Introduction
The current essay examines Hurricane Irma and the responses of the country, state, and particularly Monroe County to the disaster. Irma was one of the most powerful hurricanes that occurred on the territory of Florida in the 20th century. More than a hundred people lost their lives to the disaster, and nearly seven million people left their homes to move further north away from the epicenter (Allen, 2018). Monroe County was one of the most affected regions due to its southern location and the fact that most people in the county live in the Florida Keys. From these considerations, it is crucial to examine how the region prepared and responded to Hurricane Irma.
Preparations for Irma
The preparations for massive hurricanes occur on all levels, including federal, state, local, and individual groups. The government actively encourages people to be always prepared for natural disasters, primarily concerning the emergency plan and willingness to evacuate (Fritz, 2017). In this sense, cooperation between all levels is essential to raise public awareness concerning the dangers of hurricanes and save as many people as possible. On the local level, Monroe County announced an emergency on September 4, 2017, and worked on mandatory evacuation (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). The primary message for the citizens was to move out of the Florida Keys as soon as possible. In case the evacuation was impossible, the local government asked citizens to fortify their homes and get additional supplies to survive through the hurricane aftermath without energy (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). Moreover, the county’s management stocked many emergency shelters with food and clothes.
Response to Irma
After the hurricane, the local government initiated an immediate response by checking on people’s houses, clearing the rubble, reopening the airports, and putting hospitals in emergency mode. The consequent evaluation showed that Hurricane Irma was the most destructive disaster in the county since Hurricane Donna in 1960 (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). Since the population of the county accounted for approximately 80,000 people, the local government’s capabilities were limited. As a result, the crucial response to the problem was to mend the airports as soon as possible to receive help from other states (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). Additionally, the federal government and humanitarian organizations have helped significantly by providing food, shelter, and generators to Florida. The American Red Cross, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and many other institutes collaborated to provide an adequate response to the hurricane (FEMA, 2021). Ultimately, the combined efforts of the local and federal governments allowed to significantly mitigate the damage from Irma.
Conclusion
The primary lesson learned from Hurricane Irma was the importance of communication availability between Monroe County and other states. The damage to the airport and energy infrastructure left the region helpless since the county has very limited resources to battle the hurricane and its aftermath on its own (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). The initial plans concerning mandatory evacuation were helpful; hence, Monroe County has not changed the emergency plan (“Hurricane Irma,” n.d.). Namely, the local government determines the necessity for evacuation based on the five-level zone division and the wind intensity (“Evacuation information,” n.d.). For the same reason, Monroe County has not initiated additional migration grants after Hurricane Irma. Ultimately, the primary lesson for the government was to ensure the safety of the two airports and the energy infrastructure. The secondary lesson learned was to continually raise public awareness concerning the potential dangers of hurricanes and encourage everyone to have an emergency plan and prepare emergency supplies.
References
Allen, G. (2018). Lessons from Hurricane Irma: When to evacuate and when to shelter in place. NPR.
Evacuation information. (n.d.). Monroe County Florida.
FEMA. (2021). Hurricane Irma response and relief operations continue with full federal capability.
Fritz, A. (2017). How to prepare for Hurricane Irma. Washington Post.
Hurricane Irma. (n.d.). Monroe County Florida.