Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

Thread: #HurricaneIan Day 2 in the US, my thoughts.

So I noticed a ton of damaged or destroyed boats either half-sunk at their moorings, or washed miles inland. As always happens. And it got me thinking... there are better options...

weather.com/storms/hurrica…

Boat owners and users had 4-5 days' notice that #Ian was likely to develop and landfall somewhere in FL. The forecast track became more certain over time, but even at 2 days out, the info was pretty solid. If it surprised you, then IMO you weren't listening properly to the data.

Not everyone would've had the option of doing this, but some did. It was possible to load up with lifesaving supplies and head out into the Caribbean to circle back behind the storm, boat intact, with the ability to assist many, many people in SW Florida.

J/s, it was possible.

Boat or no boat, those who didn't take the forecasting seriously and now have preventable property or human damage, have contributed to their own problem, and quite possibly increased the burden on others.

Collective interests are treated differently in the US than elsewhere.

Sure, we in places like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Europe get emergency management and recovery wrong at times. I gladly admit that in every case. The international community of EM planners and policymakers try to share lessons with, and offer assistance to, all others.

The US can make an immense contribution to peace, security, and prosperity at home and abroad, and has done so for centuries now.

Doing one's best for public health and safety is the first duty of government, whatever form it takes. Democracy has a better record than autocracy.

I've worked on and reported on disasters of many types, over many years. Both as a public policy advisor, and as an amateur observer trying to distract myself from the daily burden of chronic illness. Since 2017, US hurricanes have been a great tool for me in the latter role.

The natural disaster with the biggest impact on my thinking, and even on my political worldview, has been the still-ongoing pandemic that began in January 2020.

I was a right winger, who will never vote for a right wing party again. Such parties will never be forgiven by me.

Because: Decision makers in right wing parties everywhere failed to prioritize basic humanitarian science-based public health and safety needs above their own personal financial interests.

In NZ, it was the main opposition party that did this...

But in the US, the UK, , Australia, Russia, India, and Brazil, national, state, and local level right wingers chose their personal interests ahead of saving lives and reducing avoidable suffering in their population, & in vulnerable neighboring countries.

Some were then fired.

Other leaders will be fired for this, to the extent that democratic freedoms are fully available to citizens.

See, I chose the Twitter name @FreedomFriesInc because I remember France letting the team down in 2003.

In 2022, France is a collective security team player again.

I mention the change in my political position because it's relevant to this thread about US disaster planning and recovery.

I think I can help y'all understand more about the increasingly extreme "red state" ideology that worsens outcomes, especially in Southern states.

The ideology of "individualism" has a place. In the modern world, it must be balanced with the collective interest.

During the worst parts of a pandemic or a major hurricane the collective or, community, interest must be allowed to prevail. That position is based in science.

At the individual level, hurricane preparedness can be mismanaged by right wingers and left wingers, & each group have their own set of ideological assumptions at play.

Assuming that others will be able to help you quickly is a common mistake. You are your own first responder.

Equally, assuming that your decisions do not impact others is a common mistake, and one that will inevitably come back to bite you.

For example, if a government is anti-immigration, then the extreme shortage of skilled workers is going to hit you hard. Especially in healthcare.

Voluntary, private insurance has a massive role to play in mitigating the individual and collective harm caused by hurricanes and other weather related disasters.

Changing the cost and coverage of insurance for the built environment can speak louder than anything else.

And it can directly save lives, too.

Individual householders and homeowners might be OK about forgoing adequate insurance coverage but private and public land managers should not be.

When insurance becomes unaffordable, moving to higher ground becomes more likely.

I say "moving to higher ground" to encompass both: permanently relocating a home or business; and listening to the science when you need to evacuate before a hurricane.

Proper evacuation enables responders to more safely serve the community & help those less fortunate than you.

And I don't mean economically less fortunate. People (and animals) with less or no ability to choose. Frail elderly, disabled (physically &/or mentally), children, & so on.

Every time a non-vulnerable person chooses not to evacuate, it gets harder to help a vulnerable person.

Hurricanes aren't a major threat in New Zealand; earthquakes are.

You who have the ability to forecast a hurricane often have no idea how privileged you are.

When I see people acting surprised about the damage, I sometimes have to take a sanity break from the internet.

After every major hurricane, there are the excuses & justifications, even from people who have lived in the middle of hurricane alley for decades.

Insurers are allowing the idiotic decisions of some to hike the costs of others. That's normal & is the way insurance works but:

The cycle of avoidable death, injury, destruction, and disruption will not stop unless and until the accurate price signal of insurance is sent to the marketplace, in a much clearer fashion.

This is doable. You get government to regulate for it.

And don't get me started on...

... how American politics is such an unmitigated shitshow and things will never change and both sides are the same and what about this and that.

Instead of excuses, let's have some accountability. Both sides are not the same. One side is pro-democracy & the other is Cult 45.

AKA, gullible, brainwashed, willfully ignorant, intellectually lazy people. I actually admit to being that, at one time. Luckily for me I woke the fuck up.

If you got this hurricane wrong, admit it as soon as possible. Then become part of the solution, not part of the problem.

#HurricaneIan will end up ravaging many communities beyond Florida. There is a strong probability of additional major hurricanes landfalling on US territory in the coming months. (Source: Science.)

Those who can get ready, should. In your own interest.

ready.gov/hurricane