As another hurricane season begins this week, we’re cautiously optimistic.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting in the Atlantic, thanks to the expected development of El Niño conditions. NOAA forecasts eight to 14 named storms, including three to six hurricanes, one to three of them major storms reaching Category 3 strength or above. An average season has 14 named storms, including seven hurricanes, with three becoming major.
Also at least somewhat reassuring is that the Federal Emergency Management Agency seems to be on more stable footing than it was this time last year.
FEMA’s future shape is still very much in play, but President Donald Trump has his earlier intention to do away with the agency and put full responsibility for disaster recovery on the states, despite the possibility that smaller states such as Louisiana might be overwhelmed by a catastrophic event. A presidential review council examining potential reforms recently issued a report that calls for keeping a strong federal presence to deal with the worst disasters, and also proposes some ideas that could make recovery in the future.
While the agency remains without a permanent leader, Mark Cooper, a disaster-response veteran who served as former Gov. John Bel Edwards’ chief of staff and a member of the presidential task force, said Louisianans should take comfort in the fact that the acting administrator, Bob Fenton, is a FEMA veteran who has spent time on the ground in Louisiana after prior hurricanes. Cooper also noted that Trump’s nominee for the permanent post, Cam Hamilton, has talked of the importance of FEMA’s ongoing role.
All that said, we must reiterate, as we do every year at this time, that the best strategy is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
NOAA’s forecast is no guarantee that the season will be quiet, and as everyone in these parts knows, it just takes one unlucky turn of events to cause widespread death and destruction.
Local agencies and other groups across our area have been issuing their annual reminders to stock up on supplies and have a plan to get out of harm’s way should that be necessary. We hope all of our readers heed their advice and take some time this week to make a checklist, sign up for local alerts and compile vital personal documents, medications, proof of pet inoculations and anything else they might need should they have to leave in a hurry.
Living with the threat of extreme weather is one price we pay for all the joys life in South Louisiana can bring, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be done to lessen our vulnerability. We urge everyone to remember that it’s always better to be overprepared than caught flat-footed.