Coastal Services Center

Almost every coastal state and territory has the potential to be threatened at some point by a destructive hurricane, typhoon, or nor'easter, as well as many other natural disasters. Over the past two years, coastal resource managers on the Gulf Coast have learned a few lessons about preparing for and responding to Mother Nature's fury.

These lessons include the following:

Work with cities and counties to educate them about Smart Growth—or as some are now calling it, Safe Growth—principles, implement international building codes, and develop community hazard mitigation and disaster recovery plans.

"Before a storm even hits, you have to have the groundwork in place," advises Carl Ferraro, natural resource planner with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division Coastal Section.

Roles for coastal resource managers include educating communities about available funding and planning tools, ensuring the participation of all relevant stakeholders, and supporting the use of geographic information systems (GIS), particularly within small municipalities.

Not only will local communities be better prepared through these efforts, but the personal relationships developed as a result will speed up everything from post-disaster permitting to redevelopment efforts.

Educate people and communities about the hazard risks they face.

People flock to the coast because of its beauty and natural resources, but few home buyers and developers understand the risks associated with living and building near the ocean.

Coastal resource managers can make natural hazards a factor in the permitting process and can educate local planners, builders, and realtors about the dangers.

Develop relationships with emergency managers.

Coastal resource managers may be reluctant to contact emergency managers, but first responders may benefit from data, maps, and even regulatory or resource knowledge that coastal managers have. This interaction provides the opportunity to identify and communicate coastal priorities.

The time to make this contact, however, is not during a disaster, says Billy Causey, manager of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, who has a role in the Key's Emergency Operations Center whenever a hurricane threatens.

"Counting and recording abandoned vessels, tracking the leading edge of the storm using the ocean observing buoys, helping to analyze the threat of oil spills—there's a role for communication and collaboration at times like that, and coastal managers bring their own set of assets and skills to hurricane preparation and response," Causey says.

Being in communication with federal, state, and local emergency managers before a storm also helps ensure that managers understand the emergency process and can take advantage of mitigation grant moneys and other opportunities.

Collect FEMA-required monitoring data.

To take advantage of Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) mitigation grants, monitoring of projects and beach profiles must be done in advance of a disaster, says Eddie R. Fisher, director of the Coastal Stewardship Division in the Coastal Resources Program Area of the Texas General Land Office.

"I can't stress enough that you have to have the knowledge and programs in place on how to apply for the grants before a hurricane hits, or any other disaster," Fisher says.

Utilize technology in the permitting process.

Trying to locate a street or address after a disaster can be almost impossible when there are no houses left in a neighborhood, or entire community.

Having permits in a GIS program where every structure and setback line has been documented using the Global Positioning System (GPS) can significantly ease the permitting process, as well as land-use planning and hurricane recovery.

Using pre- and post-lidar (light detection and ranging) imaging can assist in documenting environmental changes.

Create and protect wetlands and other natural barriers.

The first lines of defense against the destructive waves of a hurricane are trees, marshes, and other natural features.

Louisiana State University researchers have found that New Orleans levees with a buffer of wetlands had a much higher survival rate than those that stood unprotected against Katrina's assault.

Managers found that beach nourishment projects in Alabama helped protect infrastructure, and dunes were an effective first line of defense in Texas.

Develop and practice a hurricane preparedness plan.

Having a detailed plan of the steps your staff members will have to take to prepare your office, agency, or site for an impending storm can help save equipment and files.

"You don't want to lose the basic things you'll need in order to operate after a storm," advises Gary Lytton, manager of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Florida.

Key items Gulf Coast managers say should be in preparedness plans include

• Evacuating vehicles off-site to several inland locations. Hauling vessels from water and securing them at an inland location should also be done, if possible.
• Securing all office equipment by breaking down and elevating computers and covering all equipment with plastic.
• Securing files—creating backups of backups and distributing them to a number of locations off-site, preferably out of state. Take important paper files with you when you evacuate.
• Creating a detailed communications plan. In addition to having a list of staff members' telephone and cell phone numbers, delegate one staff member to be in charge of tracking evacuation locations and contacts for next of kin. Have all staff members contact one out-of-state person to report their whereabouts both before and after the storm. Invest in cell phones with text messaging options, or satellite phones. Have a rendezvous plan for staff members who may not be able to make outside contact.
• Having extra food, water, batteries, and other supplies as a backup for staff members whose home supplies might be wiped out during the storm.
• Keeping staff members in mind when deciding to implement the plan. Implement your agency's plan early enough so that individuals still have time to secure their homes and evacuate.
• Having drills to practice the plan.

Develop a disaster recovery plan.

A recovery plan for getting your office back on-line as soon as possible after the storm also is critical. This plan should include

• Coordinating staff members into teams to help get their homes and property cleaned up as soon as possible.
• Coordinating staff members into teams to clean up office and site.
• Having a petty cash fund for staff emergencies.
• If possible, alerting staff members who evacuated to the status of their homes and property before they return to ease the shock, and to inform them of the equipment (chain saws, etc.) they will need to
  bring back.
• Having a contingency plan of where your agency will operate if your existing facility is destroyed.
• Reviewing and updating your disaster preparedness plan.

Plan for emergency permitting and other post-disaster activities.

Environmental damage assessments, water quality testing, research monitoring, emergency permitting, removing abandoned vessels and hazards to navigation—not only must work started before the hurricane be continued, but the hurricane will create additional work.

Planning the activities you will need to conduct after a worst case disaster—and how you will conduct them—is an important exercise.

The bottom line, says Causey, is "be prepared as much as you can as early as you can."

For more information on hurricanes and other natural disasters, point your browser to www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml.