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Florida County Talks Preparedness
in Face of Hurricanes
As Hurricane Ivan began roaring its way across the Caribbean last week,
officials in Florida’s Marion County were just releasing the first
damage assessments from Hurricane Frances. With estimates going as high
as $30 million just for the county alone, it certainly raises the
question of how communities can better prepare themselves in the face
of these seemingly endless natural disasters.
In an opinion piece in the Ocala Star-Banner, the paper’s
editors examine ways their county can improve preparedness and help
make recovery from events like Frances quicker and smoother. The
editors offered a number of suggestions for the county, including:
- Putting more of the power companies’ main and feeder lines
underground;
- Improving coordination between the power companies and
government agencies;
- Improving logistics at the power companies; and
- Improving communication between the various entities who
deal with recovery.
In addition to these suggestions, the editors also offer their ideas
for how to make those changes. They suggest the County Administrator or
Emergency Management Director schedule a meeting to iron out these
discrepancies and help protect the community.
To read the full editorial, click here: http://www.starbanner.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040909/NEWS/40909006/1008/opinion01
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