Page 25 - bon-dia-aruba-20200601

A25
U.S. NEWS Monday 1 June 2020
Many states scrambling to update hurricane plans for virus

By SETH BORENSTEIN hurricane season, the num-
AP Science Writer ber of infections and social
Officials across the U.S. distancing requirements
South are still scrambling to may have changed, he
adjust their hurricane plans said. Coping with a hurri-
to the coronavirus. The big cane is hard, and the coro-
unknown: Where will peo- navirus "is going to make
ple fleeing storms go? it a little bit more difficult,"
The Associated Press sur- Federal Emergency Man-
veyed more than 70 coun- agement Agency Director
ties and states from Texas Pete Gaynor told reporters
to Virginia, with more than in May. But he said FEMA
60% of coastal counties has hired 500 people since
saying as of late May that March and has a record of
they're still solidifying plans nearly $80 billion in its disas-
for public hurricane shel- ter fund.
ters. They're also altering Vice President Mike Pence
preparations for dealing told President Donald
with the sick and elderly, Trump on Thursday that the
protective equipment and federal government would
cleanup costs. ensure state and local au-
In Georgia's McIntosh In this Oct. 10, 2018 file photo, Emily Hindle lies on the floor at an evacuation shelter set up at Ruth- thorities can handle hur-
County, south of Savannah, erford High School, in advance of Hurricane Michael, in Panama City Beach, Fla. ricanes. "Bottom line, Mr.
Emergency Management Associated Press President, we're ready."
Agency Director Ty Poppell Academics who study di-
said evacuations during are considering right now," have estimated 90%." 75. Brad Baker, emergency sasters aren't so sure.
the pandemic would be Mississippi Emergency Man- Shelters were the most management director of "I don't think they (federal
a "nightmare." He worried agement Agency Director mentioned worry, but com- Florida's Santa Rosa Coun- officials) are doing the job
about social distancing at Greg Michel said. fort levels with other as- ty, gave the same numbers they should be doing. I
shelters and on buses used During tornadoes in April, pects of hurricane prepa- "because there's a lot of worry about their ability to
to get people out. the state used hotels as rations varied, reflecting unknowns with COVID." handle a very large hur-
"I'd love to be able to tell shelters, which was good the difference in how states In Nueces County, Texas, ricane in addition to CO-
you we've got that an- practice for hurricane sea- plan for disasters. Having which was swamped by VID-19," University of South
swered right now," Poppell son, he said. enough staff for shelters is 2017's Hurricane Harvey, Carolina's Cutter said.
said. "It's a work in progress." Most counties surveyed a persistent problem locally officials said they were at She and others said mixed
Hurricane season official- said they're still figuring out and nationally, said Walton a 95 going into hurricane messages on the corona-
ly starts Monday, though shelters. County, Florida, emergen- season last year. Now, virus means some peo-
Tropical Storms Arthur and While that may sound wor- cy management chief Jeff it's below 80, emergency ple aren't believing what
Bertha arrived early. Fore- risome, it could be benefi- Goldberg. management coordina- they're hearing from Wash-
casters are expecting a cial because emergency Protective equipment is tor Melissa Munguia said. ington in an emergency.
busier-than-normal season. managers need to update the biggest shortfall in sev- If another Harvey brings 50 "I think our lives are in dan-
"Everything that we do will plans as the pandemic eral North Carolina coun- inches (127 centimeters) ger now because we don't
be affected in one way or changes, University of ties. Money is always an of rain, she said the same trust the federal govern-
another, big and/or small, South Carolina disaster ex- issue, with counties often reinforcements won't ar- ment," Cutter said.
by COVID-19," Florida Emer- pert Susan Cutter said. waiting for federal reim- rive because "everybody's Between the pandemic,
gency Management Direc- "Disasters are not going to bursement. Handling nurs- been working their person- a crashing economy and
tor Jared Moskowitz said. stop for COVID-19," Brad ing homes, hospitals and nel for many hours for over patchy federal responses
Many counties are taking Kieserman, an American COVID-19 patients "is one 100 days." to three 2017 hurricanes,
federal advice and hope Red Cross executive, told of the most difficult chal- Florida officials were far people should prepare for
to use hotels as smaller- reporters in May. "Hope is lenges and would require a more upbeat. little help from the govern-
scale shelters, while others not a plan. And we've got larger state response," said "While COVID-19 compli- ment, Virginia Common-
plan to use more parts of to plan for tens of thou- Jeffrey Johnson, fire chief in cates things and you have wealth University emergen-
schools besides large gym- sands of people to evacu- Newport News, Virginia. to plan around COVID-19, I cy preparedness professor
nasiums. Still others, espe- ate in the face of hurri- Other places downplayed think Florida is as prepared Hans-Louis Charles said.
cially in Louisiana, plan for canes and wildfires and concerns. Orleans Parish, as ever before in response Experts also worry that it
big shelters with more so- other disasters." where 2005's Hurricane to a hurricane," said Mos- could take longer to return
cial distancing. Some officials acknowl- Katrina ravaged New Or- kowitz, the state emergen- to normal after a hurricane.
Officials emphasize that edged they aren't as ready leans, has added social cy management chief. Search and rescue teams,
shelters are last resorts, for storm season as they distancing and protective In Louisiana, disaster of- utility workers who restore
urging people to stay with were a year ago because equipment to a 10-year- ficials said they're used to power lines and volunteers
friends or in hotels. But mas- of the virus. Others were old plan that's otherwise "overlapping emergencies, who help clean up may
sive unemployment is mak- more confident. "essentially unchanged. It's and you just have to plow be slowed or not respond
ing the expense of hotels "We feel the current rating a good plan," said Collin through." at all because of concerns
less feasible. of preparedness for Craven Arnold, head of the city's They anticipate making over virus exposure, experts
"Our biggest change to our County (North Carolina) emergency preparedness adjustments, "but it's hard said. That and other issues
hurricane plan is sheltering. is 50% or lower as we still office. A year ago, officials to pin down what those may mean a storm that in
How are we going to shelter have not finalized shelter in North Carolina's Beaufort changes will be," said Mike the past caused $12 bil-
those that have to evacu- options," said Stanley Kite, County would have rated Steele, spokesman for the lion in insured damage, like
ate? How are going to emergency services di- their readiness going into state's emergency pre- 2018's Hurricane Michael,
shelter those that are posi- rector of the county hit by hurricane season at a 95 paredness office. By August may cost 20% more, cata-
tive COVID patients? There 2018's Hurricane Florence. on a 0-to-100 scale. With and September, typically strophic risk modeler Karen
are multiple ideas that we "Before COVID-19, would the virus, that's down to the height of Louisiana's Clark said.q