In the twenty years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the
Gulf Coast, powerful hurricanes such as Sandy, Irma, Maria and Helene have also
caused immense property destruction and lead to thousands of deaths. If Katrina
taught us anything, it was to be prepared for the unimaginable. But have we
learned that lesson?
In this episode, part of a series tied to the 20th
anniversary of Katrina, we report from the National Hurricane Conference in New
Orleans about what we we’ve learned in the years since. Emergency
management teams from the Virgin Islands reflect on the two Category 5
hurricanes that hit within just two weeks of each other in 2017, scientists
describe how climate change is reshaping hurricanes and we our new tools for
forecasting them. Meanwhile dark clouds are gathering. As we head
into hurricane season, the administration proposes to slash funding for
agencies that are tasked with helping us prepare and recover from natural
disasters, such as NOAA and the National Weather Service.
Guests:
- Yvette Henry – Community Affairs Coordinator at the Department of Human Services in the US Virgin Islands
- Abigail Hendricks – Emergency Support Function #6 coordinator on the island of St John, Virgin Islands
- Meaghan Enright – executive director of the nonprofit, Love City Strong that works on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery on the island of St John, Virgin Islands
- Rebeca Mueller – Director of media coordination, National Hurricane Conference
- Michael Brennan – Director, National Hurricane Center, Miami, Florida
- Julie Roberts – Former director of communications and Deputy Chief of Staff for NOAA during the first Trump administration.
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