LESSONS FROM PAST LESSONS FROM PAST HURRICANE SEASONSHURRICANE SEASONS

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna,

Virginia, USA 

HURRICANES ARE HURRICANES ARE DYNAMIC DYNAMIC LABORATORIESLABORATORIES FOR FOR

LEARNING AND CATALYSTS LEARNING AND CATALYSTS FOR FOR BUILDING CAPACITY BUILDING CAPACITY

FOR FOR DISASTER-INTELLIGENT DISASTER-INTELLIGENT & DISASTER-RESILIENT & DISASTER-RESILIENT

COMMUNITESCOMMUNITES

HURRICANE DISASTER HURRICANE DISASTER LABORATORIESLABORATORIES

ONE-HUNDRED YEARS OF HURRICANE ONE-HUNDRED YEARS OF HURRICANE DISASTER LABORATORIESDISASTER LABORATORIES

2012’S 19 ATLANTIC BASIN 2012’S 19 ATLANTIC BASIN STORM TRACKS STORM TRACKS

NAMED STORMS IN 2012NAMED STORMS IN 2012

ALBERTO ALBERTO - Tropical storm; May 19- Tropical storm; May 19 BERYL BERYL - Tropical storm; May 27- Tropical storm; May 27 CHRISCHRIS – Hurricane; June 21– Hurricane; June 21 DEBBYDEBBY – Tropical storm; June 23– Tropical storm; June 23 ERNESTO ERNESTO –Hurricane; Aug 3–Hurricane; Aug 3 FLORENCEFLORENCE –Tropical storm: Aug 5–Tropical storm: Aug 5 GORDON GORDON –Hurricane, August 16–Hurricane, August 16

NAMED STORMS FOR 2012NAMED STORMS FOR 2012

HELENE HELENE –Tropical Storm, Aug. 19 –Tropical Storm, Aug. 19 ISAAC ISAAC – Hurricane, August 21– Hurricane, August 21 JOYCE JOYCE –Tropical Storm, Aug. 25 –Tropical Storm, Aug. 25 KIRK KIRK –Tropical Storm. Aug. 27–Tropical Storm. Aug. 27 LESLIE LESLIE –Hurricane, Sept. 5 –Hurricane, Sept. 5 MICHAEL MICHAEL –Hurricane, Sept. 5–Hurricane, Sept. 5 NADINE – NADINE – Hurricane, Sept. 12Hurricane, Sept. 12

NAMED STORMS IN 2012NAMED STORMS IN 2012

OSCAROSCAR – Tropical Storm, Oct. 4 – Tropical Storm, Oct. 4 PATTY PATTY – Tropical Storm, Oct. 11– Tropical Storm, Oct. 11 RAFAEL RAFAEL – Hurricane, Oct. 12– Hurricane, Oct. 12 SANDY – SANDY – Super Storm, Oct. 22Super Storm, Oct. 22 TONY – TONY – Tropical Storm, Oct. 24Tropical Storm, Oct. 24

TWO OF 2012’S STORMS TWO OF 2012’S STORMS WERE ESPECIALLY WERE ESPECIALLY

NOTABLENOTABLE

ISAACISAAC -- A RAINMAKER FOR -- A RAINMAKER FOR THE ENTIRE GULF COASTTHE ENTIRE GULF COAST

SANDYSANDY – A SUPER STORM – A SUPER STORM

SANDYSANDY------FROM AN ORDINARY TROPICAL FROM AN ORDINARY TROPICAL

STORM TO A HURRICANE TO A STORM TO A HURRICANE TO A ONCE- IN- A- CENTURY- HISTORIC ONCE- IN- A- CENTURY- HISTORIC

“SUPER STORM“SUPER STORM”” IN EIGHT DAYSIN EIGHT DAYS

AN ORDINARY TROPICAL AN ORDINARY TROPICAL STORM ON OCTOBER 22STORM ON OCTOBER 22

SUPER STORM SANDY ON SUPER STORM SANDY ON OCTOBER 29-30, 2012OCTOBER 29-30, 2012

CAT 1 HURRICANE SANDY MADE CAT 1 HURRICANE SANDY MADE LANDFALL AT 8:00 PM ON LANDFALL AT 8:00 PM ON

MONDAY NIGHT, OCT. 29MONDAY NIGHT, OCT. 29THTH

Sandy made landfall south of Atlantic City, Sandy made landfall south of Atlantic City, New Jersey, merging with a winter storm New Jersey, merging with a winter storm system to become a unique, once-in-a-system to become a unique, once-in-a-

century, “Super Storm” caused by nature’s century, “Super Storm” caused by nature’s natural cycles, natural cycles, NOTNOT global warming global warming

TROPICAL STORMS AND TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES IN 2005HURRICANES IN 2005

Twenty-sevenTwenty-seven storms storms occurred during occurred during the the 2005 2005 seasonseason..

TROPICAL STORMS-TROPICAL STORMS-HURRICANES IN 2005HURRICANES IN 2005

ARLENEARLENE BRETBRET CINDYCINDY DENNISDENNIS EMILY EMILY FRANKLINFRANKLIN

GERTGERT HARVEYHARVEY IRENEIRENE JOSEJOSE

KATRINAKATRINA LEELEE

TROPICAL STORMS-TROPICAL STORMS-HURRICANES IN 2005HURRICANES IN 2005

MARIAMARIA NATENATE OPHELIAOPHELIA PHILIPPEPHILIPPE

RITA RITA STANSTAN

TAMMYTAMMY VINCEVINCE

WILMAWILMA ALPHAALPHA BETABETA GAMMAGAMMA DELTADELTA EPSILONEPSILON ZETAZETA

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

EVERY HURRICANE EVERY HURRICANE TEACHES TEACHES IMPORTANT IMPORTANT LESSONS ABOUT LESSONS ABOUT THE FIVE PILLARS THE FIVE PILLARS

OF OF DISASTER DISASTER RESILIENCERESILIENCE..

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES BEING BEING PREPAREDPREPARED

MEANS THAT YOU MEANS THAT YOU UNDERSTANDUNDERSTAND THE THE RISKS RISKS ASSOC-ASSOC-IATED WITH IATED WITH STORM STORM SURGE, WIND, AND SURGE, WIND, AND RAIN RAIN AND PLAN AND PLAN FOR THEIR FOR THEIR IMPACTSIMPACTS. .

2012’S SANDY: NEW JERSEY: 2012’S SANDY: NEW JERSEY: OCEAN FRONT FLOODINGOCEAN FRONT FLOODING

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURICANESALL HURICANES PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS

MEANS THAT YOU MEANS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT UNDERSTAND THAT HURRICANES ARE HURRICANES ARE ACCOMPANIED BY ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY PRECIP-HEAVY PRECIP-ITATION ITATION THAT WILL THAT WILL INUNDATE LOW-LYING INUNDATE LOW-LYING AREAS OF THE AREAS OF THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY..

2012’S SANDY: ATLANTIC 2012’S SANDY: ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, UNDER WATER CITY, NJ, UNDER WATER

2012’S SANDY: FLOODING IN 2012’S SANDY: FLOODING IN BROOKLYN, NYBROOKLYN, NY

2012’S ISAAC: RAIN IN PORT AU 2012’S ISAAC: RAIN IN PORT AU PRINCE, HAITI: AUG. 23 PRINCE, HAITI: AUG. 23

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL ALL HURRICANESHURRICANES

PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS PLANS FOR THE PLANS FOR THE INEVITABLE INEVITABLE POWER POWER OUTAGESOUTAGES THAT THAT PARALYZE THE PARALYZE THE COMMUNITY.COMMUNITY.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS \\

MEANS THAT YOU MEANS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT UNDERSTAND THAT ADVERSE ENVIRON-ADVERSE ENVIRON-MENTAL IMPACTS MENTAL IMPACTS HAPPEN WHEN HAPPEN WHEN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ARE SUBJECTED TO WIND, ARE SUBJECTED TO WIND, STORM SURGE, AND STORM SURGE, AND FLOODING. FLOODING.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES

PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS PLANS INCLUDE PLANS INCLUDE PETSPETS

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES PROTECTION PROTECTION

MEANS THAT YOU MEANS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE UNDERSTAND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH WITH HIGH HIGH VELOCITY WIND VELOCITY WIND AND BUILD AND BUILD ACCORDINGLY.ACCORDINGLY.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURICANES ALL HURICANES WITHOUT WITHOUT

ADEQUATE ADEQUATE PROTECTIONPROTECTION, HIGH , HIGH VELOCITY WIND VELOCITY WIND WILL LIFT THE WILL LIFT THE ROOF OFF OF ROOF OFF OF MANY BUILDINGSMANY BUILDINGS. .

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

KATRINAKATRINA A A PROTECTION PROTECTION

NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE OCCURRED OCCURRED WHEN NEW WHEN NEW ORLEANS’ ORLEANS’ LEVEES FAILED.LEVEES FAILED.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

KATRINA, KATRINA, AUGUST AUGUST 28-29, 200528-29, 2005

ANOTHER ANOTHER PROTECTION PROTECTION NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE OCCURRED WHEN OCCURRED WHEN WIND AND FLOODING, WIND AND FLOODING, CLOSED CLOSED TULANE TULANE UNIVERSITY) UNIVERSITY) LONG LONG ENOUGH TO ENOUGH TO PARALYZE THE PARALYZE THE COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES..

DISASTER-DISASTER-INTELLIGENT INTELLIGENT COMMUNITIES USE COMMUNITIES USE TIMELY TIMELY EARLY EARLY WARNING BASED ON WARNING BASED ON CRITICAL INFORM-CRITICAL INFORM-ATION ATION TO IMPROVE TO IMPROVE THE ODDS THE ODDS FOR FOR

SAVING LIVES. SAVING LIVES.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

BETABETA, OCTOBER , OCTOBER 29, 200529, 2005

DISASTER DISASTER INTELLIGENTINTELLIGENT COMMUNITIES SAVE COMMUNITIES SAVE LIVES BY USING LIVES BY USING INFORMATION ON THE INFORMATION ON THE THREAT AS IT THREAT AS IT DEVELOPS HOUR BY DEVELOPS HOUR BY HOUR.HOUR.

TRACKS OF CINDY, DENNIS, TRACKS OF CINDY, DENNIS, KATRINA, RITA, AND WILMAKATRINA, RITA, AND WILMA

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE DISASTER RESILIENCE

2005’S KATRINA, RITA, 2005’S KATRINA, RITA, AND WILMAAND WILMA

EVACUATION EVACUATION IS A IS A COMPLEX ENDEAVOR COMPLEX ENDEAVOR IN ANY SUTUATION IN ANY SUTUATION THAT HAS THE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR POTENTIAL FOR DISASTERDISASTER..

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL ALL HURRICANESHURRICANES

EVACUATION IS EVACUATION IS UNSUCCESSFUL UNSUCCESSFUL IF IF SAFE HAVENS SAFE HAVENS FOR EVACUEES FOR EVACUEES ARE UNSAFE.ARE UNSAFE.

2012’S ISAAC: EVACUEES IN 2012’S ISAAC: EVACUEES IN A LOUISIANA SAFE HAVENA LOUISIANA SAFE HAVEN

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

KatrinaKatrina, August 29-, August 29-30, 200530, 2005

Instead of being a Instead of being a safe haven, as safe haven, as envisioned, envisioned, New New Orleans’ Super Orleans’ Super DomeDome became a became a setting for setting for disaster.disaster.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES INTELLIGENT INTELLIGENT

EMERGENCY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT UNDERSTANDS THE UNDERSTANDS THE RISKS ASSOCIATED RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH WITH FLOODINGFLOODING AND BUILDS AND BUILDS CAPACITY FOR CAPACITY FOR RESILIENCE.RESILIENCE.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL ALL HURRICANESHURRICANES

RECOVERY RECOVERY TAKES TAKES LONGER LONGER AND AND COSTS COSTS MOREMORE THAN THAN EXPECTED.EXPECTED.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

KatrinaKatrina, August 29-, August 29-30, 200530, 2005

Removal of Removal of 350,000 water-350,000 water-damaged carsdamaged cars was not part of was not part of anyone’s anyone’s recovery planrecovery plan..

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES RECOVERY AND RECOVERY AND

RECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION PLANS INCLUDES PLANS INCLUDES THE THE UNTHINK-UNTHINK-ABLE ABLE THAT CAN THAT CAN HAPPEN IN ANY HAPPEN IN ANY COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY..

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

KATRINAKATRINA NEW ORLEANS’ NEW ORLEANS’

STRATEGIC AND STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL PLANSTACTICAL PLANS DID NOT WORK DID NOT WORK DURING THE DURING THE EMERGENCY EMERGENCY PERIODPERIOD. .

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS

UNDERSTANDS UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT LAPSES IN LAPSES IN LAW AND ORDERLAW AND ORDER MAY OCCUR MAY OCCUR DURING THE MOST DURING THE MOST CHAOTIC CHAOTIC MOMENTS OF A MOMENTS OF A DISASTER.DISASTER.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

ALL HURRICANESALL HURRICANES RECOVERYRECOVERY UNDER- UNDER-

STANDS THAT IT STANDS THAT IT ONLY TAKES A FEW ONLY TAKES A FEW HOURS OF WIND HOURS OF WIND AND STORM SURGE AND STORM SURGE AND TWO WEEKS OF AND TWO WEEKS OF FLOODING FOR FLOODING FOR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY BUSINESSESBUSINESSES AND AND JOBSJOBS TO DISAPPEAR TO DISAPPEAR FOREVER.FOREVER.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR CAPACITY BUILDINGCAPACITY BUILDING

ARLENEARLENE, JUNE , JUNE 20052005

INTELLIGENT INTELLIGENT COMMUNITIES ARE COMMUNITIES ARE READY, READY, WHETHER WHETHER THE THE FIRST STORM FIRST STORM OROR THE LAST THE LAST STORM OF THE STORM OF THE SEASON.SEASON.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR CAPACITY BUILDINGCAPACITY BUILDING

STANSTAN: OCTOBER : OCTOBER 20052005

EMERGENCY EMERGENCY RESPONSE RESPONSE PLANS PLANS FOR DEVASTATING FOR DEVASTATING MUDSLIDESMUDSLIDES THAT THAT CAN BE TRIGGERED CAN BE TRIGGERED BY PROLONGED BY PROLONGED RAIN.RAIN.

LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE

STAN, OCTOBER STAN, OCTOBER 20052005

AFTER A MUDSLIDE AFTER A MUDSLIDE

BURIES A BURIES A TOWN, TOWN, SEARCH SEARCH AND RESCUE, A AND RESCUE, A VERY COMPLICATED VERY COMPLICATED TASK, BECOMES TASK, BECOMES VERY URGENT.VERY URGENT.