Hurricanes

Citation

(1999), "Hurricanes", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 8 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.1999.07308eag.003

Hurricanes

HURRICANES

NHC helps public prepare for hurricane season

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) continues its annual tours to increase the public's understanding of hurricanes and the threat to lives and property. Director Jerry Jarrell cites several reasons for the annual tours:While many East Coast cities, along with their Gulf counterparts, are historically prone to hurricanes, the decades of the 1970s and 80s generated a false sense of expectation. Below normal levels of activity during those years gave people very little "real" hurricane experience teaching how "big" and "bad" big and bad can be.

But education and awareness properly applied can help offset lack of experience, Jarrell says. This year's tour will highlight the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron's "Hurricane Hunters", the WC-130 aircraft and NHC's hurricane specialists. NOAA Aircraft Operations Center's two WP-3 "Orion", regularly used on the tour as a "flying classroom", are being repaired. Public access to the aircraft, briefings and media availability are means for getting the word out. The tours were held in late April and early May. The e-mail address for more information is: flepore@nhc.noaa.gov

New hurricane awareness activities

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/http://hurricanes.noaa.gov

In May, OM and NOAA Office of Public and Constituent Affairs created Hurricane Awareness Web pages. The pages offer information on hurricane awareness activities around the country and links to local offices hurricane awareness pages. These pages provide quick access to hurricane safety, preparedness and education opportunities.

In February, Customer Service staff, through NOAA/DOC, sent the White House a draft Presidential proclamation for National Hurricane Awareness Week to be held annually in May. A National Hurricane Awareness Week would help save lives and property by commanding:

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  media coverage for safety and preparedness messages;

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  greater interagency, state and local participation in NOAA's warning and preparedness programs;

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  the public's attention on what should be done before, during and after a hurricane; and

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  the attention of school children, who are great motivators for the creation of family preparedness plans.

With year-round planning, an annual, dedicated National Hurricane Awareness Week will focus national attention on the cause of many of the Nation's worst natural disasters.