In the Eye of the Storm: Highlights from the Governor’s Hurricane Conference 2024.

Florida emerges as the premier hub for hurricane expertise, particularly evident for attendees of the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in West Palm Beach.

As Florida braces for what experts predict could be the most active hurricane season ever, hurricane experts from every corner of the state filled the rooms at the Palm Beach County Convention Center with safety and recovery advice, advances and hi-tech solutions.

“It’s great to have so many Emergency Management experts in one area, attending classes, visiting the trade show, purchasing equipment and meeting other representatives,” said John Garrison, Director of Training, Florida State Guard.  “I was able to reconnect with contacts that I’m already collaborating with and make new ones.”

Michael Brennan, Ph.D., Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center said he was at the conference to see what’s next in hurricane preparedness technologies and suppliers, and to offer tried and true guidance to those who ask.

“In case communications are down, pre-assign a location for you and your family and loved ones to meet; try to set this up in advance,” said Brennan. “Also, you only need to drive 10s of miles, not 100s of miles to successfully get out of a storm surge evacuation zone.”

Experts also asked that folks outside of mandatory evacuation zones do not add to roadway traffic and already overbooked hotels; potentially hindering the many needing to escape a more dire situation.

The focus on post-storm recovery efforts was more ‘fluid.’  “One of the most critical resources after a major hurricane or disaster is clean, uncontaminated drinking water,” said Jeff Szur, COO, Altitude Water.

Altitude Water’s Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) bring solar harnessing advancements, self-cleaning technologies and communication capabilities.  “From Florida to Tennessee to Hawaii and overseas, we are already bringing pure drinking water to so many communities, helping them rebuild,” said Szur.  “We want to be on your community’s radar and encourage each city to have immediate access to our system,” added Szur.

After a storm, truckloads of water bottles are in high demand.  Rather than scrambling to get water bottles, our system allows people to reuse containers, like gallon jugs, ready to fill with pure water in your area– Szur suggests considering Altitude’s Disaster Relief Trailer.  At the conference, Szur spoke to many major media outlets about the importance of his commercial grade systems and how having clean water – ready for critical situations- is of utmost importance.

While meteorological forecasts are more accurate than those in years past, the resounding takeaway from the 2024 Governor’s Hurricane Conference was that we all still need to be vigilant and emergency-ready with survival basics in place, from medical supplies to pet supplies, food, water and a safe place to shelter and/or recover.  The National Hurricane Center APP and the emergency APP for your county are great ways to receive emergency alerts. And remembering to check in with neighbors, family and friends to ensure they too are aware and ready to stay safe.