Florida’s Preparedness for Hurricane Mathew

Nicknamed the Sunshine state because of its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine,
Florida is extremely popular with tourists who flock to the state annually to enjoy its great
weather and wonderful beaches. Unfortunately, the state’s location also makes it vulnerable to
myriad of natural disasters, such as tropical storms and hurricanes. An example of a natural
disaster that hit the state in recent years is Hurricane Matthew. Hitting the state in 2016, the
Category 5 hurricane was the strongest hurricane to hit the state in decades. However, the loss of
life and property resulting from the hurricane and its effects was less severe than many had
feared. The relative success in managing the disaster can be attributed to the work of Florida
State Government and Florida Division of Emergency Management in preparing for and
responding to the hurricane.
How the Florida State Government and Florida Division of Emergency Management

Prepared and Responded to the Hurricane

Once it became clear that the state of Florida was in the path of Hurricane Matthew and
considering its strength and the extensive damage that it had already caused in Cuba, Dominican
Republic, and Haiti, Florida’s governor, Rick Scott, declared a state of emergency in the state
(Governor Rick Scott, 2016). A state of emergency allows the state to begin using all resources
that it has at its disposal to contain the effects of a disaster and also set aside some regulations
and freedoms in order to better deal with an emergency situation. The governor also requested
the US President Barrack Obama to declare a state of emergency in the state thus allowing the
state to receive federal aid to supplement its resources and efforts.

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Apart from declaring a state of emergency, the governor also ordered mandatory
evacuations from places that were most vulnerable to the hurricane, such as mobile homes, low-
lying areas, and barrier islands. Dozens of shelters were set up to not only accommodate
residents who had been affected by mandatory evacuations but also those whose homes had lost
power. To protect students from the dangers of the hurricane, the governor also ordered closure
of all schools in the state. He also deployed around 2,500 National Guard troops to help in
preparations for the hurricane. Close to 4,000 other National Guard troops were also kept on
standby (Governor Rick Scott, 2016).
It is not just the governor that was involved in the preparation and response to the
hurricane, Florida Division of Emergency Management was also active in ensuring that the
hurricane resulted in minimal loss of lives and property. Florida Division of Emergency
Management is tasked with planning for and responding to various forms of emergency
situations in the state. In preparation for Hurricane Matthew, Florida Division of Emergency
Management ensured that every county in the state had an emergency management program
(Florida Division of Emergency Management, n.d). The program is a predefined plan for
emergency preparations and contains, among other things, emergency supply kits.
Performance of the Governor and Florida Division of Emergency Management in the

Context of National Response Framework

The National Response Framework (NRF) provides a guide to the nation’s response to
both national and man-made disasters. It provides a guide to all agencies and officials that are
involved in emergency preparations and response. Thus, NRF applies to all governors and
agencies, such as Florida Division Emergency Management.

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In regard to Hurricane Matthew, the governor and Florida Division of Emergency
Management Agency competently carried out their responsibilities as stipulated by NRF. For
instance, the NRF requires that the state governor coordinates assistance with the Federal
government and other state governments, makes, amends, or suspends some regulations or orders
that are associated with the response, and commands the state’s military forces (Homeland
Security, 2019). The NRF also requires the governor to communicate to the public about the
emergency situation and helps business organizations and people to cope with the effects of the
disaster. As for the state emergency management agencies, the NRF requires them to coordinate
state emergency plans and support local governments as needed.
Looking at the actions that Florida’s governor and Florida Division of Emergency
Management took, it is clear that they achieved the roles and responsibilities outlined in the
NRF. For instance, the governor asked the Federal president to declare a state of emergency in
the state and coordinated response of federal agencies under FEMA with state and local
agencies. He also commanded the National Guard to help with preparations for the storm.
Equally important, the governor effectively communicated to the public about the dangers posed
by the hurricane and what members of the public needed to do to stay safe (Executive Office of
Governor Rick Scott, 2016). The Florida Division of Emergency Management also played its
role as stipulated in the NRF by ensuring that all counties implemented the emergency
management program and had, among other things, emergency support kits.
Analysis of the State’s Preparedness and Response

I believe that the preparedness and response of the state of Florida to the hurricane was
successful. The state government, in coordination with federal agencies, local governments, and
other organizations put in place effective measures and provided help to affected populations to

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cushion them from the effects of the disaster. Additionally, the state governor effectively
committed to the public on what they needed to remain safe. The effectiveness of the state’s
preparedness and response can be seen in the relatively minor damages that the hurricane caused
to Florida despite its great strength and immense damages that it caused in other countries.

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References

Executive Office of Governor Rick Scott. (2016, October 4). Gov. Scott: Cat 4 Hurricane
Matthew approaching Florida; stay alert to possible life saving evacuations [Press
release]. Retrieved from https://www.floridadisaster.org/globalassets/importedpdfs/10-
04-2016-matthew-approaching-florida-stay-alert-to-possible-life-saving-evacuations.pdf
Florida Division of Emergency Management. (n.d.). Hurricane Matthew: Information updates
concerning Hurricane Matthew. Retrieved
from https://www.floridadisaster.org/info/matthew-recovery/matthew-news-archive/
Governor Rick Scott (2016, October 3). Executive Order Number 16-230 (Emergency
Management – Hurricane Matthew).
Homeland Security (2019, May 28). National Response Framework