Blue Sky Disaster Drills for Florida Division

Tampa, FL (August 2, 2024) - The most effective way to prepare for hurricane season is to conduct disaster drills under clear, blue skies. To prepare the Florida Area Command Incident Management Team (IMT) for the upcoming hurricane season, Pinellas County Government Human Services Department Emergency Manager, Jessica Geib, FPEM, CEM, led a two-day emergency response tabletop exercise.

To test the team's coordination abilities, the first day's exercise simulated a natural disaster scenario. In the second day's exercise, the team was forced to pivot between two simultaneous natural disasters, identifying potential issues and developing contingencies for an emergency. Clear communication channels and flexibility in response plans were key lessons learned.

As part of the exercise, the IMT had to deal with several hurricanes back-to-back in a short period of time. “Four hurricanes crisscrossed Florida during the 2004 hurricane season and although we hope we'll never again experience that, we must ensure we're addressing gaps in our preparation to meet survivors' needs,” said Steven Hartsook, Divisional Emergency Disaster Director.

Self-evaluations provided newer team members with an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and more experienced members with an opportunity to improve upon practices. “The exercises were facilitated in a way that provided the adrenaline factor of a real response,” said Lynne Frost, EDS Preparedness Coordinator. “With hurricane season on our heels, this exercise was ideal for preparation.”

In addition to highlighting resource shortages and demonstrating the need to maintain readiness, the exercise also demonstrated the importance of interagency cooperation in ensuring a cohesive and effective response.

Anyone who would like to learn about volunteering to help in disaster relief and serving in their community can contact Lynne Frost, EDS Preparedness Coordinator, at 813-383-5780 or lynne.frost@uss.salvationarmy.org.

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