Question

what are some of the main features of FEMA’s National Hurricane Program and offer some suggestions for improvement?

Answer 1

The National Hurricane Program (NHP) conducts assessments and provides tools and technical assistance to assist state and local agencies in developing hurricane evacuation plans.

The program is a multi agency parternship, involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association, the National Weather service, US department of Transportation, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and numerous other Federal agencies.

They conduct hurricane evacuation studies to guide the decisions that protects the public when a hurricane threatens an area.These studies determine the probable effects of a hurricane, predict public response to the threat and advisories, and identify shelters to ultimately form the basis of evacuation plans.

The agencies conduct a hurricane surge analysis of all types of storms. This entails an assessment of potential hazards, existing road and transportation systems, the population and shelters. Based on this information, officials determine where individuals are more likely to go when fleeing from storms.

NHP provides targeted communities with a recommendation for evacuation zones with corresponding evacuation maps and suggested clearance times for the various types of storm categories.