In 2018, Hurricane Michael became the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States since Andrew in 1992. Yet, in many ways, Hurricane Michael was even more severe than this categorization implies - Category 5 is the most intense in terms of wind speed, but wind force is just one cause of damage from hurricanes. Storm surge is another indicator of intensity, and Michael’s storm surge was 14 feet high, inundating normally dry areas under vast amounts of water. Economically, the damage to the United States reached $25bn.
Preparation can significantly reduce damage. Yet climate change appears to be yielding storms that intensify very rapidly. One of the reasons for Hurricane Michael’s catastrophic impact was its unusually rapid intensification. Until just hours before landfall, Michael was only a Category 2 storm, the second lowest on the scale. It escalated to the highest category so quickly that many people were caught unawares, having expected a much milder storm - especially as the region had not experienced a Category 5 storm in recent memory. Building codes that only met the minimum statewide requirements meant that standards were insufficient in parts of the state. If storms will intensify so rapidly, we need deeper, long-term resilience built into codes and regulations.
In one sense, looking at only past events that have impacted the region, Hurricane Michael was a rare event. But the Gulf of Mexico is witnessing an increased frequency of strong hurricane events in recent years. Since Michael, several severe storms have hit the same region. Suffering intense storms every 5 years, rather than every 20, is exposing inadequacies and vulnerabilities of our usual ‘get back to normal, fast’ mindset. Communities confronted with concurrent disasters and several ongoing recoveries at once often don’t have the staff or resources in place to be in continuous response and recovery mode. This makes it difficult to move on from one storm to the next, especially when the damage is to the same infrastructure.
We must also confront the tension between rapid recovery and resilient recovery. Traditional approaches focus on getting back to normal as quickly as possible - because the longer it takes to get back up and running, the greater the immediate hit to society and the economy. But the need to re-establish a functioning economy and infrastructure services is often at odds with embedding longer-term resilience. Communities must be supported in understanding how and why the storm exposed their weak points, and how best to manage investment so that they’re more resilient when the next storm hits. While it’s easier and faster to skip redesign and go back to the way it was, this can leave the same vulnerabilities that existed prior to the storm. However, catastrophic storms often leave communities with a determined mentality to never suffer the same devastation again, meaning they’re more open to change and improving long-term development. That’s a potential silver lining; but only if we build on it.
Disaster class
Of all the places impacted by Hurricane Michael, few were as badly hit as Mexico Beach. The community of under 2,000 people was completely overwhelmed. Over 14 feet of water inundated the city, leading the United States Geological Survey to classify Michael's surge at Mexico Beach as a 1-in-280 year event. Its vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exposed, leaving the town close to inhospitable. Relying on lift stations to pump its wastewater, Hurricane Michael rendered 25 of its 27 stations inoperable. Similarly, the city’s water supply - dependent upon a single pipe, transferring supply from 25 miles from the west - was completely stopped, with the pipe broken in multiple places. Of Mexico Beach’s 3 bridges enabling entry and exit, 2 were damaged and one was taken out completely. Like an island, Mexico Beach was cut off from the neighbouring communities and facilities upon which it depended. Over 75% of all citywide structures were damaged and many of those assets were substantially damaged.
As well as the infrastructure, Hurricane Michael exposed the weaknesses of Mexico Beach’s response capacity. The police and fire station, so important to the response effort, were inundated by 12 feet of water, and the sheriff’s office was swept off its foundation. The city’s mandatory evacuation - which was required to save lives - inadvertently stalled immediate recovery, because first responders simply could not get back into the city. One firefighter walked 12 miles with a chainsaw in order to access the city and contribute to its recovery. Post-storm, the city recognized that a Safe Room for emergency personnel would enable key staff to remain safely within the precinct, and begin recovery efforts immediately afterwards. Similarly, placing the police and fire station further landward of the Gulf of Mexico would help prevent their going offline at the crucial moment.
Small but strong
For communities like Mexico Beach, assistance is vital. With its small population and without experience of a severe storm in living memory, Mexico Beach could not recover on its own. They lacked the staff with the experience of handling the intricacies and sequencing of recovery. AtkinsRéalis were brought in immediately after the storm as disaster recovery specialists, who provided subject matter expertise in managing the relief effort. From getting debris off the streets to establishing the reporting mechanisms to ensure ongoing eligibility for reimbursement from federal agencies, we helped to coordinate the recovery efforts as efficiently as possible.
Our coordinated, integrated approach laid the foundation to build back better than before. Rather than just restoring the water infrastructure, we established a back-up water supply from a neighbouring community in the other direction, with water tightening to prevent corrosion of electrical components in sewers. Observing these weak spots, and understanding how to eliminate or adapt them, is a crucial first step in a resilient recovery.
Beyond infrastructure, communities must develop financial and political resilience, too. For Mexico Beach, this was vital. In the US, communities must clearly demonstrate how the funding is used towards recovery efforts that are aligned with federal policy to rebuild. Otherwise, communities can find that they may be ineligible for reimbursement - a double disaster that could hamper recovery for years. However, even when recovery funds are granted, recipients are required to file documentation to prove the validity of their spending. Moreover, they also have the chance to access second tier funding, but only if they improve resilience. This process of demonstrating greater resilience is demanding, requiring multidisciplinary expertise. But vital funding is at stake, funding which could enable otherwise-unaffordable long-term improvements. We helped Mexico Beach go the extra mile, submitting applications with the required documentation to win additional resilience funding.
From reactive to proactive
We can no longer afford to play catch-up, struggling to return to normal in the face of more severe and frequent storms is not a viable option. The example of Mexico Beach shows that even the smallest communities can overcome disaster and embed resilience more deeply. Financial constraints or limited resources are not an excuse to bury our heads in the sand. Despite its size, Mexico Beach took on the task of resiliency and now their community is better protected as a result.
Moreover, many interventions can have a big impact without exorbitant investment. Communities across the Gulf, including Mexico Beach, are going beyond just hardening physical infrastructure to shifting policy itself. Changing the ordinances for building permits, from residential to commercial to city infrastructure, is comparatively low in cost - but it can have disproportionately valuable long term effects. As climate change intensifies, the minimum standard within existing codes may no longer be enough to satisfy a community’s need to feel safe, especially after a severe storm. Hurricane Michael revealed complacency with standards - Mexico Beach’s adherence to minimum standards still left them shockingly exposed.
Ultimately, all communities must ask themselves how protected they are. Is the minimum standard enough? Long-term resilience doesn’t happen overnight. But it does start with the willpower to confront complacency, tackle weaknesses, and invest in a resilient future.
