Hurricane Season Is Here

Hurricane Season has officially begun and that means that for the next six months south Mississippians are going to be watching the weather pretty closely. MPB’s Phoebe Judge reports on what officials have done to prepare the coast for this year’s season, and what all individuals can do to make sure they are as prepared as can be.

Federal forecasters have predicted an estimated 9 to 14 named storms this hurricane season, that’s about average says Bill Read director of the National Hurricane Center,

“Well we are still in that active cycle that began in the mid-90’s, and I’d say because of that even if we have a less active than the past few seasons, it will still be a risk of activity and besides it only takes that one storm.”

Storms and hurricanes which develop in the Gulf of Mexico pose certain challenges not seen with hurricanes heading up the east coast. Because of the warms waters of the Gulf storms tend to intensify rapidly as they make their way off the islands of Cuba and Jamaica and it makes tracking where those storms will come ashore unpredictable. Rupert Lacey is director of the Harrison county emergency management agency,

“Historically once the storm gets to the tip of Cuba we could see an increase in forward speed and we have seen that over the years, so that only gives us a couple of days to react.”

The continental shelf off the coast of Mississippi is very shallow, which allows for a great deal of water to build up during a hurricane resulting in a large storm surge, with little in the way of dunes or bluffs to buffer the effects. That can result in catastrophic damage. The kind of damage that can still be seen in Waveland, Mississippi the so called ground zero for Hurricane Katrina.

“There was nothing left. For half a mile to a mile inland to the beach there was nothing left. It was just wiped clean with an eraser.”

Gregg Flynn is the public information officer for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. He’s standing in a parking lot in Waveland next to the MEMA Mobile Command Center where Michael and Lori Quattroy have stopped by the tent to pick up some hurricane information.

“Here we go again you know because between Katrina and Gustav we were left with nothing but the clothes on our back. We are lucky to have this shirt and pants on. The hurricanes took everything, everything. Everything but my wife and I and the dogs.”

“Have a flashlight, we have ductape, we have food bars you might be 72 hours…”

Melissa Dearmen, director of the Red Cross in Hancock County is going through her disaster survival kit. Melissa says especially for people who are still trying to recover from the last storm thinking about this year’s hurricane season can be terrifying,

“That’s why we are really here, is to try and have people prepared. If you are prepared it takes a little bit of the fear away because you have a plan and you know exactly what you are doing. “

Officials recommend that individuals keep enough supplies, including food, medicine, and water on hand to get them through 72 hours. After Katrina most roads were blocked and it took days for those supplies to arrive from state resources. While officials want Coast residents to be prepared with supplies, Mike Womack executive director of MEMA, also wants people to evacuate if necessary. Womack says people must realize that even if three out of the four times you evacuate it turns out to be a false alarm, you still need to go.

“If you live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast just understand that. You never know which one is going to be the time that you really needed to evacuate. I mean those are pretty strong odds, I’d say better odds than the ones you get in the casinos and this time you are gambling with your life.”

Womack says the state is better prepared this year than ever before to handle the hurricane season. While the addition of two new roads to handle evacuation overflow traffic onto Highway 49, and a brand new communications system for emergency responders. One of the biggest developments may be the two brand new shelters on the coast. Those shelters will be able to accommodate 6000 people who may not have the means to evacuate themselves. Making the need to bus those individuals further north unnecessary. Gregg Flynn,

“Instead of having to evacuate to Hattiesburg or to Jackson, we can keep folks closer to the coast which is so important because you want to keep people close to home. If you know the area, and you don’t have to travel to a strange place it is going to make you a lot more comfortable and get you back to your house a lot sooner afterwards.”

As hurricane season progresses preparations will continue as business and individuals prepare their recovery plans and everyone keeps their eyes on the weather forecast. Hurricane season lasts under the end of November. For MPB News, I’m Phoebe Judge.