BUNNELL, FL -- Florida's emergency managers are always preparing for hurricane season. But at least one is also getting ready for something that's unlikely but not impossible.
Flagler County emergency management director Jonathan Lord says his county has almost completed the process to get National Weather Service certification as "tsunami ready".
Lord says part of that process is getting residents to understand that there is at least some risk of a tsunami. Potential earthquakes in the Caribbean, the northeast U.S. and as far away as the Canary Islands could generate waves that would move across the Atlantic and sweep onto Florida's east coast, much like hurricane storm surge. Warnings are issued by the weather service.
The director says much of the process for tsunami preparation resembles hurricane preparation. Tsunamis affect vulnerable land areas in ways similar to storm surge. But the timetable for impact compresses from days to hours, depending on how far away the tsunami is generated. Tsunamis can and do catch people unprepared on the beach. Flagler County's plans include using lifeguards and a helicopter to warn beachgoers, along with the county's alert app.
In addition to preparedness, a tsunami ready designation also has the potential to lower flood insurance rates, depending on other factors and other steps taken by a local government.
NWS certifies cities, counties and organizations as tsunami ready as well as storm ready. Virtually every part of Florida is considered storm ready because of the obvious risk from hurricanes. Flagler would become the second Florida county to earn a tsunami ready designation after Indian River, which is also on the east coast. The city of Indian Harbour Beach, the Mayport Naval station in Jacksonville and Pensacola Christian College are also considered tsunami ready by the NWS.
Listen to an interview with Jonathan Lord below:
Photo/Graphic: Canva