A Fresh Start

More than two years ago, I wrote a blog entry on Padkos that was titled:?"Hurricanes Don't Give A Damn About Your Zipcode." It's wild, but unsurprising that we still have influential people who deny climate change.?

Some friends who live in Miami called me last week, telling me how grateful they were for dodging yet another hurricane bullet. Their weather forecast was 80 degrees and sunny skies, while their northern neighbors in the same state received evacuation orders.?

Then there were those people living in the bullseye where the storm was predicted to make landfall who refused to find higher ground even after Mayor Jane Castor issued a dire warning urging people to evacuate. Some of these people probably fit into the category of "climate change deniers," while others who weren't fortunate enough to be able to evacuate were stuck in Tampa General Hospital. The hospital used a flood-protection system called AquaFence to block the rising water levels, and from what I've seen, this was a huge success—such a simple concept, but brilliant and effective. Most smart ideas are simple.?

The average sea level for many of these communities is more than half a foot higher than just a few decades ago, and the tide is only rising. So, Milton won't be the last time Florida has to deal with this situation.?

I'm hoping that the brilliant people who created the Aquafence are busy working on a more affordable version for single-family houses. Imagine having an affordable solution for every home and building exposed to a potential flood threat. And imagine if it could be portable and used anywhere.?

With weather forecast technology capable of predicting hurricanes and floods days in advance, we could ship the inventory of these systems to those who will need them most. Florida isn't the only place that will require these systems. Mayor Bloomberg warned us about the potential of more flooding in New York, and we are already starting to see this every time we have a significant storm.?

It would be worthwhile for everyone to contribute. Instead of paying insane insurance premiums, we could all pay a fraction of the cost of a portable Aquafence system to safeguard our homes and the people who live inside.?

Side Bar:

Reflecting on the past year and preparing for a fresh start, I am committed to becoming a better version of myself by acting positively and gratefully. I'm fortunate to have surrounded myself with people who share these core values. I couldn't do it without your love and support. G'mar chatimah tovah.?

Let's do this-

Shaun