What do you do when your hurricane backup plan is under water?

What’s your backup plan for when your backup plan is underwater?

Debris litters Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida after
Hurricane Michael swept through in October 2018. 

That’s the question we’re facing as Hurricane Dorian makes its way up the Eastern Seaboard. In its path are a string of military bases that, among their other vital missions, form the backbone of our response plan during homeland emergencies. For years, the military has turned a blind eye toward the warming climate. And if our military is playing defense against climate change, it cannot play offense when we need it to protect our citizens here or overseas.

Soon, if not after this hurricane, then perhaps after the next one, we will learn this lesson the hard way.

In emergency management, the first responders are always local officials. A plant explodes, a tornado strikes, a chemical truck overturns and, in most instances, local capacity is enough. Should locals need help, they turn to surrounding communities and, if necessary, state assets. That’s the first backup plan.

Read the opinion piece from The Washington Post - “What do you do when your hurricane backup plan is under water?”