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County officials plan for natural disaster

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 20, 2011

NEW PORT RICHEY - If ever there were a case of how not to manage a natural disaster, Katrina is it.

The Category 5 hurricane that struck New Orleans and southern Mississippi in 2005 forever changed the definition of disaster preparedness. Assistant Administrator Michele Baker said Pasco County doesn't want to be in a situation similar to the one faced by New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

"New Orleans did not have a good evacuation plan — as was evidenced by the scene at the Superdome," she said. "But they also didn't have a post-disaster plan in place, and that's one reason the redevelopment is taking so long."

Pasco County's Office of Emergency Management received a federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive plan to address how the county would resume services and rebuild after a major disaster.

"This is extremely important," County Administrator John Gallagher told commissioners Tuesday. "If we get a major hurricane here, you could lose your entire tax base west of U.S. 19. That's 40 percent of our tax base."

County Planner Smita Ambadi said the county is vulnerable to several types of disasters, not just hurricanes. Nearly a quarter of the county's streets and roads are in a floodplain. Pasco County has been struck by two tornadoes in the past three years.

The county also has more mobile homes, 43,000, than any other county in Florida, Ambadi said. So a key ingredient for the post-disaster plan would have to be short-term, temporary housing for victims.

The recovery phase includes activities such as clearing debris, reopening schools and hospitals, and restoring utilities.

The long-term plan could involve reshaping entire neighborhoods and transportation corridors, addressing environmental damage and providing affordable, permanent housing. Getting businesses to reopen is another part of the plan.

Having an approved post-disaster plan also allows the county to maintain more local control, rather than ceding decisions to state and federal officials, Commissioner Jack Mariano said. "And it takes emotions out of the process," he said.

Ambadi said the county will host a series of public meetings in October and November to involve as many residents and business owners as possible.

lkinsler@tampatrib.com (813) 259-8109

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