After a historically difficult 2020 weather season, public safety officials are concerned about what the rest of 2021 has in store. Last year, wildfires burned millions of acres across the West Coast. The third-named hurricane of the 2021 season, Hurricane Claudette, killed 13 people in Alabama, and experts fear last month’s Hurricane Elsa is an ominous sign of what’s to come.
Given the potential of another severe weather season, what can local leaders do to protect their residents? For one, emergency response teams must ensure people have access to critical information before disaster strikes. Then, once severe weather arrives, residents need to know where they can turn for additional help and resources.