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Florida’s Hurricanes |
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The National Perspective |
Hilda Besner |
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Traditionally Florida is known for its bright sun, sandy beaches and relaxed atmosphere. Despite being a favorite vacation spot and desirable place to live, many people are reconsidering their decision to make “sunny Florida” home after a tumultuous summer of continuous hurricanes. For us residents, the summer of 2004 will be remembered as an emotional rollercoaster. Regardless of where we live, everyone must cope with natural phenomena indigenous to their region. This season, however, Floridians learned the true meaning of “not taking Mother Nature for granted.” Within a period of five weeks, four major hurricanes struck Florida. Emotional reactions ranged from panic to apathy, shock and disbelief to guilt for not experiencing a direct hit. Living in Ft. Lauderdale in southeastern Florida, I was fortunate to escape the most intense wrath of Charlie, Frances, Ivan and Jean. Although we experienced torrential rain, high winds, prolonged power outage, cancelled airline flights, and disrupted plans, our northern neighbors were pummeled with the full effects of these storms. Some communities sustained little damage or loss of electricity. Others had great physical damage and loss of personal items; whole neighborhoods will never recover and many lives are permanently altered. Weeks after the storm, numerous residents still find themselves without electricity, downed trees in their front yards, and plastic covering on their roofs. Regardless of the devastation experienced, everyone in the state was affected by the threat, preparation, clean up, or the actual storm itself. Those individuals who never experienced a major hurricane had mixed reactions to the approaching storms. Some saw the hurricane as nothing more than a terrible rain and windstorm that provided an opportunity to “party”, and they showed little regard for preparation or planning. Even individuals who lived on the coastlines, whose lives and property were in imminent danger from a direct hit, saw little reason to relocate away from the waterways or take any precautions. Their reactions were similar to adolescents who believe they can survive anything, as nothing bad will happen to them. Contrarily, the response was totally different in those individuals who had lived through Hurricane Andrew, which came through southern Dade County in 1992 and caused major devastation and destruction of property. The pending threats resurrected tremendous anxiety and panic, and there was little that could be done to allay their fears. The anxiety and panic seemed contagious and the mere presence of the anxious person raised the anxiety of those trying to remain calm. When the first storm, Charley, approached, there was continuous media coverage showing the progression of the storm and the magnitude of the destruction it caused throughout the Caribbean. As Charley intensified, South Floridians took note, and the lines at the local grocery stores, supply companies, and gas stations grew as hurricane preparedness began. This storm approached Florida from the west with uncertainty as to where the eye would hit. There was a sense of relief when Charley did not hit South Florida directly, and people relaxed and were relieved that “we were passed by.” Residents disassembled shutters, feeling assured that storm preparations were unnecessary and returned to enjoying what remained of their summers. Shortly thereafter, the Atlantic waters became a breeding ground for one tropical disturbance after another with the local stations spending increasing time on the weather reports. The hourly news updates showed multiple storm areas lined up, heading due east and posing significant threats to Florida. Ivan came within striking distance; the pictures of this massive storm heading directly for the state incited people to be ready for action, but again it was a false alarm. Frances was the next storm, and she will forever be known as the as the “Labor Day Weekend Storm.” There was a mixed reaction to this storm, infusing panic where anxiety had previously been contained. As the storm veered, some felt that this was another false alarm and nothing would happen; however, for others, anxiety continued to mount. Fortunately, Frances did not impact South Florida with severe winds and rain and people started believing a hurricane threat was nothing more than a media event used by weather forecasters to alarm the public. Three times, South Florida residents responded to the request to pay attention, and each time little seemed to happen. Then Ivan did something totally unexpected, making a U-turn and posing a direct threat to South Florida. As Ivan strengthened, so did resident’s anxieties. Attitudes modified to where people were tired of the storms, felt claustrophobic from being shut in and didn’t know how to escape from these situations. Charley and Frances had left destruction in the Central Florida area, and the impact was severe. Residents seemed to live by the weather forecasts, life was put on hold as people were afraid to make any plans, only to have them cancelled, and people seemed to tire of being restricted to their homes. Each of these storms arrived on weekends, and everyone felt every weekend all they did was prepare for a storm, sit in their homes and wait, and then spend Sunday cleaning up the resulting mess. People tried to remain focused on November 30th, the last day of hurricane season. After Ivan, battle fatigue set in. Weary of the storms, people did not want to remove their shutters, their interest in weathering yet another storm waned and people stopped listening to the weather forecast. It was not uncommon to hear complaints of dysthymia, apathy, and anger. Many were not just angry over their lack of control over the disruptions in their lives, but angry with the media as well for inciting fear. Jean arrived and many did not proactively prepare, waiting instead for the last minute to do anything. The local police departments were wary of the potential consequences because of the apathy in the community. Much of the population went on with their normal day-to-day activities and did not evacuate or heed the warnings. Today, several weeks after the last storm, many businesses and homes remain shuttered, and concern continues about future weather forecasts. For others, life is returning to normal. For those residents who received direct impact from one or all of the storms, life has not returned to normal and it will not be “business as usual” for a long time. Jobs have been lost, and homes have been destroyed. For some, it has only been recently that the basics of electric power and phones have been restored. The American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Association have provided a lifeline and countless volunteers have aided in the rebuilding process. The emotional recovery may take much longer to repair, as the safety and security once felt from home has been replaced with trauma and underlying anxiety. Having seen and been involved in the aftermaths of the devastation of Hurricane Andrew twelve years ago, I know that hurricane-inflicted wounds take a long time to heal. For some, life is never the same. Both children and adults experience intense reactions to these experiences. During Hurricane Andrew, many people survived by placing mattresses over their heads huddled with the entire families in the bathtub while their homes collapsed and crumbled around them. Some never recovered from this trauma, and the threat of a pending rain or thunderstorm invokes the memories of this past experience, resulting in renewed panic and fear. Children need added reassurance and support from their families, friends, and teachers, and attending school becomes a welcome source of comfort because of the routine and structure. Parents need to be patient with their children and recognize that they may be overwhelmed and not understand why their parents were powerless to protect and insulate them from the storm and its effects. Additional hugs and positive words of assurance can assuage some anxieties. Listen to your children’s concerns and acknowledge their anxieties without trivializing their feelings. Allowing children to help with the rebuilding makes them feel they are helping and provides an additional connection to their parents and community. When possible, especially with teens, include them in the problem solving phase. Sometimes they can handle more than we may think they can. Both parents and children can benefit from some physical outlets. Encourage exercise and utilize breathing and relaxation techniques. This is an activity that can be done together. Psychologists can make a significant difference in helping communities return to normal by providing coping strategies and assisting individuals to regain their resiliency. I know that one year Ft. Lauderdale will receive the brunt of a powerful hurricane. I can only hope that when that time comes, my fellow residents will not be complacent and lackadaisical so that the emotional impact of this storm will not be as devastating as its physical toll. |
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