Lessons from Matthew
More than a week before, meteorological services already showed the graphic models with possible routes for hurricane Matthew, some with land impact on the US.
Day by day information was getting more accurate, to the point that the threat was confirmed in the direction of the American east coast. Communication services (radio, television, newspapers, app and others) began to devote more and more space to inform people about the recent news, as well as guidance on the actions that precede a Category 4 hurricane, with winds between 210-250 km/h
For our family it was a very tense experience. The lack of experience facing a threat of this magnitude could be the difference between being able to tell the story, be in trouble or stand on the rubble.
We followed the guidelines of the National Hurricane Center of NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which provides all the preventive care that should be adopted for adequate actions and preparedness in case of hurricane landfall.
The three days before the arrival of Matthew were quite tense and worrying, because we didn’t know yet whether to stay home with hurricane shutters or evacuate to an area outside the hurricane cone.
It was difficult to find drinking water and propane for cooking, the firsts to run out. Gas stations had huge queues. Supermarkets and home improvement stores were crowded, too. People were all looking for the same things: canned food, water, propane and plywood to strengthen the protection of their homes.
About 30 hours before we begin to see that Matthew had already passed through Cuba and kept being a category 4, with a chance of passing close to the shore on our area, without landfall. Only 12 hours before we had confirmation that we would be out of the most dangerous area and that the effects in our region would be equivalent to a strong tropical storm.
The authorities, the press and the emergency services were fully mobilized and ready to guide and assist the population in every city with possibility of impact. We also learnt that the days following the hurricane are the worst due to the lack of power, shops being closed, hospitals crowded, etc.
The great lesson is that you cannot leave to the last minute to get prepared. You have to be very well informed about the risks of such an event, in addition to taking care of all matters to your family and protection of your assets in advance.
We are already preparing for the next hurricane season!
Sócio e Consultor
8 年Thanks, Igor. Important lesson to share.
Engenheiro Civil e de Seguran?a do Trabalho
8 年Sempre estamos à espera de uma catástrofe maior. Estar preparado é fundamental. Excelente Igor.
Diretor Executivo +4 // +Arriero Consultoria de Gest?o +Seran Group +Rumo Cultural + Empresas
8 年This lesson is for the Brazilian people? Que li??o poderemos tirar em nosso benefício? O tempo está castigando também o nosso povo. Dia 18/10/16 tivemos ventos e chuvas fortes no sul do nosso país ocasionando mortes e com prejuízos sérios à popula??o local. A explica??o...."chuvas devidas ao calor intenso associada a alta umidade". Acredito que precisamos de um Compliance para o nosso governo como n?o só para explicar o que já sabemos à décadas com vários casos ocorridos em Minas, Rio, S?o Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina e Rio Grande do Sul. Onde foi decretado o estado de calamidade pública e até hoje há desaparecidos nestas tragédias. E pasmem, com reincidências por falta de a??es governamentais. Com certeza se tivéssemos um gerenciamento de risco atuante e a??es político sociais aqui, estas popula??es n?o estariam ainda morando nas encostas de morros, várzeas dos córregos ou seja, em áreas consideradas de alto risco pela própria Defesa Civil. Ter mecanismos somente de explica??es n?o previnem e nem trazem vidas ceifadas nestas tragédias. O que precisamos é de um Plano de Gest?o Governamental para as popula??es das áreas de riscos como acabar com a impunidade daqueles que deveriam ter cuidado para com a vida do cidad?o. N?o basta estar aparelhado para a detec??o das condi??es meteorológicas, como devemos estar pronto, para e em condi??es de atuar antes..o depois..é atestado de óbito de vidas e da inépcia dos governos. Rogo a Deus pela saúde e tranquilidade de sua família. Como rogo a Deus pela consciência de nossos governantes e a vida de nosso povo. Abs, Kbt
Senior Radio System Administrator ESF-2 at City of Miami Beach Fire Department /PSCD
8 年Excellent article Igor; preparedness is always fundamental to face a catastrophic event of such magnitude that this time we were blessed not to be impacted. From all nature events, hurricanes are the only ones that can be predicted and followed with a very high degree of precision allowing the population to be prepared with at least 72 hours notice, where tornadoes and earthquakes happen without warning.