Hurricane Season Requires Preparation & Planning

As Marco Islanders watch the taillights head north on I-75, fulltime residents are preparing for the arrival of our summer seasonal visitors. At the same time, those who stay on the island cannot let planning for the Atlantic Hurricane Season slip too far from our thoughts, while meteorologists and emergency services personnel keep a close eye on what may be coming our way June through November.

The city and its partners throughout Southwest Florida are no strangers to the damage these storms can cause to a barrier island, such as Marco Island. Preparation for Hurricane Season is something that no Emergency Services Manager lets fall too far from their dashboard. Preparations and planning have proven to be two of the greatest resources that we have to minimize a hurricane’s impact.

The City of Marco Island engaged in a major review of its Hurricane Irma response, highlighting both the positive and negative. The city created a concise Hurricane Irma After-Action Report using lessons learned from dealing with the 2017 storm, and then implemented the report’s recommendations.

The After-Action Report looked at five areas of concern: Life-Safety, Incident Stabilization, Environmental Impact, Property Conservation and Recovery Plans. The entire report and its recommendations can be found at www.cityofmarcoisland.com (Search: After Action Report).

At the intersection of Heathwood and San Marco Road, residents can witness one of the major items being addressed because of the review. 

The Fire/Rescue Headquarters is being replaced by an elevated structure that is Category 4-5 rated. The new, hardened structure will house a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Its ground elevation is being raised to adhere to the new Flood Plain Standards to protect the building, equipment and personnel.

The storm drainage system at this vital transportation juncture is being completely revamped to reduce flooding potential.

To avoid potential fuel shortages, the city will no longer rely on commercial fuel stations for gas and diesel fuel, but instead will house its own supplies, protected from flooding and with emergency generators to run not just the fuel depot, but the EOC and living quarters as well.

The design of vehicles being purchased by the city was reviewed and a concerted effort made to purchase vehicles with a higher profile, where practical. 

The city has aggressively pursued a more visible social media presence to help keep citizens informed of breaking news. The city urges citizens to sign up for Code Red Alerts at the city website (www.cityofmarcoisland.com, search: Code Red Alerts).

In upcoming issues, Coastal Breeze News will provide readers with more information about how to protect your family and property during a hurricane, and about workshops to prepare a personal safety plan.