfortable living environment, the privacy of a hot shower, the comfort of their own beds, the ability to roam their own rooms, and in some cases their dignity, have been seriously compromised. Single mothers, children, hard working men and women, families...all need to get on the fast track to recovery. These people deserve the support of the community, our compassion, and empathy. It is not easy moving from shelter to shelter with no clear end in sight. Hearing about FEMA trailers and hoping Washington would come to the rescue has produced as yet unfulfilled expectations, despair and even anger. As residents protested Tuesday morning outside McNichol in Hollywood, one sign asked how so much could be spent on debris removal and not in helping newly homeless people get secure housing. Even then, most people in Broward did not know the funds could have been used much earlier, but that there was a serious communication gap which prevented a full understanding of all options available to well intentioned and hard working county officials. Third, we all need to confront the questions posed by this shelter crisis. As hurricanes go, Wilma was not the major "big one" which looms in the future. It was not a category 4 or 5. Some doubt it was even a 3 in some localities on the southeastern strip of Florida. Since before the McNichol population was around 600, and for the better part of the 3 weeks since Wilma hit this area, officials have been searching for elusive answers. Even if the FEMA monies which we are now told were made immediately available, there are not enough hotel or motel rooms to house people. There is not enough vacant commercial space, or "box stores" to serve as make shift shelters. There are not enough vacant apartments at realistic rental rates to serve this over urbanized metropolis. There is not even enough vacant land available at reasonable prices, to encourage the development of affordable housing. If a major hurricane event struck this area, we might very well be dealing with 6,000, 60,000 or even 600,000 souls that need shelters, and not just "monetary assistance." Six hundred was a hard figure to tackle. Imagine it exponentially higher. We are simply not ready, despite over 13 years of study since Hurricane Andrew woke many of us up to the reality of natural destruction. Yesterday, some lawmakers met with Broward residents to hear lessons learned from Wilma. That's a good start, but not nearly enough. There needs to be an on-going, productive discourse that produces realistic and meaningful results. This web site has called for a regional hurricane summit to understand, catalogue and deal with the challenges of recovery in the wake of Katrina and Willma. We cannot wait until next hurricane season to start that process. New ideas need to be explored. Actions need to be taken. Neighborhoods need to organize and plan. Community Response Teams need to be set up on a wider scale than presently exist. Tax credits for those who open their habitable homes to the homeless in the wake of a disaster declaration needs exploration...we need to deal with the challenges of creating affordable housing in post emergency South Florida. There are so many challenges and opportunities. Solutions for the elderly caught in the storm need to be identified and require instant attention. (See related article). Many are working even now to fix obvious problems. Cities and Towns are looking at requiring generators for gas stations. U.S. Representative Alcee Hastings has proposed a tax credit for generator purchases. Some intersections are being installed with solar traffic signals...the FPL infrastructure is being reviewed. Local relief efforts which were fast and efficient need to be used as examples of what to do in stressful times. Local emergency relief funds need to be created, funded and readied with criteria. Communications strategies and techniques in emergency conditions need exploration. Municipal FEMA's are being studied, and much more. Will we be ready for next time? Perhaps not. But as the clock ticks, we can try.
Engage in this conversation. Send your comments to mac0202@bellsouth.net. As the Shelter Crisis Continues...Few Answers and Little Time Left (Tuesday, Nov. 15 @ 11:30 p.m.)- Displaced residents protested the lack of progress toward providing emergency housing Tuesday morning at McNichol Middle School in Hollywood. Among those protesting...a homeless mother whose son is serving in Iraq...a father who supported his family by helping in the recovery effort in New Orleans, an 80 year old native American woman, and other hard working citizens who have lost everything. One sign asked why millions can be spent on debris removal, but the people at McNichol cannot be given meaningful emergency shelter by FEMA, the State of Florida, or some other entities. The protest took place at the same time media reports revealed Broward County and the Red Cross were unable to make arrangements for a new emergency shelter, which is necessitated by the imminent closing of McNichol as a Red Cross facility to prepare for the opening of school. According to the Sun-Sentinel on Tuesday morning, "No alternative is on the horizon." The paper reported 320 residents at McNichol, who had been told Monday morning to pack their personal effects to move, only to hear later that day they were not going anywhere for several more days. As the County ponders hotels and motels as temporary answers, the Broward Mayor reportedly urged more churches and synagogues to open their doors to those in need. There is still no indication that any of the FEMA trailers placed at CB Smith Park or those planned for other sites in Broward will house any of the McNichol population. You can see the desperation on the faces of the evacuees. Though the protest involved only a few sign carrying individuals, it was significant. The protest had been delayed from the day before, when hope of moving to a new shelter, and the promise of FEMA trailers, was high. When word came on Monday afternoon that there would be no move, and the media revealed that others not staying at McNichol were being housed in the newly arrived but few FEMA mobile homes, frustration and disbelief grew. The protest was then planned for Tuesday morning. The Miami Herald reported Tuesday the Red Cross is looking for a facility with at least 5,000 square feet that can be used as another temporary shelter. Davie Mayor Tom Truex and Council Member Susan Starkey have been working with staff to try to provide a facility in the Town of Davie, but details are few. The Herald reported that legal details need to be worked out, and inferred that the Town Council Meeting on Wednesday, November 16, would address some of these problems. However, as pointed out by Mayor Truex, the entire community needs to work together to make a new location, temporary as it may be, a reality. Working together may mean concessions by the County as to who is housed in Davie. It will also require federal and state funds and support, as Davie should not have to bear the burden of what is much more than a municipal issue. As Red Cross, Broward and Davie officials work hard to solve the problem, your suggestions are needed. Is there a facility you can donate, with the proper legal protection, to help in this emergency housing crisis? Please let us know at mac0202@bellsouth.net. It has been over 3 weeks since Hurricane Wilma struck this area, and the plight of those still in the shelter environment is taking more and more of a "back page" spotlight and fading from public attention. As of tonight, there does not seem to be any answers to help these displaced and desperate residents. Your immediate help is needed to assist in finding temporary housing for the children, women and men so hurt by the lack of housing options at a time of high crisis. Their homes are gone, the very same homes they worked so hard to rent and in some cases purchase. Many of those affected had homes which are completely destroyed...smashed by the mad fury of cyclonic winds. Their personal property is gone, molded or destroyed. The need is great...and day by day the desperation and stress increases exponentially. With all the years of planning since Hurricane Andrew struck South Dade, there are still few solutions when they are needed the most. Lives are being altered. As a community, as a county, as a state, as a nation, we need to act now to help these people, and not assume others will step in...because so far, they have not. The clock is ticking. What will be the solution? Do you have housing to donate? Please contact us at mac0202@bellsouth.net. Have you opened your home to displaced hurricane victims? Have you seen examples of kindness in the wake of Wilma? Please e-mail us with your stories. Names will not be published unless expressly permitted. Addresses will not be published. Please contact us at the e-mail address above. It's Time for Municipal Emergency Management Agencies The Sun-Sentinel reported on Wednesday, November 16, that Mayor Frank Ortis of Pembroke Pines is proposing creation of a "mini-FEMA" for his city. This proposal is intended to afford faster and more immediate relief in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane than federal or state governments can provide. The newspaper reports the Mayor is proposing a contract with a private company to supply food, water and ice within a day of a major hurricane event. He is reportedly calling for pre-designated locations with private volunteers and city workers signed up to help, in advance of the storm, to assist in local relief efforts. The Mayor also expressed hope that FEMA would pick up at least some of the cost of such an effort. Katrina, and now Wilma, have taught us that the federal response is not guaranteed. As storms become more frequent, and in some cases more powerful than in the past, it seems prudent to look to the most local level for emergency plans. That is exactly what the Town of Davie did after both Hurricanes this year. Town workers were out tirelessly assisting residents immediately after both events. The Town set up the Davie Hurricane Relief Fund for future use. It had previously established Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT's) to reach out in the most local ways possible. The Town is still in the process of setting up criteria for use of the relief fund, which hopefully will grow over time to be a valuable resource. What Mayor Ortiz is suggesting is to encourage his own city, and others, move one step beyond their present response abilities, and we applaud his creativity. Each municipality in Florida should have a local "MEMA," otherwise known as a Municipal Emergency Management Agency. In Davie, CERT teams have been, and continue to be, set up to help accomplish this purpose. For more information on the CERT program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington, click here. A local CERT example is at Park City in Davie, which has an active team. Click here for more details on the Park City effort. Other local programs should directly involve volunteers who are willing, and hopefully able, to work in the aftermath of a hurricane or other major emergency event that impacts each town, village and city. Davie already has a list of volunteers, but many more are needed in a whole host of Town neighborhoods. A roster of those willing to work with municipal officials and staff should be in place. MEMA's can take the old concept of volunteer fire departments and the relatively new CERT program to the next level in hurricane relief and recovery. Organizational meetings should be advertised and conducted. Funds, modeled after the Davie Hurricane Relief Fund, should be set up in every city. The disbursement of those funds should not, however, be used to reduce the amounts the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay to eligible storm weary individuals who qualify for assistance from Washington. Each municipality should prepare a web site, just like this one, to communicate its organizational efforts, contact information, ideas and challenges for each MEMA. If you are interested in learning how to set up this kind of web site, please contact us. Mayor Ortis is planning a workshop meeting to explore his idea in the near future, according to the media report. The efforts of the Town of Davie in building CERT teams can serve as a good model for the continued development of the MEMA concept. With a thorough public and private discourse on this concept, this is an important concept that should not be ignored. Legal, financial, communication and logistical issues need to be ironed out. More volunteers are needed. No doubt there are many in each local community who would like to be part of this kind of effort. Let's make it happen. If you are interested in this idea and would like to post your comments, please e-mail the Editor of this web site at mac0202@bellsouth.net. Posted 11.16.05 It was a stunning Op Ed piece presented by Carl Hiaasen in the Miami Herald on Sunday, November 13. The message: "There is nothing to be done except wait," in reference to a major, a really significant, hurricane event in South Florida. "Catastrophic mistakes have literally been set in concrete, as has our fate," he proclaims. The columnist was acutely blunt and spoke a great deal of truth. Criticisms were leveled against bad governmental planning, over development, poorly designed road systems, and the inability of such a mega urbanized region to deal effectively with a category 4 or 5 storm that hits for a sustained period of time, as a really windy and wet storm. Wilma, as we all know, was relatively dry, fast moving and according to some, not a major hurricane. Mr. Hiaasen points out that no amount of citizen preparation will help us effectively avoid the destruction, disruption and desperation of a truly powerful hurricane event magnitudes stronger than Wilma was when it scraped through South Florida. There is a lot to be negative about in Wilma's wake. Higher insurance rates, relief miscues, transportation gridlock, swelling ranks of displaced residents with no housing solutions in sight, uncontrolled rumors, communication blackouts, businesses in danger of failure after weeks of no electricity, the inability to evacuate six million people, problems in delivering water and ice, insufficient shelters, stranded senior citizen communities and an "overburdened infrastructure." We've learned in 2005 that FEMA can do only so much. Even Governor Bush, the most hurricane tested state executive, has asked for a review of all hurricane relief strategies to come up with new answers. But, Carl, it is not the time to give up. Not the time to be resigned to the uncertain future. It is time for a serious top to bottom review of the lessons we have learned, the new opportunities that have emerged, and the solutions which we can all employ as future hurricanes threaten. It's interesting. Talk with your neighbors, even those who you've not had a dialog with except in the hours and days after the storm. So many of them have good ideas, interesting solutions, and important thoughts to share about getting through events like Wilma and worse. Reach out to those severely tested by Katrina and catalog the recovery strategies and preparation measures that will make a difference...next time. We all need to be talking with one another, planning, and implementing these plans. Now, not next June. The fact is, there will be a next time...somewhere. Maybe here. Probably here. As this editorial is typed, television stations reported on the formation of Tropical Depression Number 27, which, according to early projections, will probably, and thankfully, not strike the United States. With 17 days left to the busiest hurricane season on record, we cannot let our guard down for this year, or those to come. "Just when you thought it was over..." proclaims Michael Williams of WTVJ when announcing TD 27. Truth is, it is never really over. The six months of non-hurricane season are the very months which require the hard work of planning and implementation. That's why some lawmakers are talking about another tax holiday for emergency supplies and local leaders are looking at revising the law to require generators at gas stations. That's why newspapers are calling for better planning with an urgency not seen regionally in the years since extreme South Dade was crushed by Hurricane Andrew. Carl, respectfully, you are wrong. We cannot just throw up our hands and wait for the inevitable. We can demand a regional hurricane summit, a dialogue between governmental leaders and average citizens...to catalog the lessons, to understand the opportunities, and to project on future disaster problems and solutions. We know what you are doing. You are using reverse psychology. Your ultimate intent is to jump start focused efforts to get Florida to plan better and to keep refining relief plans. Your dire words actually motivate all of us to take stock of fresh approaches. Mother nature is tough. But we are survivors. In many ways, Wilma has done us a favor. It has been a somewhat dry run for dealing with the future. No, our fate has not been cast irreversibly when it comes to hurricanes. We can work now to make the future brighter. There is no other choice. Posted November 13, 2005 It's Time for a South Florida Hurricane Summit
Valuable lessons have been learned in the days since Hurricane Wilma scarred South Florida. New challenges have presented themselves during the Hurricane Season of 2005, which is thankfully coming to a close. Some of those challenges include:
Each day since Katrina and Wilma new ideas and solutions have surfaced. Davie set up a water and ice distribution center that has been praised as a model, Sunrise is exploring the use of solar cell electrical lights, municipal and county government officials are considering mandatory generators at gas stations and Florida officials are promoting new initiatives to enhance individual preparation for cyclonic disasters such as the use of Catastrophic Savings Accounts. Valuable lessons are also being learned in the U.S. Gulf, as that area puts back the building blocks of civilization. Much can be learned from the experiences in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Volumes can be said about the lessons learned in Florida from the 2004 hurricane season. As these ideas are explored, as new solutions are offered, they need to be shared and explored with the entire South Florida community. Each year, government officials meet with Emergency Operations Center managers and other officials to review hurricane preparation plans. Now it is time to supplement that effort and call a South Florida Hurricane Summit that includes private individuals, businesses and governmental leaders to sit down over the course of a few days and communicate the lessons learned, the opportunities noticed, and the solutions in place or which are on the horizon. Included should be neighborhood leaders, property managers, small business leaders and other grass roots individuals. This summit should be held prior to the start of the next hurricane season, and should be sponsored by Broward County with support from the business community. Seminars and workshops can take center stage, and the Summit can produce a document after the sessions are over to share what was learned, and set the course for the future. With all we have learned, and all we are learning, it's time for a South Florida Hurricane Summit. Posted 10.10.05 Mr. Paulison, Please Give Local Government Assurances Local Financial Aid Will Not Reduce FEMA Benefits November 11, 2005- The Miami Herald reported this morning that Broward County Commissioners have expressed concern that by providing dollars for emergency financial assistance to displaced residents, the ultimate amount of FEMA monies to which those residents may be entitled will be reduced. Nevertheless, in a bold step, the County increased the amount of money it was offering to assist those who qualify help in paying rent. As FEMA trailers slowly start to enter Broward County almost 3 weeks since Wilma hit this region, it is still unclear who will have the opportunity to live in them. Who will get priority...people in the only remaining Red Cross shelter at McNichol Middle School in Hollywood, or others? Broward County has been searching for solutions that most of us thought were federal or even state issues. The Board of County Commissioners is not waiting for FEMA, however, and is exploring a number of important ideas. The increase in funding for emergency rental assistance is an example of local government in action. Locally, officials have established the Town of Davie Hurricane Relief Fund. While the Town administered effort is still in need of additional funding, town officials need clarification that any assistance given to residents will not penalize those in need by resulting reductions in federal assistance. FEMA should not use Broward County's actions to lessen benefits for residents who would otherwise qualify for federal assistance. It is time for the Director of FEMA, R. David Paulison, to assure the county that whatever help is given out locally, FEMA will not reduce benefits. That assurance needs to be made today, not weeks from now, to encourage further relief efforts at all local levels, including each City Hall as well as at the County Governmental Center. As a Davie resident, the need to encourage relief in South Florida is clearly on the mind of the new FEMA director. We hope he acts on this request with all deliberate speed. Posted November 11, 2005.
According to an article in the Insurance Journal on November 8, Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher has proposed consideration of "Catastrophic Savings Accounts." (CSA's). According to the article, the CSA's would encourage individuals to save money, in tax free accounts, to cover the pain of insurance deductibles and those expenses and losses not covered by insurance after hurricanes and other disasters. The invested funds could also be used to harden homes to prevent damage before hurricanes strike. With interest accruing, the money would grow over time and provide a valuable safety net in future years to be used under emergency conditions. This idea deserves immediate serious consideration and active discussion at the federal level. The creation of such accounts could allow homeowners, landlords and other property owners to save for hurricane shutters or other protective devices and materials. It would help address dealing with the rising trend of increasing deductibles in homeowner's policies. CSA's would encourage savings for those critical days and hours after a major hurricane event when cash is desperately needed and when credit and debit cards are not functional. CSA funds would allow the average person to address needs well before any federal or state programs could provide assistance. The CSA could truly be "saving for a rainy day" in a manner which is consistent with sound public policy. With the drafting of proper legislation and practical federal regulations, the creation of federal Catastrophic Savings Accounts is a timely idea in this era of increased hurricane frequency. In a nation where individual savings are encouraged, the CSA has a potential to be a meaningful way to encourage more proactivity in personal responsibility in disaster preparation, relief and recovery. If you have comments on this idea, please share them and send your e-mail to mac0202@bellsouth.net. Posted November 9, 2005. Davie, Florida (November 5)- One look at the November 7 edition of Newsweek exemplifies the problem. No mention of Hurricane Wilma and its aftermath. No words on the staggering effect on South Florida. No discussion of mile long gas lines. No article about millions without electrical power. No discussion on the thousands, yes, thousands, left homeless in the wake of the storm, or the businesses which have been closed or crippled. No discussion about FEMA. No article on the hard work of local officials and the countless examples of heroics of volunteers and neighbors. No article about the thousand and thousands of seniors who need help, and are unable to get it in sufficient quantities. No discussion about the delay in medical care affecting the region because clinics and doctors offices lacked power. Absent is national media attention to the rising frustration which is reaching the boiling point. Some victims are preparing to protest in a desperate cry for help. Nothing about the extreme efforts of physicians and nurses to assist, often in the most difficult of conditions. Zilch about the psychological footprint left by the storm and how we are all dealing with recovery. Society stopped here in the days after Wilma. It was crippled. That does not mean the national media should react the same way. In general, there is a sense the rest of the nation is unaware of just how life came to a screeching halt here...and how many problems remain for the weeks and months in the future. Has donor fatigue reached the national print and television assignment desks? All editors have to do is look at the excellent comprehensive coverage of the Sun-Sentinel, the Miami-Herald or the Palm Beach Post to see how big this story really is. All they have to do is see the web sites of local television stations. While there is enough information out there for this region...it is sorely lacking on a nationwide basis. A few articles for a day or two does not cut it. People in the rest of the country need to know how bad things are, how much help is needed, and what they can do. That is one reason this web site exists. No, this was not the Katrina event that hit the Gulf Coast a few months ago. That Wilma was not as severe as Katrina does not lessen the impact of this historic storm. This is one of the most populated regions in the United States brought to its knees after a category 2 or 3 event. When asked what coverage is out there, residents in other states tell us that brief reports refer to "Miami" but do not mention Broward County, Palm Beach County or the rest of Miami-Dade. It is important to remember...Katrina hit here first. Rita came through here too. Now Wilma. South Florida residents have suffered hurricane stress for months now, first as forecasters wisely predicted the unusual season and then as storm after storm hit. It does not take a category 4 or 5 to harm a community. A one can do enough trauma just by itself. The scope of the problem is enormous. Shelters housing hundreds are closing as schools open. Local and state officials are doing their level best to find alternatives. Small businesses which seemed to get through Wilma opened this week only to find collapsed roofs have terminated their operations after heavy rains drenched the region. There are still no FEMA trailers here. People are being told to register...and wait. But for those living in tents, cars, with neighbors or friends, or in the open...there are no apartments to go to. Motels and hotels are reportedly full for the most part. There are not enough shelters to house those in need. This problem is compounded minute by minute, day by day. As of this morning, the Sun-Sentinel reports FEMA officials have said they do not know when trailers will arrive. When they do arrive, will there be enough? Where will they be placed? Who will qualify? Will the infrastructure be sufficient to support a FEMA community? These are tough questions. The problem is that Wilma hit almost 2 weeks ago. People need help...right now. Meanwhile, the paper reports Broward officials have identified a thousand apartments and mobile home sites that could be used for disaster relief. That is indeed welcome news. Locations for mobile homes have also been located. In a county as densely populated as Broward, block emergency housing preferred by FEMA does not exist. The County should be congratulated in its efforts to ask FEMA to increase the amount of rental assistance to aid those who have to deal with high rates in this congested rental market. Broward County Commissioners are being proactive, but are also frustrated. The Sun-Sentinel reports County mayor Kristen Jacobs is quoted this morning as being concerned it may take several more weeks to get FEMA trailers here. What about cruise ships to house displaced citizens here in South Florida? The Miami Herald reported today that Broward officials have been turned down by FEMA on such a plan, which could be set up at Port Everglades. A FEMA spokesman, the Herald reported, denied turning down the request. What's going on? What about a coordinated effort to raise the consciousness of the community and urge neighbors to take in neighbors? The Broward County Mayor has urged residents to open up their spare rooms and asked those who wish to do so to call Volunteer Broward at 954-522-6761. What about another initiative...providing property tax relief for those who open their doors to neighbors and are helping out in a verified and constructive way? (See related idea, click here). While FEMA studies options and registers people...lives are deteriorating. That is not just a local story. It's a national concern. Will the national media turn the spot light on South Florida so the rest of country knows what is going on and can help? Send your comments to the Editor at mac0202@bellsouth.net. Review Existing Building Codes Posted September 24, 2005
In
the aftermath of tragedy, opportunities and challenges are identified.
Entire cities, towns, communities and neighborhoods in Mississippi, Alabama
and Louisiana now must be rebuilt from their foundation. Municipal
infrastructure needs to be revitalized to allow returning, and new
residents, the opportunity to weave back society and push utter destruction
aside. Undoubtedly, this will be done. How well it is done, however,
is a key question. As with the rebuilding, municipal planning starts now,
and it too must be from the ground up. Municipalities need to factor in
recommendations from scientists and other experts who advocate creating
wetlands and buffer areas to mitigate against the impact of torrential
cyclonic events. Just where things should be built will be a topic of
paramount importance. How structures will be built is also now an
imperative issue.
Revitalized cities need
new thinking. Development must be carefully planned to meet the needs of
all residents. That is why now, not a year from now, each county and parish
needs to painstakingly re-examine and toughen up building codes. This
process was undertaken in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew subsequent
to 1992 in South Florida. Careful attention needs to be focused upon
creating housing and commercial structures that can withstand powerful
natural events. Conferences, seminars and meetings need to be held
to stimulate a strong program to rebuild towns and cities, but also to
rebuild reasonable, but tough, building codes and standards.
For those areas not
affected by Katrina or Rita, existing building codes and environmental plans
need to be scrutinized again. There is no need to wait until the next
hurricane to continue the review process.
Mitch Chester, Editor Need for Neighborhood Information
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